**8. References**

Bloor, David. *Knowledge and social imagery*. Chicago: the University of Chicago Press, 1991. Bound, Kirsten. *Brazil: the natural knowledge economy*. London: Demos, 2008.


**17** 

*USA* 

Shishu Zhang

*University of the Incarnate Word,* 

**Religious Participation and Educational** 

**Attainment: An Empirical Investigation** 

Religion plays a very important role in the lives of many Americans. Over two-thirds of Americans belong to a church or other religious organization, and this trend has risen substantially over time. Two-fifths of Americans attend church in a typical week, and 95% profess belief in "the existence of God or a universal spirit" (Iannaccone, 1998). In addition, charity giving to religious causes accounts for more than two-thirds of all reported individual charitable contributions. Religiosity is not confined to particular income groups, racial groups, or locations in the U.S.: religious adherence and participation is widespread among all demographic groups. Religion plays an especially important role in education.

"…Religious training is something that all but two percent of American parents feel

…Parents see the church as a place of character building for their children . . . Children are frequently the most important consideration in choosing a particular church ...

"... American parents believe it important that their children receive moral and ethical guidelines from their church. This is why church attendance is highest among parents with young children . . . children are much more responsive to the behavioral models than to instruction. They are much more likely to imitate what they see parents and

In addition, sociologists and psychologists' research also shows that parents' religious participation has a profound impact on their children's moral behaviors. For example, Nock

Given this important role of religion, few economists have studied the relationship between religious participation and education attainment. This is certainly not the case in other disciplines. Hundreds of articles in sociology, psychology, and medicine overwhelmingly document the positive impacts of religiosity on a wide variety of educational outcomes. Those few studies by economists have also found that religiosity, and in particular religious

Couples with growing children have the highest rate of church attendance."

others do than what they hear parents and others say . . ."

participation, is strongly associated with positive educational outcomes.

**1. Introduction** 

Wilson (1978, pp. 262–263) notes that

they should give their children

(1992, p. 333) summarizes:

Merton, Robert K. The Matthew Effect in Science. *Science*, Vol. 159 (3810), 1968.


 http://www2.uol.com.br/sciam/noticias/manifesto\_da\_ciencia\_tropical.html. Acessado em 20/06/2011.

