Bradley R. Hertel’s scientific contributions

Differences in work force participation by religious identity for time of interview and at age 16 (stable nones, apostates, converts, switchers, and stable religious) for men and women are investigated using General Social Survey data for 1973 through 1985 (N = about 14,900). The findings extend de Vaus's (1984) conclusion that work force participation carries quite different implications for church attendance among men and women. The present study finds the converse relationship, i.e., that religion bears differently on work force participation among men and women. In accord with Demerath (1961, 1965) and others' social class thesis, men without a religious identity (stable nones and apostates) are less involved in the work force than men with a religious identity. For women, however, this general pattern does not hold: Whereas among men, apostates show the lowest levels of work force participation, among women, apostates have the highest levels. This difference appears to be due to the disproportionate number of unmarried persons among apostates and the opposite effects of marriage on work force participation of men (positive relationship) and women (negative).