Most religious young people say media depictions of faith and spirituality do not accurately reflect their beliefs, even as many regularly turn to online content to explore religious questions, according to new research from UCLA’s Center for Scholars & Storytellers.
The report, titled “The Future of Faith: Young People, Media, & Spirituality,” was led by Yalda T. Uhls, an adjunct professor in UCLA’s Department of Psychology. Researchers found that many members of Generation Z and Generation Alpha believe media portrayals of religion and spirituality fail to represent their experiences accurately.
Funded by the Templeton World Charity Foundation, the study surveyed more than 2,000 people between the ages of 16 and 24 and also included focus groups involving nearly 100 adolescents and young adults ages 14 to 24. Researchers examined how participants use media to engage with religion, spirituality, personal identity and a sense of belonging.
Participants came from a wide range of religious and nonreligious backgrounds, including Evangelical Christian, Catholic, Muslim, Jewish, Latter-day Saints, Sikh, mainline Protestant, Hindu and Buddhist communities, as well as agnostic, atheist and spiritual but nonreligious groups.
Both religious and nonreligious respondents frequently described online media as an important part of exploring questions of faith and spirituality. Many said digital content had inspired, comforted or spiritually moved them, while 68% of religious respondents said they had connected with friends or peers online through religious or spiritual content.
Even with that level of digital engagement, more than 60% of religious young people said the central part of their faith practice still occurs in traditional religious settings or through a combination of in-person faith communities and online media.
The study also found that 70% of respondents believe media portrayals of their religion or spirituality affect how other people treat them. Across nearly every religious and nonreligious category, only about 40% said they considered media representations of their beliefs accurate.
Concerns about safety and interpersonal conflict were also common. More than 60% of participants said they had encountered media content that made them feel less comfortable expressing their religious beliefs, while more than half of respondents in most religious groups said religious content had contributed to tension with relatives, friends or peers.
Participants tended to view social media as a more authentic or positive source of religious and spiritual representation than television or film. At the same time, they urged content creators, influencers and entertainment producers to avoid reducing faith and spirituality to stereotypes or overly simplistic narratives.
“Gen Z and Gen Alpha are redefining what religion and spirituality look like in the digital age, and they have an appetite for authentic content that reflects and amplifies their beliefs and practices,” Uhls, the study’s senior author, said in a press statement. “There is a real opportunity for media creators to step up and develop content that will spark curiosity, foster connection and open new pathways for young people to explore their faith in a safe environment.”
