The Moral Majority Viewed Sociologically

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Abstract
Systematic empirical study of the “moral majority” has been scarce despite the substantial public attention it has received. We seek to reduce the scarcity by examining data from three NORC General Social Surveys spanning the years 1973–1980. By selecting as indicators nine questions that were asked of respondents in each of these surveys, we are able to measure changes over time as well as identifying those who are high, medium, and low on the “moral majority index” constructed from those questions. In the seven-year span, support for the moral majority position had declined somewhat, not — as public attention might lead one to believe — increased. The decline is general among all categories of religion, class, age, and sex, but there are a few small increases in categories of other variables. The relative stability of answers is perhaps most notable. Multiple regression analysis reveals three variables that are the strongest predictors in each of the surveys: religiosity (as measured by frequency of church attendance), age, and education. Together they account for nearly a third of the variance in the moral majority index. The influence of the moral majority is assessed, and its significance as a symbol of social and cultural change is discussed.

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