Gen Alpha and Gen Z trust parents, faith leaders more than social media and digital content for religion and spiritual matters

Social media, music, religious-focused apps and other online spiritual content have become popular ways for adolescents to find comfort and connection - and explore ideas related to faith, religion and spirituality, according to a new report from the Center for Scholars & Storytellers at UCLA (CSS). However, they still prioritize in-person spaces such as churches, mosques or synagogues in their faith practice and turn to family and faith leaders for spiritual and religious guidance.

The findings come from the first Future of Faith study from CSS, a nonprofit organization founded by Yalda T. Uhls, who is an adjunct professor in UCLA's department of psychology. The study aims to bridge the gap between psychology research and content creators to inform and drive development of media that helps young people thrive.

"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," said Uhls, the study's senior author. "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."

For its latest report, which was funded by Templeton World Charity Foundation, CSS surveyed more than 2,000 young people ages 16 to 24 and conducted focus groups of nearly 100 adolescents and young adults ages 14 to 24 to examine how they use media - including music, social media, online videos, television shows and movies - to engage and express their religious and spiritual beliefs, belonging and identity. Participants' faiths included evangelical Christian, Catholic, Muslim, Jewish, Latter-day Saints, Sikh, mainline Protestant, Hindu and Buddhist, as well as agnostic, atheist and spiritual nonreligious.

More than 97% of religious respondents and 80% of nonreligious respondents said they had been spiritually moved, inspired or comforted by a piece of online content. Online content also plays an important role in fostering exploration: 67% of religious respondents and 78% of nonreligious respondents said it has helped them discover new spiritual or religious ideas and practices. Nearly 7 in 10 (68%) religious respondents reported connecting with friends or peers online through spiritual or religious content.

Still, more than 60% of religious young people said their practice remains rooted in traditional spaces or that they combine traditional practice with media use. They also ranked people they know in person, such as faith community leaders and parents or caregivers, as their most trusted sources for understanding their faith, followed by other family members and religious peers.

Sara Schnitker, professor of psychology and associate vice provost of interdisciplinary initiatives at Baylor University, and Rebekah Richert, professor of psychology at UC Riverside, served as advisors on the study.

The effect of media and online representations of religion and spirituality

According to the findings, religious and spiritual representations across online and social media platforms, as well as in TV and film, have a significant impact on young people's sense of safety, belonging and how they are treated by others.

Seventy percent of religious respondents said media portrayals of their religion or spirituality influence how others treat them. Less than half of respondents (about 40%) in nearly every religious and nonreligious group felt that representations of their faith or beliefs were accurate.

In addition, more than 60% of all respondents reported that something they had seen in the media made them feel less safe expressing their religious beliefs. More than half of respondents from most religious groups said religious content they encountered about beliefs or worldviews had contributed to conflict or tension with a family member, friend or peer.

Participants expressed a clear desire for content creators, influencers and TV/filmmakers to move beyond simplified or stereotypical portrayals of faith and spirituality to more nuanced, authentic depictions of spiritual beliefs, values and communities onscreen. They consistently identified social media, rather than TV or movies, as the most likely place to find authentic or positive representations of religion and spirituality. However, the study also showed a strong desire from teens - and clear opportunities for creators - to establish safe online communities; fewer than one-third of religious respondents said they had a strong faith or belief-based online community.

"When we began this study, we assumed young people used media, and new media in particular, as a 'third space' for religious and spiritual expression, exploration and identity-formation," said Maytha Alhassen, a grant-funded research fellow with CSS. "What we learned is that new and traditional media function more as a 'merged' space, where the 'social' in 'social media' complemented and enhanced religious and spiritual networks 'IRL.'

"Young people are also highly aware of the impact of online algorithms and traditional media representations on their safety and how people treat them," she said. "They expressed a strong desire for traditional media to develop stories and characters that embody more of the values and ethics of their traditions - and for new media creators to build inviting communities."