Why Do People Avoid Discussing Science and Religion on Social Media? Findings from a National Sample

Abstract

Social media is increasingly important for discussing a myriad of topics, including the sometimes contentious topics of science and religion. Although existing work on why people avoid conversations on social media has put forth some specific reasons, little such research has focused on these important topical domains, domains that sociologists have identified as having a complex relationship. Additionally, rarely have such questions been investigated on representative samples that make generalizations possible. This article fills a gap in the literature by analyzing survey responses from a national sample of 2,505 American adults collected in 2023 to explore what reasons people give for avoiding discussions about science and religion on social media. In addition to presenting the relative importance of various reasons for people staying away from such discussions, analyses also consider how sociodemographic characteristics, religiosity, and science literacy relate to whether people avoid such conversations in online environments.