Sub-project Meltzer

Research Project „Media Use, Media Ethical Attitudes and Religiosity of Christian-oriented Youths“

Since 1998, each year, the JIM study has been examining the media behavior of young people in Germany between the ages of 12 and 19. The study’s findings have been related to various sociodemographic factors, such as age groups, gender and the school of the participants.

In 2020, according to the JIM study, almost every participant or at least someone in their household owns a smartphone, a computer or a laptop and has access to a wireless network. Smartphones and Internet are used on a daily basis or several times a week by 97% of young people and 89% use the Internet daily. However, questions about religious affiliation and religiosity of the participating young people have so far not been included by the JIM study. There has, therefore, not yet been an opportunity to relate young people’s media behavior to their religious affiliation and religiosity.
Against this background, the pilot project aims to find out whether (Christian) religious adolescents show particular media usage that differs from non-religious or less religious adolescents and to relate its results to JIM’s findings. In addition, the project wants to find out which explicit religious media offerings are used by religious adolescents or their families and to what extent. Within a third research perspective, questions on the ethical rating of problematic behavior in media usage will be asked in order to gain insight into possible differences between religious and less religious respondents.

The sample is drawn from Christian youth groups, whose members are invited to participate via an online survey.