The influence of STEM discipline and environment on UK and US university students’ belief development

This article presents findings from a 2022–23 research project that (a) measured how UK STEM students’ attitudes and behaviours in relation to their religious or non-religious beliefs changed during one academic year in comparison to US STEM students and (b) pinpointed the different aspects of UK and US university life that were influential on this change. Statistical analysis of survey data representing 400 UK and 2,191 US STEM students reveals that in both national contexts, students are re-evaluating their belief commitments during one academic year, albeit in different ways depending on the scientific discipline being studied. Among UK STEM students, informal interfaith engagement, experiencing insensitivity on campus and citing philosophical tradition as a major influence on worldview are identified as key predictors of growth in belief development. Self-identifying as non-religious and experiencing worldview-related coercion or pressure on campus are associated with decline. In light of this, we present these predictors of change in relation to those experienced by US STEM students and discuss pedagogical implications for the UK and US STEM educational contexts.