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The study was a questionnaire survey and intelligence test of 26 subjects (15 men, 11 women; aged between 18-60, mean age 34) drawn from two specific Mormon churches in the North East of England.
Permission to conduct research was obtained from the Bishop, and questionnaires were handed-out to the congregation during a Sunday morning visit - the response rate was about 12% of the two churches memberships.
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Mean completed family size (aged over 40): 3.5 (SD 0.8)
[UK National mean completed family size: 1.9]
Mean intended family size (all subjects): 3.7 (SD 1)
Mode intended family size (all subjects): 4
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Average age of marriage Mormon men in this sample: 24 years old (SD 2.4) [National average 32]
Average age of marriage Mormon Women in this sample: 22 years old (SD 2) [National Average 30]
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WORDSUM brief intelligence test (ten multiple choice word definitions)
88% of subjects scored 7 or more, mean score was 8, 27 percent scored 9 or 10. The results indicate that this sample was considerably above average intelligence.
There was no significant trend towards a correlation between WORDSUM/ IQ-rank score and intended fertility (most national samples indicate a negative correlation between IQ and fertility)
Social class: 92 % of the sample were in the top two social classes - professional and managerial.
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Factors influencing family size decisions - clear cut responses
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In influencing the size of your family, how important is your belief that family relationships continue after death? 77% regarded this as important (58% 'Very important'; 19% 'Important').
In influencing the size of your family, how important is your desire to follow church teachings regarding the plan of salvation and the purpose of the family? 77% regarded this as important (35% Very Important, 42% Important).
In influencing the size of your family, how important are answers to prayers and fasting, or other personal revelations? 88% regarded this as important (53% very Important, 35% Important).
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Friday 17 August 2012
Thursday 16 August 2012
2011 Study by Rachel Errington (supervised by BG Charlton)
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30 Mormons (10 male/ 20 female) and 51 non-Mormons (19 male/ 32 female) were recruited in an internet questionnaire survey.
Average age for all subjects was 30 years old (Standard deviation 15) - Mormons were 44 +/-15 while non-Mormons were 22 +/-7.
Social Class: 41 percent of Mormons (49% Non-Mormons) were in the highest social class (manager, director, senior official professional); with 17% (Non-Mormons - 16%) in the second social class (associate professional and technical).
Religiousness: 75 percent of Mormons (2% Non-Mormons) attended church at least once per week.
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Contraceptive use: 80 percent of Mormons (100% Non-Mormons) stated they felt it was acceptable to use contraceptives to control family size.
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Mormons were recruited from an officially-approved advert on lds.org.uk, and from Facebook groups (UK Mormons and British Latter-Day Saints). Non-Mormons were recruited by invitation to a Facebook groups set up for that purpose.
The online questionnaire asked for demographic information, a cognitive test (not reported here), and a section asking about attitudes to family life and factors influencing fertility (number of children) - these were based on the 2010 study by Kitchen (see below).
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Selected Results - clearcut differences
Mean completed fertility (subjects aged above 45): Mormons 3.09 (SD 2.6); Non-Mormons 2.00 (all N-M subjects over 45 in the sample had 2 children).
Mean intended fertility (all ages): Mormons: 3.9 children (SD 2.3); Non-Mormons: 2.0 children (SD 1.1).
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Responses to the question:
How important are the following factors in influencing how many children you want?
"Family relationships continue after death"
Very Important - Mormons 66% v Non-Mormons 10%
"To provide as many premortal spirit children as possible with mortal bodies"
Fairly/ Very Important - Mormons 55% v Non-Mormons 0 percent
"Desire to follow Church teachings regarding the plan of salvation and the purpose of the family"
Very Important - Mormons 60% v Non-Mormons 0 percent
"Answers to prayers and fasting, or other personal revelation"
Very Important - Mormons 80 % v Non-Mormons 0 percent
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30 Mormons (10 male/ 20 female) and 51 non-Mormons (19 male/ 32 female) were recruited in an internet questionnaire survey.
Average age for all subjects was 30 years old (Standard deviation 15) - Mormons were 44 +/-15 while non-Mormons were 22 +/-7.
Social Class: 41 percent of Mormons (49% Non-Mormons) were in the highest social class (manager, director, senior official professional); with 17% (Non-Mormons - 16%) in the second social class (associate professional and technical).
Religiousness: 75 percent of Mormons (2% Non-Mormons) attended church at least once per week.
*
Contraceptive use: 80 percent of Mormons (100% Non-Mormons) stated they felt it was acceptable to use contraceptives to control family size.
*
Mormons were recruited from an officially-approved advert on lds.org.uk, and from Facebook groups (UK Mormons and British Latter-Day Saints). Non-Mormons were recruited by invitation to a Facebook groups set up for that purpose.
The online questionnaire asked for demographic information, a cognitive test (not reported here), and a section asking about attitudes to family life and factors influencing fertility (number of children) - these were based on the 2010 study by Kitchen (see below).
*
Selected Results - clearcut differences
Mean completed fertility (subjects aged above 45): Mormons 3.09 (SD 2.6); Non-Mormons 2.00 (all N-M subjects over 45 in the sample had 2 children).
Mean intended fertility (all ages): Mormons: 3.9 children (SD 2.3); Non-Mormons: 2.0 children (SD 1.1).
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Responses to the question:
How important are the following factors in influencing how many children you want?
"Family relationships continue after death"
Very Important - Mormons 66% v Non-Mormons 10%
"To provide as many premortal spirit children as possible with mortal bodies"
Fairly/ Very Important - Mormons 55% v Non-Mormons 0 percent
"Desire to follow Church teachings regarding the plan of salvation and the purpose of the family"
Very Important - Mormons 60% v Non-Mormons 0 percent
"Answers to prayers and fasting, or other personal revelation"
Very Important - Mormons 80 % v Non-Mormons 0 percent
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Monday 13 August 2012
2010 survey by Charlotte EW Kitchen (supervised BG Charlton)
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Methods
Internet questionnaire survey of British Mormons recruited mainly from Faceboook and UKLDS.com plus advertisements placed on lds.org.uk.
175 subjects participated, 106 female and 69 male. Mean age was 36 years old (SD 14). Educational experience was an average of four years post-16.
Average occupational social class of subjects was high: Social class 1 (Professional jobs) 44%, Social class 2 (Managerial jobs, Teaching) 43%.
The questionnaire 1. Asked for demographic information, 2. Questions on marriage, family, children and related to religious devoutness. 3. Factors affecting family size/ numbers of children.
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Main Results
Mean number of children in whole sample - 2.2
Mean number of children in completed families (those aged over 45) - 3.8.
Average age of mother at time of first child - 24 years old
92% of the sample indicated they attended church one a week or more often.
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Family size in completed families - percentage of families (rounded figures)
With zero children - 7%
With one child - 6%
With two children - 11%
With three children - 22%
With four children - 20%
With five children 9%
With six children - 17%
With seven or more children - 8%
90% of 45 and older sample (98% of under 45s) believed it was acceptable to use contraception to control family size - 80% had planned their family size.
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Reasons for family size.
Subjects were asked to strongly agree/ agree, neither agree nor disagree/ disagree or strongly disagree with a series of statements.
85% of subjects DISAGREED (40% disagreed, 45% strongly disagreed) with the statement: "Mormons should have as many children as possible even if that means depending on government assistance.
52 % AGREED (30% agreed, 22 % strongly agreed) that : "Mormons should have as many children as they can afford to bring up well without financial assistance from others."
67% AGREED (27% agreed, 40% strongly agreed) that: "I am motivated to have children because family relationships will continue after humans have died."
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Methods
Internet questionnaire survey of British Mormons recruited mainly from Faceboook and UKLDS.com plus advertisements placed on lds.org.uk.
175 subjects participated, 106 female and 69 male. Mean age was 36 years old (SD 14). Educational experience was an average of four years post-16.
Average occupational social class of subjects was high: Social class 1 (Professional jobs) 44%, Social class 2 (Managerial jobs, Teaching) 43%.
The questionnaire 1. Asked for demographic information, 2. Questions on marriage, family, children and related to religious devoutness. 3. Factors affecting family size/ numbers of children.
*
Main Results
Mean number of children in whole sample - 2.2
Mean number of children in completed families (those aged over 45) - 3.8.
Average age of mother at time of first child - 24 years old
92% of the sample indicated they attended church one a week or more often.
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Family size in completed families - percentage of families (rounded figures)
With zero children - 7%
With one child - 6%
With two children - 11%
With three children - 22%
With four children - 20%
With five children 9%
With six children - 17%
With seven or more children - 8%
90% of 45 and older sample (98% of under 45s) believed it was acceptable to use contraception to control family size - 80% had planned their family size.
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Reasons for family size.
Subjects were asked to strongly agree/ agree, neither agree nor disagree/ disagree or strongly disagree with a series of statements.
85% of subjects DISAGREED (40% disagreed, 45% strongly disagreed) with the statement: "Mormons should have as many children as possible even if that means depending on government assistance.
52 % AGREED (30% agreed, 22 % strongly agreed) that : "Mormons should have as many children as they can afford to bring up well without financial assistance from others."
67% AGREED (27% agreed, 40% strongly agreed) that: "I am motivated to have children because family relationships will continue after humans have died."
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