The Relationship Between Religiosity and Attitudes Toward Women at a Conservative Christian College

Research suggests that religiosity influences attitudes toward women more strongly than does any other demographic. In many studies, it has also been indicated that men hold more conservative gender attitudes than do women. Many religious denominations have been represented in such research, but no previous studies have included Seventh-day Adventist participants. The present study aimed to examine the relationship between religiosity and attitudes toward women amongst students at a Seventh-day Adventist college in the Midwest. A total of 74 students, 88% of which were Seventh-day Adventist, participated by completing the Centrality of Religiosity Scale and the Attitudes Toward Women Scale. Resulting correlations found that religiosity and conservative attitudes toward women were significantly related, and that women reported significantly more equitable gender attitudes than did men. These results indicate the importance of understanding religion’s influences on personal attitudes. Directions for future research are discussed, and limitations to the study are identified