Leslie J. Rissler|Sarah I. Duncan|Nicholas M. Caruso
The relative importance of religion and education on university students’ views of evolution in the Deep South and state science standards across the United States
University of Alabama|University of Alabama|University of Alabama
negative relationship education religiosity positive relationship education acceptance evolution manifests college students differ degree religiosity prior educational experiences unclear focused study relative importance education religion evolution understanding college students large public university deep south used structural equation model incorporating acceptance knowledge evolution evaluate relative influence religion education evolution understanding 2999 surveyed students focused acceptance evolution academic level college major high school experience religion religiosity conducted pre post course evaluations three biology classes finally tested relationships quality k12 state science standards states religiosity educational attainment found degree religiosity mattered significantly education predicting students understanding evolution focused acceptance evolution students taught evolution neither evolution creationism high school significantly higher acceptance taught evolution creationism creationism science majors always outscored nonscience majors religious students significantly outperformed religious students highly religious students likely reject evolution even though understood scientific community accepted theory evolution overall students two three biology classes increased acceptance evolution students seldomnever attended religious services improved k12 state science standard grades significantly negatively correlated measures state religiosity significantly positively correlated measures state educational attainment religiosity rather education best explains views evolution areas country vast majority residents believe god literal truth bible students may hampered enter progress college states tend lower state science standards lower levels educational attainment