Jane- That certainly could be the case and is a reasonable interpretation of the story though there are certainly lots of Christians who have valorized self-chosen poverty like St Francis, St Teresa, etc. At the same time, we are called to share with the poor and relieve the suffering. It's likely a both/and rather than either/or situation. Thanks so much for reading.
Eric- We're glad that you found us as well. Hoping that you keep reading and sharing. I agree that survey data is prone to self-reporting bias. I may be a bit more optimistic about it than you are but I agree in principle. I think there are signals in these data if we are careful about interpretation. Though it may just be self protection as much of my career had been built on survey research! And yes, for class-related analyses, it's especially problematic that response bias patterns would be driven in immeasurable ways by class itself.
Jodi- Thanks for the comment. I've had the same thought about that question. It's a curious one. Any Catholic who regularly performs a true examination of conscience and regularly visits the confessional probably couldn't answer this question in the affirmative. It was developed (or at least added to this survey) by my friend Tyler Vanderwheel at the The Human Flourishing Program at Harvard. He was pressed on this question at a meeting I was attending. He conceded this point. Maybe I'll ping him with this question again and see what he says in a more formal response.
I'm really happy to have found this sub: I love what you guys are up to here!
I'd like to second Jodi Bruhn's apt observations. I'd also like to observe a different dimension to the question of how scientifically useful certain survey questions are.
In general, data gathered from self-reporting is unreliable, which undermines its scientific value. (Unless, of course, you're studying the accuracy of self-reports, comparing them with, say, beliefs as revealed un-self-consciously.)
In this case specifically, self-reports from the credentialed should certainly be taken with ye olde tyme grain of salt. The credentialed are really good at discerning what they are "supposed to say." This is, after all, one of the skills most closely correlated with possessing the credential in the first place. And even if their discernment is inaccurate in a particular instance, the mere desire to say what (they think) they're supposed to say remains, subverting the likelihood of an authentically expressed response.
(I say this as one who's been in, read about, and reflected on academia for much of my life — too much of my life, perhaps.)
I have a beef with one of the survey questions, though:
"For example, one question asks respondents to agree or disagree with the following statement: I always act to promote good in all circumstances, even in difficult and challenging situations."
It seems like the person who answers "yes" to this question might well have narcissistic, even anti-social, personality traits. So might people who emphasize their community service or volunteering activity. Part of morality is humility and honesty; part of true charity is anonymity. The Monopoly game or helping strangers indeed seems like the best gauge.
"Deliver us not into temptation" says the Lord's prayer. Certainly the higher the economic class the greater the temptations. Just as it is an indication of very little when a weak man chooses pacifism, so it goes for a man rarely tested by temptation to proclaim morality. Perhaps a better prayer would be "Bring on the temptation and reveal me to myself for what i am before the stakes get too high so i can make myself strong." One thing i like to do is filter questions like the ones posed by this essay through the lens of the natural world, from whence afterall we sprang. Not every being that is born in nature is born equal to the other even in a series of siblings and not every being is even born equal to the challenge of basic survival. Here's an obvious root of a low social class, though by far it is clearly not the only one. For instance, a man who was not born with the innate strength of character to resist temptation, regardless of what class he was born into, is much more vulnerable to downward mobility than one who is born with the strength of character to "just say no."
Interesting subject. I'm in UK. We do seem to have a different mindset re wealth/poverty. And like everyone forever we are total hypocrites in that we elevate the IDEAL of Poverty as humble and virtuous but are sensible enough to know it's not and actually do our best to acquire the necessities for a life at least worth living ie money. Reread that anecdote about the widows mite. JESUS doesn't actually PRAISE the daft old biddy for probably consigning any dependants she has to a week of hunger. He makes an OBSERVATION. He states a FACT,and he absolutely DOES NOT say that her choice is a good one. It was the same as nowadays the giving for the Temple was so Elon and Bill and Jeff and Mark could showboat and for normal people to put a penny or two in, especially when that penny was their food budget for the week was just silly. I think Jesus actually DISAPPROVED.
Jane- That certainly could be the case and is a reasonable interpretation of the story though there are certainly lots of Christians who have valorized self-chosen poverty like St Francis, St Teresa, etc. At the same time, we are called to share with the poor and relieve the suffering. It's likely a both/and rather than either/or situation. Thanks so much for reading.
Eric- We're glad that you found us as well. Hoping that you keep reading and sharing. I agree that survey data is prone to self-reporting bias. I may be a bit more optimistic about it than you are but I agree in principle. I think there are signals in these data if we are careful about interpretation. Though it may just be self protection as much of my career had been built on survey research! And yes, for class-related analyses, it's especially problematic that response bias patterns would be driven in immeasurable ways by class itself.
Jodi- Thanks for the comment. I've had the same thought about that question. It's a curious one. Any Catholic who regularly performs a true examination of conscience and regularly visits the confessional probably couldn't answer this question in the affirmative. It was developed (or at least added to this survey) by my friend Tyler Vanderwheel at the The Human Flourishing Program at Harvard. He was pressed on this question at a meeting I was attending. He conceded this point. Maybe I'll ping him with this question again and see what he says in a more formal response.
I'm really happy to have found this sub: I love what you guys are up to here!
I'd like to second Jodi Bruhn's apt observations. I'd also like to observe a different dimension to the question of how scientifically useful certain survey questions are.
In general, data gathered from self-reporting is unreliable, which undermines its scientific value. (Unless, of course, you're studying the accuracy of self-reports, comparing them with, say, beliefs as revealed un-self-consciously.)
In this case specifically, self-reports from the credentialed should certainly be taken with ye olde tyme grain of salt. The credentialed are really good at discerning what they are "supposed to say." This is, after all, one of the skills most closely correlated with possessing the credential in the first place. And even if their discernment is inaccurate in a particular instance, the mere desire to say what (they think) they're supposed to say remains, subverting the likelihood of an authentically expressed response.
(I say this as one who's been in, read about, and reflected on academia for much of my life — too much of my life, perhaps.)
Interesting research, thank you again!
I have a beef with one of the survey questions, though:
"For example, one question asks respondents to agree or disagree with the following statement: I always act to promote good in all circumstances, even in difficult and challenging situations."
It seems like the person who answers "yes" to this question might well have narcissistic, even anti-social, personality traits. So might people who emphasize their community service or volunteering activity. Part of morality is humility and honesty; part of true charity is anonymity. The Monopoly game or helping strangers indeed seems like the best gauge.
"Deliver us not into temptation" says the Lord's prayer. Certainly the higher the economic class the greater the temptations. Just as it is an indication of very little when a weak man chooses pacifism, so it goes for a man rarely tested by temptation to proclaim morality. Perhaps a better prayer would be "Bring on the temptation and reveal me to myself for what i am before the stakes get too high so i can make myself strong." One thing i like to do is filter questions like the ones posed by this essay through the lens of the natural world, from whence afterall we sprang. Not every being that is born in nature is born equal to the other even in a series of siblings and not every being is even born equal to the challenge of basic survival. Here's an obvious root of a low social class, though by far it is clearly not the only one. For instance, a man who was not born with the innate strength of character to resist temptation, regardless of what class he was born into, is much more vulnerable to downward mobility than one who is born with the strength of character to "just say no."
Interesting subject. I'm in UK. We do seem to have a different mindset re wealth/poverty. And like everyone forever we are total hypocrites in that we elevate the IDEAL of Poverty as humble and virtuous but are sensible enough to know it's not and actually do our best to acquire the necessities for a life at least worth living ie money. Reread that anecdote about the widows mite. JESUS doesn't actually PRAISE the daft old biddy for probably consigning any dependants she has to a week of hunger. He makes an OBSERVATION. He states a FACT,and he absolutely DOES NOT say that her choice is a good one. It was the same as nowadays the giving for the Temple was so Elon and Bill and Jeff and Mark could showboat and for normal people to put a penny or two in, especially when that penny was their food budget for the week was just silly. I think Jesus actually DISAPPROVED.