Detroit Area Study, 1997: Social Change in Religion and Child Rearing

For this survey, respondents from three counties in the Detroit, Michigan, area were queried about their work, health, marriage and family, finances, political views, religion, and child rearing. With respect to finances, respondent views were elicited on credit card purchases, recording expenditures, and savings and investments. Regarding political views, respondents were questioned about political preferences, presidential values, freedom of speech, nuclear war, and the interest of public officials. Questions also addressed religious beliefs and experiences, including the religiosity of respondents' parents, belief in and relationship with God, the relationship between science and religion, school prayer, divorce, and homosexuality. Additional religious questions -- based on the respondents' religious preference (i.e., Protestant, Catholic, Jew, Other Religion, or No Preference/Agnostic/Atheist Only) -- also were asked, covering topics such as interfaith marriages, religion of friends, and observance of religious holy days. Questions were asked about the views of respondents' religious leaders on issues including drinking, abortion, and test-tube fertilization. Regarding child rearing, views were elicited on issues including religious preference of child(ren) raised, religious training given to child(ren), and frequency of prayer before meals. Background information includes marital status, employment, political orientation, and income. More information about the Detroit Area Studies Project is available on this Web site.