Life After Death

• Introduction
• Patterns
• Over Time

Life After Death (Demographic Patterns)

Do you believe there is a life after death?

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Life After Death by Age (General Social Survey, 2006)

	18-30	31-44	45-64	65+	Missing	TOTAL
YES	72.7% 427	75.1% 632	73.1% 755	68.6% 358	5	72.8% 2172
NO	14.1% 83	12.7% 107	16.0% 165	18.2% 95	2	15.1% 450
UNDECIDED	13.1% 77	11.8% 99	10.7% 111	13.0% 68	1	11.9% 355
NO ANSWER	0.0% 0	0.5% 4	0.2% 2	0.2% 1	0	0.2% 7
Missing	263	447	563	235	10	1518
TOTAL	100% 587	100% 842	100% 1033	100% 522	18	2984

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Life After Death by Race (General Social Survey, 2006)

	White	Black	Other	TOTAL
YES	74.0% 1612	74.8% 312	63.7% 253	72.8% 2177
NO	15.0% 326	13.9% 58	17.1% 68	15.1% 452
UNDECIDED	10.8% 236	10.8% 45	18.9% 75	11.9% 356
NO ANSWER	0.2% 4	0.5% 2	0.3% 1	0.2% 7
Missing	1106	217	195	1518
TOTAL	100% 2178	100% 417	100% 397	2992

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Life After Death by Religion (General Social Survey, 2006)

	Protestant	Catholic	Jewish	None	Other	Missing	TOTAL
YES	81.8% 1265	71.6% 530	55.8% 29	47.7% 235	74.8% 110	8	72.8% 2169
NO	10.8% 167	14.6% 108	15.4% 8	29.8% 147	14.3% 21	1	15.1% 451
UNDECIDED	7.2% 111	13.8% 102	28.8% 15	22.5% 111	10.2% 15	2	11.9% 354
NO ANSWER	0.2% 3	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0.7% 1	3	0.1% 4
Missing	782	374	26	246	78	12	1518
TOTAL	100% 1546	100% 740	100% 52	100% 493	100% 147	26	2978

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Life After Death by Gender (General Social Survey, 2006)

	MALE	FEMALE	TOTAL
YES	68.8% 891	75.8% 1286	72.8% 2177
NO	18.0% 233	12.9% 219	15.1% 452
UNDECIDED	12.8% 166	11.2% 190	11.9% 356
NO ANSWER	0.5% 6	0.1% 1	0.2% 7
Missing	707	811	1518
TOTAL	100% 1296	100% 1696	2992

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Life After Death by Church attendance (General Social Survey, 2006)

	Never	Yearly	Monthly	Weekly	Missing	TOTAL
YES	58.0% 408	68.2% 608	76.9% 349	86.7% 809	3	72.9% 2174
NO	24.1% 170	16.6% 148	13.4% 61	7.8% 73	0	15.2% 452
UNDECIDED	17.6% 124	15.2% 135	9.3% 42	5.5% 51	4	11.8% 352
NO ANSWER	0.3% 2	0.0% 0	0.4% 2	0.0% 0	3	0.1% 4
Missing	316	484	234	475	9	1518
TOTAL	100% 704	100% 891	100% 454	100% 933	19	2982

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Life After Death by Political ideology (General Social Survey, 2006)

	Liberal	Moderate	Conservative	Missing	TOTAL
YES	68.5% 538	70.6% 775	79.1% 799	65	73.0% 2112
NO	17.6% 138	17.1% 188	11.4% 115	11	15.2% 441
UNDECIDED	13.8% 108	12.1% 133	9.3% 94	21	11.6% 335
NO ANSWER	0.1% 1	0.2% 2	0.2% 2	2	0.2% 5
Missing	395	585	460	78	1518
TOTAL	100% 785	100% 1098	100% 1010	177	2893

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Life After Death by Education (General Social Survey, 2006)

	Not High School	High School	Jr. College	B.A.	Grad Degree	Missing	TOTAL
YES	63.6% 281	75.4% 1121	80.3% 216	73.7% 386	63.8% 173	0	72.8% 2177
NO	22.2% 98	13.2% 196	11.2% 30	15.3% 80	17.7% 48	0	15.1% 452
UNDECIDED	14.3% 63	11.1% 165	8.6% 23	10.7% 56	18.1% 49	0	11.9% 356
NO ANSWER	0.0% 0	0.3% 4	0.0% 0	0.4% 2	0.4% 1	0	0.2% 7
Missing	249	787	108	239	132	3	1518
TOTAL	100% 442	100% 1486	100% 269	100% 524	100% 271	3	2992

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Notes

General Social Survey, 2006: The General Social Surveys (GSS) have been conducted by the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) annually since 1972 except for the years 1979, 1981, and 1992 (a supplement was added in 1992), and biennially beginning in 1994. The GSS are designed as part of a program of social indicator research, replicating questionnaire items and wording in order to facilitate time-trend studies. The 2006 GSS includes a topical module for mental health. Items in the 2006 GSS include questions on religious self-identification, denominational affiliation, personal beliefs, and religious upbringing.