Understanding the Socioeconomic Determinants of Religiosity and Religious Participation in Asia.

This article examines the socioeconomic determinants of religiosity in nine Asian countries—Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam—using data from multiple waves of the World Values Survey (WVS). The analysis finds that religiosity varies significantly by age, sex, income, education, socioeconomic status (SES), and employment, with notable differences across countries even after controlling for these factors. Contrary to some simple cross-tabulations, regression results indicate that higher education and relative income are generally associated with lower religiosity, while higher social class correlates positively, and greater national affluence (measured by purchasing power parity-adjusted GDP per capita) is linked to lower religiosity. The study also observes that although self-reported religiosity has increased over time in much of Asia—including China—participation in religious services has declined, suggesting a divergence between religious identity and practice. These findings highlight the complex interplay of individual and contextual factors influencing religiosity and suggest that some health benefits attributed to religiosity may reflect underlying socioeconomic variables.