Science outcomes and Christianity in the United States: the functions of stereotype threat and trust

Most of the United States general population believe in a higher power or universal spirit, but relatively few scientists in the country hold similar beliefs. This disparity may be exacerbated by a worldview that science and religion are in conflict and by Christian distrust of science. Our experimental studies test whether a BioLogos Foundation resource, emphasising compatibility between religion and science, can improve Christians’ science outcomes (trust in science, belonging in science, and science performance) despite stereotype threat. These studies also explore associations between Christian trust and interest in science. Findings concerning stereotype threat and intervention were inconsistent. However, we provide consistent evidence that, as compared to non-religious people, Christians are less trusting of science and less interested in science. However, our data also suggest that the relationship between religious affiliation and interest in science is fully mediated by trust – when trust in science is accounted for, there were no differences between Christian and non-religious participants’ scientific interest. This suggests that Christian interest in science is likely shaped by their trust in the field, and video interventions to alleviate distrust may be ineffective, or even backfire.