---
title: "Methodology"
description: "About Pew Research Center’s Spring 2024 Global Attitudes Survey Results for the survey are based on telephone, face-to-face and online interviews conducted under the direction of Gallup, Langer Research Associates, Social Research Centre and Verian. The results are based on national samples, unless otherwise noted. Read more details about our international survey methodology and country-specific sample […]"
date: "2025-03-26"
authors:
  - name: "Kirsten Lesage"
    job_title: "Research Associate"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/kirsten-lesage/"
  - name: "Kelsey Jo Starr"
    job_title: "Former Research Analyst"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/kelsey-jo-starr/"
  - name: "William Miner"
    job_title: "Research Analyst"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/william-miner/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2025/03/26/international-religious-switching-methodology/"
categories:
  - "Buddhism"
  - "Christianity"
  - "Hinduism"
  - "Islam"
  - "Judaism"
  - "Pew-Templeton Global Religious Futures Project"
  - "Religious Identity & Affiliation"
  - "Religiously Unaffiliated"
  - "Size & Demographic Characteristics of Religious Groups"
datasets:
  - name: "2023-24 Religious Landscape Study (RLS) Dataset"
    url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/dataset/2023-24-religious-landscape-study-rls-dataset/"
  - name: "Spring 2024 Survey Data"
    url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/dataset/spring-2024-survey-data/"
---

# Methodology

### About Pew Research Center’s Spring 2024 Global Attitudes Survey

Results for the survey are based on telephone, face-to-face and online interviews conducted under the direction of Gallup, Langer Research Associates, Social Research Centre and Verian. The results are based on national samples, unless otherwise noted. Read more details about our [international survey methodology and country-specific sample designs](https://www.pewresearch.org/methods/interactives/international-methodology/all-survey/all-country/all-year/).

### The Religious Landscape Study’s survey methodology

Results for the United States are based on data from the 2023-24 Religious Landscape Study. Surveys were conducted in English and Spanish. For more information about how Pew Research Center conducted this landmark survey, read the [methodology](https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2025/02/26/religious-landscape-study-methodology/) section of [the report](https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2025/02/26/decline-of-christianity-in-the-us-has-slowed-may-have-leveled-off/).

### Analysis

#### Religious identification

In each country surveyed, people were asked about their current and childhood religious identification. We only analyzed religious groups with large enough sample sizes. But respondents of other religious backgrounds were not excluded from the surveys, even if their religious group was not able to be analyzed separately. In the U.S. for example, the survey included Sikhs, Wiccans, followers of Native American religious traditions, and others, though there were [not enough respondents from these smaller groups](https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2022/08/08/why-pew-research-center-typically-cant-report-the-views-of-smaller-u-s-religious-groups/) to report on their answers separately. Refer to the report [Topline](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2025/03/PR_2025.03.26_international-religious-switching_topline.pdf) for additional information.

#### Education

To compare educational groups across countries, we standardize education levels based on the United Nations’ [International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED)](https://uis.unesco.org/en/topic/international-standard-classification-education-isced).