New study confirms many LDS stereotypes

A new study coming out of Trinity College in Hartford, Conn., indicates that members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the United States are predominantly Republican, overwhelmingly white, well-educated, prosperous and have larger-than-average families. The study also found that Mormon women are less likely to work outside the home than other American women.

Surprised?

Probably not.

The study, based on information acquired through the American Religious Identification Survey conducted by Trinity College researchers in 2008, doesn't offer startling new insights on the LDS Church or its members. But it does provide statistical support for a number of widely held stereotypes relative to LDS political preferences, personal practices and culture.

For example, the study, officially called "The Mormon Population of the United States 1990-2008: An Analysis of Socio-Demographic Trends and Regional Differences," shows that 59 percent of those who identify themselves as Latter-day Saints also identify themselves as Republicans. By comparison, 27 percent of the general, non-Latter-day Saint population say they are Republican.

Simply stated, the study report concludes, "Mormons are much more likely to favor the Republican Party than other Americans."

Stereotype confirmed.

At the same time, the findings suggest "the Mormon community has an above average interest in politics," with a higher percentage of Mormons (90 percent in Utah and 84 percent overall) registered as voters, compared with 78 percent among non-Mormon adults.

The study was co-authored by Ryan Cragun, assistant professor of sociology at the University of Tampa and a research associate at Trinity who is also secretary of the Mormon Social Science Association and Rick Phillips, associate professor of sociology at the University of North Florida and a former president of the Mormon Social Science Association.

The Mormon Social Science Association is an independent organization that was created to foster the scholarly study of Mormon life.

"This is a timely academic study that provides hard evidence on the social profile of a community which is unfamiliar to Americans living outside the Rocky Mountain region," said Trinity professor Barry Kosmin, who helped to lead the 2008 American Religious Identification Survey upon which the Mormon study was based.