On Weber, pathogens and culture: a global empirical analysis of religion and individualism

Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion Vol/Iss. 2022 Wiley Published In Pages: 1-18
By Ciftci, Sabri

Abstract

This study analyzes Weber's religious ethic thesis by investigating the relationship of religiosity on economic, social, and expressive individualism. The author found that religiosity increased economic individualism, and decreased social and expressive individualism. Under the notion that natural disasters prompt collectivistic defensive mechanisms, the author demonstrated some support that low levels of pathogen prevalence strengthened religiosity's relationships with social and expressive individualism, but not for economic individualism. The author did not find support for Weber's idea that Protestation will increase economic individualism and other religions, such as Islam, decrease economic individualism.

Documents and Hypotheses Filed By:danielle.russell