Accidental Atheists? Agent-Based Explanations for the Persistence of Religious Regionalism

This article outlines a new approach to the study of religious commitment. Starting with a variant on Schelling's classic model of mobility and segregation, we develop a multi-agent religion simulation (MARS) that incorporates insights from theories of religious choice, social influence, and pr...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal for the scientific study of religion 2007-03, Vol.46 (1), p.1-16
Main Authors: IANNACCONE, LAURENCE R., MAKOWSKY, MICHAEL D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Atheism
Conformity
Demography
History and sciences of religions
Identity
Individual Collective Relationship
Methodology
Modeling
Neighborhoods
Regionalism
Religion
Religiosity
Religious Beliefs
Religious practice
Religious studies
Science
Segregation
Self Concept
Simulation
Simulations
Social environment
Social Influence
Statistics
Studies in religion
Theory
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Summary:This article outlines a new approach to the study of religious commitment. Starting with a variant on Schelling's classic model of mobility and segregation, we develop a multi-agent religion simulation (MARS) that incorporates insights from theories of religious choice, social influence, and preference formation. Compared to standard statistical methods, MARS does a better job of linking individual choices and collective outcomes. In particular, it demonstrates that stable regional patterns require a balanced combination of attachment to personal identity and adaptation to the social environment.
ISSN:0021-8294
1468-5906
DOI:10.1111/j.1468-5906.2007.00337.x