Does faith matter? An analysis of the effect of religious attendance on job search motivation among young Brazilians

Abstract

Recent literature points to the beneficial effects of religiosity on coping with stressors associated with the job market, serving as a channel of social and psychological support. However, little is known about how and to what extent religious beliefs and practices influence the values, opinions, perceptions and social attitudes of the youth segment. Given this, this article aims to understand the importance of the intensity of religious practice on the job search motivation of young Brazilians, using data from the 2013 National Health Survey (PNS). To this aim, an empirical strategy was adopted based on the extended regression model (ERM), and more specifically, the probit model with endogenous ordinal treatment. Generally speaking, estimates indicate that religion improves the incentive to leave total inactivity and seek occupational engagement, even in young people who are partially dedicated to studies. The results point to a growing effect of religious intensity on the search for employment vis-à-vis inactivity. An average treatment effect of engagement in the labor market is estimated at 28.7 percentage points (p.p.) for young people with moderate attendance and 61.3 p.p. for those with high participation in religious activities. The results favor the hypothesis that attendance at religious practices can not only provide relief from adverse conditions, but also provide a channel to stimulate young people’s search for employment.

Keywords
Religion; Youth; Labor market