Race, Religion, Region and Abortion Attitudes

Previous research has reported that African Americans are less supportive of legal abortion than whites. Although differences in religious orthodoxy and religiosity seem likely explanations for these differences, most research has minimized the role of religious variables in accounting for racial differences. This research note looks at the intersection of race, religion, and region in relation to abortion attitudes. The results suggest that religiosity and doctrinal orthodoxy are important predictors of abortion attitudes among blacks and whites, and explain much of racial differences in these attitudes. Since the 1973 Supreme Court decision Roe vs. Wade and the subsequent rise of the anti-abortion movement, scholars have frequently investigated the sources of abortion attitudes. Although some have explored the world views of activists on both sides of the abortion controversy (Luker, 1984), most have focused on the determinants of abortion attitudes in the general public (Granberg, 1978) or among different religious groups Jelen, 1984).