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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