Religious Skepticism

Religious Skepticism reflects beliefs such as “the universe arose by chance” and “in the future, science will be able to explain everything” and disbelief in the notion of life after death.

Although students’ overall degree of Religious Skepticism shows very little change during the college years, individual students may become more or less skeptical depending on their particular college activities or experiences.

Students tend to become more religiously skeptical during college if they engage in a good deal of partying, watch a lot of television, participate in a study abroad program, or if their parents go through a separation or divorce. Religious skepticism also tends to increase if the student attends a college where the student body is highly liberal politically.

Students’ degree of Religious Skepticism is most likely to decline if they pray frequently, attend religious services frequently, or join a campus religious organization.