Advanced Search

Journal Navigation

Journal Home

Subscriptions

Archive

Contact Us

Table of Contents

CiteULike is a free service for managing and discovering scholarly references - click here to get started.

Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.
Journal of Family Issues
This Article
Right arrow Abstract Freely available
Right arrow Free Full Text (Free PDF) Free
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in Web of Science
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Saved Citations
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Request Reprints
Right arrow Add to My Marked Citations
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Right arrow Citing Articles via Scopus
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Burdette, A. M.
Right arrow Articles by Gore, K. A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Complore   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati   Add to Twitter  
What's this?

Are There Religious Variations in Marital Infidelity?

Amy M. Burdette

Carolina Population Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, burdamy{at}prc.utexas.edu

Christopher G. Ellison

The University of Texas at Austin

Darren E. Sherkat

Southern Illinois University, Carbondale

Kurt A. Gore

The University of Texas at Austin

Although previous scholarship has examined the relationship between religious involvement and a wide range of family outcomes, the relationship between religion and extramarital sexual behavior remains understudied. The authors investigate how religious affiliation, participation, and biblical beliefs explain differences in self-reported marital infidelity. This study examines data from the 1991-2004 General Social Surveys and finds that religious factors are associated with the likelihood of marital infidelity. Both church attendance and biblical beliefs are associated with lower odds of self-reported infidelity. Additionally, the authors find substantial denominational variations in the odds of marital infidelity, particularly among those who strongly affiliate with their religious group.

Key Words: religion • infidelity • marriage • sexual behavior

References

  • Bartkowski, J.P. (1996). Beyond biblical literalism and inerrancy: Conservative Protestants and the hermeneutic interpretation of scripture. Sociology of Religion, 57, 259-272.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  • Bartkowski, J.P. (2001). Remaking the godly marriage: Gender negotiation in evangelical families. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.
  • Boone, K.C. (1989). For the Bible tells them so: The discourse of Fundamentalism. Albany: State University of New York Press.
  • Booth, A., Johnson, D.R., Branaman, A., & Sica, A. (1995). Belief and behavior: Does religion matter in today's marriage? Journal of Marriage and Family, 57, 661-671.[CrossRef]
  • Burdette, A.M., Ellison, C.G., & Hill, T.D. (2005). Conservative Protestantism and tolerance toward homosexuals: An examination of potential mechanisms. Sociological Inquiry, 75, 177-196.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Call, V.R.A., & Heaton, T.B. (1997). Religious influence on marital stability. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 36, 382-392.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Choi, K.H., Catania, J.A., & Dolcini, M.M. (1994). Extramarital sex and HIV risk behavior among American adults: Results from the National AIDS Behavior Survey. American Journal of Public Health, 84, 2003 -2007.
  • Cochran, J.K., & Beeghley, L. (1991). The influence of religion on attitudes toward nonmarital sexuality: A preliminary assessment of reference group theory. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 20, 45-62.
  • Cochran, J.K., Chamlin, M.B., Beeghley, L., & Fenwick, M. (2004). Religion, religiosity, and nonmarital sexual conduct: An application of reference group theory. Sociological Inquiry, 74, 102-127.[Web of Science]
  • Collins, R. (2005). Interaction ritual chains. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
  • Curtis, K.T., & Ellison, C.G. (2002). Religious heterogamy and marital conflict: Findings from the National Survey of Families and Households. Journal of Family Issues, 23, 551-576.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  • Dobson, J. (2004). Marriage under fire: Why we must win this battle. Sisters, OR: Multnomah Publishers.
  • Davis, J.A., & Smith, T.A. (1996). GSS (General Social Survey). Norc ed. Chicago: NORC. Ellison, C.G., & Bartkowski, J.P. (2002). Conservative Protestantism and the division of household labor among married couples. Journal of Family Issues, 23, 950-985.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  • Ellison, C.G., Bartkowski, J.P., & Anderson, K.L. (1999). Are there religious variations in domestic violence? Journal of Family Issues, 20, 87-113.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  • Ellison, C.G., & Sherkat, D.E. (1993). Obedience and autonomy: Religion and parental values reconsidered. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 32, 313-329.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Feld, S.L., Rosier, K.B., & Manning, A. (2002). Christian right as civil right: Covenant marriage and a kinder, gentler, moral conservatism. Review of Religious Research, 44, 173-183.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Finlay, B., & Walther, C.S. (2003). The relation of religious affiliation, service attendance, and other factors to homophobic attitudes among university students. Review of Religious Research, 44, 370-393.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Fish, S. (1980). Is there a text in this class?: The authority of interpretive communities. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
  • Gallagher, S.K. (2003). Evangelical identity and gendered family life. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.
  • Gay, D.A., Ellison, C.G., & Powers, D.A. (1996). In search of denominational subcultures: Religious affiliation and pro-family issues revisited. Review of Religious Research, 38, 3-17.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Heaton, T.B. (1988). Four C's of the Mormon family: Chastity, conjugality, children, and chauvinism. In D. L. Thomas (Ed.), The religion-family connection: Social science perspectives (pp. 107-124). Provo, UT: Brigham Young University Religious Studies Center.
  • Heaton, T.B., Goodman, K.L., & Holman, T.L. (1994). In search of a peculiar people: Are Mormon families really different? In M. Cornwall, T. B. Heaton, & L. A. Young (Eds.), Contemporary Mormonism: Social science perspectives (pp. 87-116). Urbana: University of Illinois Press.
  • Heaton, T.B., & Pratt, E.L. (1990). The effects of religious homogamy on marital satisfaction and stability. Journal of Family Issues, 11, 191-207.[Abstract]
  • Hertel, B., & Hughes, M. (1987). Religious affiliation, attendance, and support for "profamily" issues in the United States. Social Forces, 65, 858-882.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Hill, T.D., Moulton, B.E., & Burdette, A.M. (2004). Conservative Protestantism and attitudes toward homosexuality: Does political orientation mediate this relationship? Sociological Focus, 37, 59-70.
  • Hoffmann, J.P., & Miller, A.S. (1997). Social and political attitudes among religious groups: Convergence and divergence over time. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 36, 52-70.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Idler, E.L., Musick, M.A., Ellison C. G., George, L.K., Krause, N., Levin, J.S., et al. (2003). NIA/Fetzer measure of religiousness and spirituality: Conceptual background and findings from the 1998 General Social Survey. Research on Aging, 25, 327-366.[Abstract]
  • Lawler, E.J. (1992). Affective attachments to nested groups: A choice process theory. American Sociological Review, 57, 327-339.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Lehrer, E.L., & Chiswick, C.U. (1993). Religion as a determinant of marital stability. Demography, 30, 385-404.[Web of Science][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Leigh, B.C., Temple, M.T., & Trocki, K.F. (1993). The sexual behavior of US adults: Results from a national survey. American Journal of Public Health, 83, 1400-1408.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  • Levin, J.S., Taylor, R.J., & Chatters, L.M. (1995). A multidimensional measure of religious involvement for African Americans. Sociological Quarterly, 36, 157-173.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Lupfer, M.B., de Paola, S.J., Brock, K.F., & Clement, L. (1994). Making secular and religious attributions: The availability hypothesis revisited. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 33, 162-171.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Mahoney, A.M., Pargament, K.I., Jewell, T., Swank, A.B., Scott, E., Emery, E., et al. (1999). Marriage and the spiritual realm: The role of proximal and distal religious constructs in marital functioning. Journal of Family Psychology, 13, 321-328.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Myers, S.M. (1996). An interactive model of religiosity inheritance: The importance of family context. American Sociological Review, 61, 858-866.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Pargament, K.I. (1997). The psychology of religion and coping: Theory, research, and practice. New York: Guilford.
  • Pargament, K.I., Magyar, G.M., Benore, E., & Mahoney, A.M. (2005). Sacrilege: A study of sacred loss and desecration and their implications for health and well-being in a community sample. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 44, 59-78.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Pearce, L.D., & Axinn, W.G. (1998). The impact of family religious life on the quality of mother-child relations. American Sociological Review, 63, 810-828.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Petersen, L.R., & Donnenwerth, G.V. (1997). Secularization and the influence of religion on beliefs about premarital sex. Social Forces, 75, 1071-1089.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Regnerus, M.D., & Smith, C.S. (2005). Selection effects in studies of religious influence. Review of Religious Research, 47, 23-50.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Roof, W., & McKinney, W. (1987). American mainline religion. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.
  • Rye, M.S., Pargament, K.I., Pan, W., Yingling, D.W., Shogren, K.A., & Ito, M. (2005). Can group interventions facilitate forgiveness of an ex-spouse? A randomized clinical trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 73, 880-892.[CrossRef][Web of Science][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Scanzoni, J., & Arnett, C. (1987). Enlarging the understanding of marital commitment via religious devoutness, gender role preferences, and locus of marital control. Journal of Family Issues, 8, 136-156.[Abstract]
  • Shepherd, G., & Shepherd, G. (1984). A kingdom transformed: Themes in the development of Mormonism. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press.
  • Sherkat, D. (1998). Counterculture or continuity? Examining competing influences on baby boomers' religious orientations and participation. Social Forces, 76, 1087-1114.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Sherkat, D. (2004). Religious assortative marriage in the late 20th century: Trends and cohort differences, 1973—1998. Social Science Research, 33, 606-626.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Sherkat, D.E., & Ellison, C.G. (1997). The cognitive structure of a moral crusade: Conservative Protestantism and opposition to pornography. Social Forces, 75, 957-980.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Sherkat, D.E., & Wilson, J. (1995). Preferences, constraints, and choices in religious markets: An examination of religious switching and apostasy. Social Forces, 73, 993-1026.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Smith, T.W. (1994). Attitudes toward sexual permissiveness: Trends, correlates, and behavioral connections. In A. S. Rossi (Ed.), Sexuality across the life course (pp. 63-97). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
  • Stark, R., & Glock, C. (1968). American piety. Berkeley: University of California Press.
  • Steensland, B., Park, J.Z., Regnerus, M.D., Robinson, L.D., Wilcox, W.B., & Woodberry, R.D. (2000). The measure of American religion: Towards improving the state of the art. Social Forces, 79, 291-318.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Stolzenberg, R.M., Blair-Loy, M., & Waite, L.J. (1995). Religious participation over the early life course: Age and family life cycle effects on church membership. American Sociological Review, 60, 84-103.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Thornton, A., Axinn, W.G., & Hill, D.H. (1992). Reciprocal effects of religiosity, cohabitation, and marriage. American Journal of Sociology, 98, 628-651.[CrossRef]
  • Treas, J., & Giesen, D. (2000). Sexual infidelity among married and cohabiting Americans. Journal of Marriage and Family, 62, 48-60.[CrossRef]
  • Wilson, J., & Musick, M.A. (1996). Religion and marital dependency. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 35, 30-40.[CrossRef][Web of Science]

This version was published on December 1, 2007

Journal of Family Issues, Vol. 28, No. 12, 1553-1581 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/0192513X07304269
Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Complore Complore   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati   Add to Twitter Twitter    What's this?



This Article
Right arrow Abstract Freely available
Right arrow Free Full Text (Free PDF) Free
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in Web of Science
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Saved Citations
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Request Reprints
Right arrow Add to My Marked Citations
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Right arrow Citing Articles via Scopus
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Burdette, A. M.
Right arrow Articles by Gore, K. A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Complore   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati   Add to Twitter  
What's this?