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The Narrowing Regional Gap in Church Attendance in the United States 1
Author(s) -
Kanagy Conrad L.,
Firebaugh Glenn,
Nelsen Hart M.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
rural sociology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.083
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1549-0831
pISSN - 0036-0112
DOI - 10.1111/j.1549-0831.1994.tb00545.x
Subject(s) - optimal distinctiveness theory , church attendance , attendance , convergence (economics) , demographic economics , geography , general social survey , demography , socioeconomics , sociology , development economics , economic growth , political science , psychology , social psychology , economics , social science , religiosity
Students of the South have postulated that southern distinctiveness is eroding. Using General Social Survey data for 1972–1991, the convergence hypothesis is tested for regular church attendance. Regional convergence is found, but only for the rural South. Also, narrowing of regional differences in church attendance is especially pronounced among the young, indicating that the convergence is likely to continue. Despite these results, present church attendance levels remain significantly higher in the South than in the non South.