2011-12-22-皮尤-The_civic_and_community_engagement_of_religiously_active_Americans_34页_841kb

Summary of "The Civic and Community Engagement of Religiously Active Americans"

Core Content

This report from the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project explores the civic and community engagement of religiously active Americans, focusing on their involvement in various organizations and the role of technology in their group activities. It compares their engagement levels with those who are not active in religious groups and highlights demographic and behavioral patterns.

Main Findings

Demographics and Community Involvement

• 40% of American adults are active in religious or spiritual organizations.
• Women (43%) are more likely to be involved than men (37%).
• Blacks (49%) are more likely to be involved than whites (40%) or Hispanics (28%).
• College graduates (47%) and those with household incomes of $75,000+ (47%) are more likely to be involved.
• Older adults show a positive correlation with involvement in religious groups.
• Parents (43%) are slightly more involved than non-parents (39%), though the difference is not statistically significant.

Civic Attitudes and Engagement

• 53% of religiously active Americans believe others are generally trustworthy, compared to 43% of non-religious.
• 45% view their community as an excellent place to live, versus 34% of non-religious.
• 38% of religiously active Americans believe they can have a major impact on their communities, compared to 27% of non-religious.
• The average number of groups religiously active Americans are involved in is 5.61, versus 2.11 for non-religious.
• They spend an average of 7.5 hours per week on group activities, compared to 5.4 hours for non-religious.

Technology Use

• Religious and non-religious Americans use the internet, email, broadband, and cell phones at similar rates.
• 79% of religiously active Americans are internet users, slightly higher than 75% of non-religious.
• 86% of religiously active Americans use cell phones, compared to 80% of non-religious.
• 75% of religiously active Americans use email, compared to 68% of non-religious.
• 46% use social networking sites (e.g., Facebook), while 9% use Twitter.
• Religious groups are slightly less likely to view the internet as having a major impact on their group activities than non-religious groups.

Technology's Role in Group Activities

• 68% of religiously active Americans believe the internet has had a major impact on group communication.
• 62% think it has a major impact on drawing attention to issues.
• 57% believe it helps groups connect with other groups.
• 58% think the internet has a major impact on a group's ability to influence society.
• 46% think it helps groups organize activities.
• 44% think it helps groups impact local communities.
• 30% believe it helps groups find leadership.

Key Organizations Involved

Religiously active Americans are more involved in a wide range of organizations compared to non-religious Americans:

• Sports or recreation leagues (35%) vs. 17%
• Charitable or volunteer organizations (34%) vs. 15%
• Consumer groups (32%) vs. 18%
• Community groups or neighborhood associations (30%) vs. 11%
• Support groups (30%) vs. 11%
• Professional or trade associations (29%) vs. 14%
• Hobby groups (23%) vs. 13%
• Older adult organizations (23%) vs. 10%
• Political parties or organizations (22%) vs. 10%
• Alumni associations (20%) vs. 10%
• Parent groups (20%) vs. 8%
• Performance or arts groups (19%) vs. 5%
• Literary, discussion, or study groups (18%) vs. 6%
• Youth groups (16%) vs. 5%
• Fan groups for sports teams or athletes (14%) vs. 8%
• Social or fraternal clubs (12%) vs. 6%
• Labor unions (10%) vs. 6%
• Environmental groups (10%) vs. 6%
• Ethnic or cultural groups (9%) vs. 3%
• Sports fantasy leagues (8%) vs. 6%
• Fan groups for TV shows, movies, etc. (8%) vs. 4%
• Travel clubs (8%) vs. 3%

Conclusion

Religiously active Americans are more involved in community and civic activities than their non-religious counterparts, and they are equally or more engaged with core technologies. Despite some concerns about the influence of technology on social engagement, the data suggests that religiously active individuals are still highly involved in both traditional and digital forms of group participation. Their demographic profile and engagement patterns reflect a strong commitment to community, trust in others, and a higher level of involvement in multiple types of organizations.