Those under 15 and over 65 more likely to be involved in religious organisations than young adults

Up to age 15 - influence of parents is evident, religious commitment is not that high, it is related more to social activities organised for this group such as sunday schools and playgroups - than ay long lasting commitment to religious beliefs and practices

middle aged - some drop off due to work commitments, child rearing and caring for older relatives, but there are variations, middle aged women in particular get involved with NRMs, NAMs and cults

Older - older people more likely to go church, Brierley (2005) average age of church goer in 1979 was 37, by 2005 it was 49, and nearly 60% of churches had no attendees between 15-19

David Voas & Alasdair crocket - 3 reasons why older people appear more religious than younger people: people become more religious with age due to life experiences, the 'period effect' those born in a particular time are more likely to be more religious than those born at another time period, and progressive decline, each generation is less religious than the previous one (due to secularisation)

Heelas (the Kendal project) - people turn to religion as they get older, they become more interested in spirituality with age. As they get closer to death people become more interested in afterlife and worry more about past misdeeds

Socialisation - Bruce believes over 65s will soon form majority of church goers, relating to socialisation as religious education, assemblies and sunday schools are all in decline, Bruce believes that this will contribute to society becoming more secular within 2 generations

NOT ALL old people carry on attending, due to reduced mobility, in terms of beliefs the elderly are the most religiously committed in our society

Brierley (2005) found 84% of women believed in God, compared to 64% of men.

Madood - Women more likely to believe religion is more important to them than men, men more likely to attend mosques

Alan Miller & John Hoffman (1995) - Differential socialisation, women taught to be more submissive and passive than men, these characteristics are associated with being religious.
Structural location - Women take part in religion because of their social roles, men are more likely to be breadwinners, women more likely to be housewives and work part time allowing more time for church related activities. If they do not have paid jobs they may need a role providing a sense of personal identity and religion can fulfil this, finally taking children to church can be an extension of the mother role
Risk - women more likely to be risk averse, whereas men are risk takers

Steve Bruce - women less likely to be less goal-orientated, the co operative and less domineering, these attributes fit well with religion and spirituality The world falls between public and private sphere. Bruce agrees that secularisation is occurring, but also we are retreating from the public into the private sphere, women are more involved in the private sphere than men, they can remain within religion through the private domain. Working class women support religions that believe in an all powerful god whilst middle class women have more experience in controlling there life and are therefore attracted to new age groups