When Science Catches Up With Grandma: How Going to Church Can Ameliorate Socioeconomic Gaps — ASN Events
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When Science Catches Up With Grandma: How Going to Church Can Ameliorate Socioeconomic Gaps (#256)

Robin Johnson 1 2 3 4
  1. Master of Applied Positive Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
  2. MBA, Organizational Behavior, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, United States of America
  3. Robin Learning Systems, La Crescenta, CA, United States
  4. Work and Organizations, Spirituality and Meaning, Health, Education, International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA), Apple Valley , MN, United States of America

Background

Research by a multitude of individuals and partnerships has shown that infrequent and shallow levels of interaction between social classes is “associated with worse outcomes,” including lower rates of rising income. The research found in two Nature articles examined by the New York Times, with the subtitle "How Churches Shine," focused on social capital and socioeconomic status (SES), and how certain elements of social capital enhanced “economic connectedness.” This economic connectedness enhances upward SES mobility. A phenomenon was discovered, and is described as “friending bias” – the tendency to help, or not help – those of a different SES. A low bias meant that low SES individuals were willing to help high SES individuals. This willingness implies positive connections between SES classes, and the lowest rate of bias was found within religious organizations.

Aims

The aims are to examine and increase factors influencing elements of social capital which can ameliorate SES gaps. Regular church attendance appears to be one such factor.

Method

The researchers used Facebook data on 21 billion friendships to create snapshots and a catalogue of social capital across the United States.

Results

Religious organizations had the lowest levels of friending bias. Although many religious groups are highly separated by income, thus diluting the positive effects of their low friending bias phenomenon, some religious organizations are organized geographically, cutting across SES lines, and thus can take better advantage of the low friending bias phenomenon.

Conclusion                       

Individuals with low SES are about 20% more likely to help and assist someone in their religious group with a high SES than someone in their neighborhood. If friending bias in all settings were to be lowered by an amount equal to the difference in friending bias between neighborhoods and religious groups, most of the economic disconnection between low SES and high SES individuals in the US would be eliminated. This can lead to considerably greater chances of rising out of poverty.

  1. Chetty, R., Jackson, M.O., Kuchler, T. et al. Social capital II: determinants of economic connectedness. Nature 608, 122–134 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-04997-3
  2. Chetty, R., Jackson, M.O., Kuchler, T. et al. Social capital I: measurement and associations with economic mobility. Nature 608, 108–121 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-04996-4
  3. Leonhardt, D. (2022, August 1). A large new study offers clues about how lower-income children can rise up the economic ladder. The New York Times.
  4. Lin, N. Building a network theory of social capital. Connections 22, 28–51 (1999).
  5. Jackson, M. O. Inequality’s economic and social roots: the role of social networks and homophily. SSRN https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3795626 (2021).
  6. Wuthnow, R. (2002). Religious involvement and status‐bridging social capital. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 41(4), 669-684.
  7. Zhang, S., Anderson, S. G., & Zhan, M. (2011). The differentiated impact of bridging and bonding social capital on economic well-being: An individual level perspective. Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare, (38), p. 119.
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