The Rise of Non-Religious Spirituality and Fertility Behavior in the United States

Nitzan Peri-Rotem , University of Exeter
Sarah Wilkins-Laflamme, University of Oxford
Vegard Skirbekk

A growing proportion of the adult population in the United States identifies as spiritual but not religious (SBNR), a term referring to individuals who are concerned with spiritual matters, but often choose to pursue them away from organized religion. While it has been established that those with stronger religious commitment have higher fertility on average, the implications of less conventional spiritualities on childbearing are unknown. In this study, we use data from the U.S. General Social Survey from years 2014-2018 to explore fertility differences among religious, spiritual and nonreligious people. Using a reverse-survival technique, we estimate the transition to parenthood among men and women based on their religious and spiritual identification. We find that SBNR women have significantly higher rates of transition to first birth compared to those who are neither religious nor spiritual, and this is partly accounted by higher religiosity during childhood. On the other hand, no significant differences are found in fertility outcomes between SBNR men and their non-religious and non-spiritual counterparts. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the link between changes in the religious landscape and fertility trends.

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 Presented in Session P1. Fertility, Family, Life Course