Religious Social Networks: How Upbringing and Education Shape Social Ties Over Time

Jewish communities depend on social networks to maintain cohesion and transmit identity across generations. Yet questions remain about how early religious experiences shape these networks and whether their influence endures. This study investigates whether religious upbringing and Jewish education s...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Bankier-Karp, Adina Leah (Author) ; Beider, Nadia 1983- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Interlibrary Loan:Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany)
Published: 2025
In: Review of religious research
Year: 2025, Volume: 67, Issue: 4, Pages: 728-754
Further subjects:B religious socialization and transmission
B faith-based educators and leaders
B quantitative analysis and moderated mediation
B Judaism
B sociology of religion
Online Access: Volltext (kostenfrei)
Description
Summary:Jewish communities depend on social networks to maintain cohesion and transmit identity across generations. Yet questions remain about how early religious experiences shape these networks and whether their influence endures. This study investigates whether religious upbringing and Jewish education shape social networks in adulthood and whether these effects persist or fade with age. Drawing on nationally representative data from the Pew Research Center’s “Jewish Americans in 2020” survey, we employ mediation, moderation, and moderated mediation analyses to examine relationships between religiosity in upbringing, Jewish education, age, and Jewish social networks. While religiosity in upbringing and Jewish education contribute to Jewish social networks, these effects weaken with age. Friendship networks of older people appear less shaped by upbringing and education. These findings demonstrate that religious social capital requires ongoing reinforcement. The study has practical implications for religious community stakeholders seeking to sustain intergenerational engagement and highlights the importance of developing effective strategies to encourage ongoing commitment.
ISSN:2211-4866
Contains:Enthalten in: Review of religious research
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1177/0034673X251384990