Summary: How do people’s social identities as a “scientist” or “religious person” inform perceptions of the science-religion relationship? To what extent does a U.S. higher education influence students’ self-concepts as a “scientist” or “religious person?” Does more diverse higher education encourage more complex and compatible worldviews? To what extent does higher education break up the conceptual monoliths of science and religion and influence perceived compatibility or conflict with science and religion?
In our proposal, we aim to investigate the extent to which perceptions of conflict or compatibility between science and religion may depend upon (a) the extent to which a person identifies as religious or as a scientist, (b) the context in which a person is exposed to new perspectives on religious or science, and (c) the extent to which those identities are salient. We use a social identity perspective (Tajfel & Turner, 1979) to examine religion and scientist identities in the unique context of higher education which represents an ideal place to investigate the compatibility of science and religion.
This project will examine the impact of higher education on the science-religion relationship from a social identity perspective in two phases. In phase one, we will complete analysis of and submit manuscripts from 2 mixed-method datasets of qualitative and quantitative data on changes in religious social identity among science majors at both a public STEMM-focused university and a private Christian university in the U.S. (study 1; N = 392) and the impact of science and religious social identity development on perceived compatibility between the domains in a public STEMM-focused university (study 2; N = 257). In phase two, we will collect pilot study data from a nationally representative sample (N~300) where we manipulate the salience of science or religious social identities to investigate their causal roles in perceptions of compatibility.
If funded, this project will produce three datasets (Study 1, Study 2, and pilot) prepared for analysis, manuscripts of Study 1 and Study 2, and a conference presentation. The results from this project will contribute to a better understanding of social identity and the religion-science relationship. Additionally, this contribution will allow an early career researcher to build connections within the science and religion research network to collaborate cross-culturally and across disciplines to pitch larger collaborative projects in the future.
