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Short-form data and analysis from Pew Research Center writers and social scientists. To view all our reports and publications, visit our main Publications page.

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Stockton, Alabama, USA - April 22, 2023: Montpelier Methodist Church is pictured in Baldwin County Bicentennial Park in Stockton, Alabama. The church was built in 1895.

How religion declines around the world

Religion in a country tends to decline in three transitional stages that unfold across generations, a new paper using Center data proposes.

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  • short reads

    Fans of Facebook

    About a third of the U.S. public calls social networking sites such as Facebook a change for the better.

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    Online Shopping OK

    The majority of Americans see the growth of online shopping as a positive innovation over the last decade.

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    Handhelds Get Thumbs Up

    Handheld devices such as Blackberries and iPhones are seen as a good thing by most people.

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    The Tattoo Divide

    The public is divided about the impact of more people getting tattoos: 45% say it has not made much difference, 40% say it has been a change for the worse.

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    No Fans of Reality Shows

    Fully 63% of the public thinks reality television shows have been a change for the worse over the past decade.

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    Alaska’s Empty Pews

    Only 22% of Alaskans say they attend religious services at least once a week.

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    Church and Congress

    Only five members of the new Congress (about 1%) do not specify a religious affiliation.

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    Women Call the Shots at Home

    In fully 43% of all couples it’s the woman who makes decisions in more areas than the man.