How Do People Think About the Relationship Between Science and Religion? A Cross-Cultural Psychometric Investigation

Few studies have systematically measured positions about the relationships between science and religion, and existing work has primarily focused on Christian samples from Western cultures. We collected data from individuals living in Australia, China, and the United States, encompassing both adults and undergraduates (total N = 985). We employed existing self-report instruments and novel items to measure positions about science and religion as well as individual attitudes toward science and religion (i.e., not in relation to one another). Exploratory factor and cluster analysis showed that, across samples, position dimensions included multiple facets of compatibility, both in general and specific terms, alongside a single conflict dimension. Correlations and moderated regressions showed that compatibility dimensions corresponded with depolarized attitudes toward science and religion, whereas the conflict dimension correlated with polarized attitudes. These results supported preregistered hypotheses. This study takes a step toward assessing positions more comprehensively, offering insights into their meanings.