Revisiting the religiosity and generosity relationship in the United States: Takeaways from the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

A large body of literature supports a connection between religiosity and generous behaviors such as donating and volunteering. However, the inability of congregations to convene in person during COVID-19 suggests a potential attenuation of the impact of religiosity on generosity in the United States. Furthermore, debates exist about whether this generosity is primarily an ingroup behavior in which groups favor members of their own identity, potentially challenging the assertion that religious individuals are more generous, or whether this also includes outgroup generosity. Using a nationally representative sample (N = 1954), first, this study investigated if religiosity continues to influence generosity in the context of the pandemic. Second, the impact of religiosity on starting or stopping generous behaviors after the onset of the pandemic was explored. Finally, this study tested whether religious individuals are engaged in ingroup or outgroup generosity, answering the question of whether religious individuals are inherently more generous. The findings indicate that religious individuals were more involved in generous behaviors (volunteering and donating) and more likely to maintain their generosity even after the onset of the pandemic. Results also show outgroup religiosity was significant in both periods even, after controlling for ingroup generosity.