Lecture Notes: Religious Practices and Cell Phone Data Analysis
Introduction
- Lecture by Cardin Ellis with guest Jonah Barnes, Associate Professor
- Discussion on cell phone data analysis of religious attendance in America
- Focus on church attendance and behavioral consistency among different religious groups
Key Study and Data
- Conducted by Devin G. Pope in April 2024
- Study titled "Religious Worship Attendance in America: Evidence from Cell Phone Data"
- Analyzed geo-data from smartphones of over 2 million Americans
- Tracks worship attendance and post-church activities
Main Findings
Phone Usage at Worship
- Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) members bring phones to worship more than any other group
- Jews least likely to bring phones due to constraints on technology during Sabbath
Church Attendance
- 48% attend at least once a year; only 3% attend weekly despite 22% claiming so
- Weekly attendance defined as attending 77% of weeks
Socioeconomic Insights
- LDS members show least income variation within congregations
- Frequent attendance correlates with higher income for LDS, Muslims, and Buddhists
Religious Hypocrisy Test
- Tracked visits to tobacco and liquor stores
- LDS members least likely to visit post-church; highest among Jehovah’s Witnesses and Jews
General Trends
- Religious consistency found through cell phone tracking supports self-reported data
- Utah ranks highest in religious observance
- Latter-Day Saints most consistent weekly attenders
Discussion and Implications
- LDS members more active in attendance than Catholics despite Catholics outnumbering LDS 14:1 in the U.S.
- Study challenges stereotypes about religious hypocrisy
- Encourages a broader participation and belief in something beyond oneself
Observations on Study Methodology
- Cell phone data provides an unbiased, real-world insight into religious practices
- Raises questions about privacy and the ethics of tracking
Conclusion
- Study by Devin G. Pope provides critical insights into the real practices of religious communities
- Reinforces claims of high activity levels among LDS members
- Calls for wider participation in religious practices across all faiths
Additional Notes from Lecture
- Promotions for Jonah Barnes’ book, "Key to the Keystone"
- Upcoming launch event details
These notes cover the main points discussed in the lecture regarding the use of cell phone data to track religious attendance and habits, highlighting the surprising findings related to the LDS community and broader religious attendance trends in the United States.