Understanding Environmentalism: The Interplay between Politics and Religion on Environmental Attitudes from Rural Utah

Abstract

Previous research found that socio-demographic characteristics are significant predictors of environmental behaviors and attitudes, including political affiliation and religious identity. However, the consistency of religious identity and political affiliation as predictors of environmental attitudes and behaviors is still contested. This study investigates whether religious affiliation is a significant determinant of environmental attitudes (EA) or whether political affiliation is a better predictor. Sampling 25 rural towns in Utah, USA. with homogenous religious identities and political affiliations, we replicate past regression analyses from similar studies. We conclude that although our results are generally consistent with the literature, unlike what the replicated studies suggest, religious identity is not a consistent predictor of EA. Rather, political affiliation is a stronger predictor. Our research, therefore, clarifies socio-demographic characteristics that serve as predictors of EA and provides a nuanced understanding of rural EA.

Keywords:

• Environment
• Latter-day Saint
• Mormon
• political affiliation
• religion
• rural

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Jorden E. Jackson and the students in Brigham Young University Communities Studies Lab for help during the data collection and curation phases of the project.

Data Availability Statement

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: Data collection efforts were funded in part by two sources internal to Brigham Young University: The Charles Redd Center for Western Studies, and the College of Family, Home, and Social Sciences.