Gabriel A Acevedo
Biographic Data
| ID | 76584 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Gabriel A Acevedo |
| GIVEN NAMES | Gabriel A |
| FAMILY NAME | Acevedo |
| SIGNATURE | ACEVEDO G A |
| AFFILIATIONS | The University of Texas at San Antonio |
| VERIFIED | No |
| TOTAL WORKS | 18 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 90 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 18 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2005 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
Job Insecurity and Happiness Among Muslim Americans: Does the Moderating Role of Religious Involvement Differ by Gender
A substantial body of literature has examined the factors predicting happiness among various groups; however, few studies have systematically focused on happiness and related factors among Muslim Americans. Within the framework of the stress-process paradigm, this current study addresses fundamental arguments regarding job insecurity as a key predictor of happiness and the role of religious involvement as a buffering factor against the deleteriou…
Is it the Sermon or the Choir? Pastoral Support, Congregant Support, and Worshiper Mental Health
Background Although religious involvement tends to be associated with improved mental health, additional work is needed to identify the specific aspects of religious practice that are associated with positive mental health outcomes. Our study advances the literature by investigating how two unique forms of religious social support are associated with mental health. Purpose We explore whether support received in religious settings from fellow cong…
Coping with an Evil World: Contextualizing the Stress-Buffering Role of Scripture Reading
This research note advances the religious coping literature by testing whether belief in an evil world conditions the stress-moderating role of scripture reading. Hypotheses are tested with original data from a survey of black, Hispanic, and white American churchgoers from South Texas (2017-2018; n = 1,115). Our findings show that reading scripture for insights into the future attenuates the positive association between major life events and psyc…
Islamic Strangers: The Effects of Religious Beliefs and Network Closure on Muslim Identity in the United States
Using nationally representative survey data from the 2011 Pew Muslim American Survey, this study investigates how the combined effects of religiosity, personal networks, and attitudes toward American society shape the subjective identities of Muslims residing in the United States. We draw on social identity theory, Simmel’s notion of the “stranger,” and past research on subjective identity among faith groups to examine U.S. Muslim identity prefer…
Expanding the Utility of Race-Based Accountability: An Application of RBA to Longitudinal Data Analyses
Despite the strong empirical evidence linking childhood abuse to negative mental health outcomes later in life, a number of questions remain regarding race variations in this association. Moreover, less is known about the salience of protective factors that can offset or ameliorate the negative effects of abuse on adult mental health, and whether these factors work differently by race. Using three waves of panel data from a nationally representat…
Bodyweight Perceptions among Texas Women: The Effects of Religion, Race/Ethnicity, and Citizenship Status
Despite previous work exploring linkages between religious participation and health, little research has looked at the role of religion in affecting bodyweight perceptions. Using the theoretical model developed by Levin et al. (Sociol Q 36(1):157-173, 1995 ) on the multidimensionality of religious participation, we develop several hypotheses and test them by using data from the 2004 Survey of Texas Adults. We estimate multinomial logistic regress…
True Believers? Religion, Physiology, and Perceived Body Weight in Texas
Religion and Child-Rearing Values in Turkey
Numerous studies have examined the connection between religion and child-rearing values-operationalized in terms of the importance placed on specific traits in children-in the United States and other mainly Christian societies. Much of this work involves the relative priority placed on 'intellectual heteronomy' (obedience to authority) versus 'intellectual autonomy' (thinking for oneself). Here, we augment this work focusing on Turkey, a predomin…
Religion, Cultural Clash, and Muslim American Attitudes About Politically Motivated Violence
Does adherence to Islam predict attitudes about 'suicide bombing' among American Muslims? This study examines the effects of religious and political factors on views of politically motivated violence (PMV). We draw from diverse scholarship, emphasizing arguments that are inspired by Samuel Huntington's Clash of Civilizations perspective, as well as recent work in the sociology of Islam. Using a measure that gauges support for 'suicide bombing' fr…
Is It Really Religion? Comparing the Main and Stress-buffering Effects of Religious and Secular Civic Engagement on Psychological Distress
Using a random sample of adult residents from the state of Texas, we examine how religious participation and secular civic engagement buffer the effects of perceived financial strain and neighborhood disadvantage on psychological distress. Our findings suggest that (a) both organizational religious and secular civic engagement buffer the deleterious effects of perceived financial hardship on respondents’ psychological distress, (b) organizational…
Blood, War, and Ritual: Religious Ecology, 'Strong' Culture, and Human Sacrifice in the Premodern World
What social factors predict human sacrifice in premodern societies? After summarising key insights from competing theoretical perspectives that seek to explain the presence of human sacrifice in premodern societies, we empirically assess the explanatory utility of each theory. We draw from Stark's ‘moral communities’ argument and Alexander and Smith's insights regarding cultural autonomy to highlight how the macro-level organisation of premodern …
Faith, Race‐Ethnicity, and Public Policy Preferences: Religious Schemas and Abortion Attitudes Among U.S. Latinos
Research has demonstrated that white conservative Protestants are more opposed to abortion than their Catholic counterparts. At the same time, conservative Protestantism has made significant inroads among U.S. Latinos. This study augments existing research on religion and racial‐ethnic variations in abortion attitudes by comparing levels of support for legalized abortion among Catholic and conservative Protestant Latinos. Data are drawn from a na…
Religion and Attitudes Toward Same‐Sex Marriage Among U.S. Latinos
Objectives. This study examines links between multiple aspects of religious involvement and attitudes toward same‐sex marriage among U.S. Latinos. The primary focus is on variations by affiliation and participation, but the possible mediating roles of biblical beliefs, clergy cues, and the role of religion in shaping political views are also considered. Methods. We use binary logistic regression models to analyze data from a large nationwide samp…
Narrative inversion as a tactical framing device: The ideological origins of the Nation of Islam
This paper will draw from recent work in the study of counter-narratives and will apply a sociologically informed perspective to the empirical analysis of discourse. By focusing on the Black Nationalist group The Nation of Islam (NOI) this article will introduce the counter-narrative strategy of “narrative inversion.” Based on discursive analysis of textual materials from early NOI speeches, recordings, and writings, we hope to show how the NOI e…
Hispanics and Their Perceptions of Family Dynamics: An Extension and Test of Group Reference Theory
Reference group theory is applied and the notion of "cultural reference groups" introduced as a way to shed light on processes of attitude formation among domestic and international publics. Using four waves of the World Values Survey, the paper explores the way that American and non-American Hispanics in Mexico, Argentina, and Spain interpret several dimensions of the family unit. Findings suggest that Hispanic Americans share more similar views…
When the Center is on Fire: Passionate Social Theory for our Times
The Fatalistic Imagination and the Continued Salience of Religion in the Modern World: A Test of Resource Compensation/Resource Amplification Hypotheses Using Crossnational Data
The resource compensation hypothesis predicts that religiosity will serve as a cognitive buffer against structural constraints whereby more religious individuals will exhibit lower levels of fatalism than their less religious counterparts. The resource amplification perspective, on the other hand, predicts that religiosity will foster a sense that otherworldly forces control life's outcomes, leading to higher levels of fatalism. Using a precise m…
Turning Anomie on its Head: Fatalism as Durkheim's Concealed and Multidimensional Alienation Theory
Durkheim's underdeveloped notion of fatalism is the keystone for a bridge between two conceptual categories central to Marxian and Durkheimian theory: alienation and anomie. Durkheim does not necessarily disagree with Marx that excessive regulation can be socially damaging but chooses to highlight the effects of under-regulation. A Durkheimian critique of overregulation becomes possible if we turn away from anomie and toward Durkheim's idea of fa…
Religion and Attitudes Toward Same‐Sex Marriage Among U.S. Latinos
Objectives. This study examines links between multiple aspects of religious involvement and attitudes toward same‐sex marriage among U.S. Latinos. The primary focus is on variations by affiliation and participation, but the possible mediating roles of biblical beliefs, clergy cues, and the role of religion in shaping political views are also considered. Methods. We use binary logistic regression models to analyze data from a large nationwide samp…
Faith, Race‐Ethnicity, and Public Policy Preferences: Religious Schemas and Abortion Attitudes Among U.S. Latinos
Research has demonstrated that white conservative Protestants are more opposed to abortion than their Catholic counterparts. At the same time, conservative Protestantism has made significant inroads among U.S. Latinos. This study augments existing research on religion and racial‐ethnic variations in abortion attitudes by comparing levels of support for legalized abortion among Catholic and conservative Protestant Latinos. Data are drawn from a na…
Turning Anomie on its Head: Fatalism as Durkheim's Concealed and Multidimensional Alienation Theory
Durkheim's underdeveloped notion of fatalism is the keystone for a bridge between two conceptual categories central to Marxian and Durkheimian theory: alienation and anomie. Durkheim does not necessarily disagree with Marx that excessive regulation can be socially damaging but chooses to highlight the effects of under-regulation. A Durkheimian critique of overregulation becomes possible if we turn away from anomie and toward Durkheim's idea of fa…
Religion, Cultural Clash, and Muslim American Attitudes About Politically Motivated Violence
Does adherence to Islam predict attitudes about 'suicide bombing' among American Muslims? This study examines the effects of religious and political factors on views of politically motivated violence (PMV). We draw from diverse scholarship, emphasizing arguments that are inspired by Samuel Huntington's Clash of Civilizations perspective, as well as recent work in the sociology of Islam. Using a measure that gauges support for 'suicide bombing' fr…
Religion and Child-Rearing Values in Turkey
Numerous studies have examined the connection between religion and child-rearing values-operationalized in terms of the importance placed on specific traits in children-in the United States and other mainly Christian societies. Much of this work involves the relative priority placed on 'intellectual heteronomy' (obedience to authority) versus 'intellectual autonomy' (thinking for oneself). Here, we augment this work focusing on Turkey, a predomin…
Narrative inversion as a tactical framing device: The ideological origins of the Nation of Islam
This paper will draw from recent work in the study of counter-narratives and will apply a sociologically informed perspective to the empirical analysis of discourse. By focusing on the Black Nationalist group The Nation of Islam (NOI) this article will introduce the counter-narrative strategy of “narrative inversion.” Based on discursive analysis of textual materials from early NOI speeches, recordings, and writings, we hope to show how the NOI e…
The Fatalistic Imagination and the Continued Salience of Religion in the Modern World: A Test of Resource Compensation/Resource Amplification Hypotheses Using Crossnational Data
The resource compensation hypothesis predicts that religiosity will serve as a cognitive buffer against structural constraints whereby more religious individuals will exhibit lower levels of fatalism than their less religious counterparts. The resource amplification perspective, on the other hand, predicts that religiosity will foster a sense that otherworldly forces control life's outcomes, leading to higher levels of fatalism. Using a precise m…
Is it the Sermon or the Choir? Pastoral Support, Congregant Support, and Worshiper Mental Health
Background Although religious involvement tends to be associated with improved mental health, additional work is needed to identify the specific aspects of religious practice that are associated with positive mental health outcomes. Our study advances the literature by investigating how two unique forms of religious social support are associated with mental health. Purpose We explore whether support received in religious settings from fellow cong…
Coping with an Evil World: Contextualizing the Stress-Buffering Role of Scripture Reading
This research note advances the religious coping literature by testing whether belief in an evil world conditions the stress-moderating role of scripture reading. Hypotheses are tested with original data from a survey of black, Hispanic, and white American churchgoers from South Texas (2017-2018; n = 1,115). Our findings show that reading scripture for insights into the future attenuates the positive association between major life events and psyc…
Bodyweight Perceptions among Texas Women: The Effects of Religion, Race/Ethnicity, and Citizenship Status
Despite previous work exploring linkages between religious participation and health, little research has looked at the role of religion in affecting bodyweight perceptions. Using the theoretical model developed by Levin et al. (Sociol Q 36(1):157-173, 1995 ) on the multidimensionality of religious participation, we develop several hypotheses and test them by using data from the 2004 Survey of Texas Adults. We estimate multinomial logistic regress…
Turning Anomie on its Head: Fatalism as Durkheim's Concealed and Multidimensional Alienation Theory
Durkheim's underdeveloped notion of fatalism is the keystone for a bridge between two conceptual categories central to Marxian and Durkheimian theory: alienation and anomie. Durkheim does not necessarily disagree with Marx that excessive regulation can be socially damaging but chooses to highlight the effects of under-regulation. A Durkheimian critique of overregulation becomes possible if we turn away from anomie and toward Durkheim's idea of fa…
The Fatalistic Imagination and the Continued Salience of Religion in the Modern World: A Test of Resource Compensation/Resource Amplification Hypotheses Using Crossnational Data
The resource compensation hypothesis predicts that religiosity will serve as a cognitive buffer against structural constraints whereby more religious individuals will exhibit lower levels of fatalism than their less religious counterparts. The resource amplification perspective, on the other hand, predicts that religiosity will foster a sense that otherworldly forces control life's outcomes, leading to higher levels of fatalism. Using a precise m…
Hispanics and Their Perceptions of Family Dynamics: An Extension and Test of Group Reference Theory
Reference group theory is applied and the notion of "cultural reference groups" introduced as a way to shed light on processes of attitude formation among domestic and international publics. Using four waves of the World Values Survey, the paper explores the way that American and non-American Hispanics in Mexico, Argentina, and Spain interpret several dimensions of the family unit. Findings suggest that Hispanic Americans share more similar views…
When the Center is on Fire: Passionate Social Theory for our Times
Narrative inversion as a tactical framing device: The ideological origins of the Nation of Islam
This paper will draw from recent work in the study of counter-narratives and will apply a sociologically informed perspective to the empirical analysis of discourse. By focusing on the Black Nationalist group The Nation of Islam (NOI) this article will introduce the counter-narrative strategy of “narrative inversion.” Based on discursive analysis of textual materials from early NOI speeches, recordings, and writings, we hope to show how the NOI e…
Religion and Attitudes Toward Same‐Sex Marriage Among U.S. Latinos
Objectives. This study examines links between multiple aspects of religious involvement and attitudes toward same‐sex marriage among U.S. Latinos. The primary focus is on variations by affiliation and participation, but the possible mediating roles of biblical beliefs, clergy cues, and the role of religion in shaping political views are also considered. Methods. We use binary logistic regression models to analyze data from a large nationwide samp…
Faith, Race‐Ethnicity, and Public Policy Preferences: Religious Schemas and Abortion Attitudes Among U.S. Latinos
Research has demonstrated that white conservative Protestants are more opposed to abortion than their Catholic counterparts. At the same time, conservative Protestantism has made significant inroads among U.S. Latinos. This study augments existing research on religion and racial‐ethnic variations in abortion attitudes by comparing levels of support for legalized abortion among Catholic and conservative Protestant Latinos. Data are drawn from a na…
Blood, War, and Ritual: Religious Ecology, 'Strong' Culture, and Human Sacrifice in the Premodern World
What social factors predict human sacrifice in premodern societies? After summarising key insights from competing theoretical perspectives that seek to explain the presence of human sacrifice in premodern societies, we empirically assess the explanatory utility of each theory. We draw from Stark's ‘moral communities’ argument and Alexander and Smith's insights regarding cultural autonomy to highlight how the macro-level organisation of premodern …
Is It Really Religion? Comparing the Main and Stress-buffering Effects of Religious and Secular Civic Engagement on Psychological Distress
Using a random sample of adult residents from the state of Texas, we examine how religious participation and secular civic engagement buffer the effects of perceived financial strain and neighborhood disadvantage on psychological distress. Our findings suggest that (a) both organizational religious and secular civic engagement buffer the deleterious effects of perceived financial hardship on respondents’ psychological distress, (b) organizational…
True Believers? Religion, Physiology, and Perceived Body Weight in Texas
Religion and Child-Rearing Values in Turkey
Numerous studies have examined the connection between religion and child-rearing values-operationalized in terms of the importance placed on specific traits in children-in the United States and other mainly Christian societies. Much of this work involves the relative priority placed on 'intellectual heteronomy' (obedience to authority) versus 'intellectual autonomy' (thinking for oneself). Here, we augment this work focusing on Turkey, a predomin…
Religion, Cultural Clash, and Muslim American Attitudes About Politically Motivated Violence
Does adherence to Islam predict attitudes about 'suicide bombing' among American Muslims? This study examines the effects of religious and political factors on views of politically motivated violence (PMV). We draw from diverse scholarship, emphasizing arguments that are inspired by Samuel Huntington's Clash of Civilizations perspective, as well as recent work in the sociology of Islam. Using a measure that gauges support for 'suicide bombing' fr…
Bodyweight Perceptions among Texas Women: The Effects of Religion, Race/Ethnicity, and Citizenship Status
Despite previous work exploring linkages between religious participation and health, little research has looked at the role of religion in affecting bodyweight perceptions. Using the theoretical model developed by Levin et al. (Sociol Q 36(1):157-173, 1995 ) on the multidimensionality of religious participation, we develop several hypotheses and test them by using data from the 2004 Survey of Texas Adults. We estimate multinomial logistic regress…
Expanding the Utility of Race-Based Accountability: An Application of RBA to Longitudinal Data Analyses
Despite the strong empirical evidence linking childhood abuse to negative mental health outcomes later in life, a number of questions remain regarding race variations in this association. Moreover, less is known about the salience of protective factors that can offset or ameliorate the negative effects of abuse on adult mental health, and whether these factors work differently by race. Using three waves of panel data from a nationally representat…
Islamic Strangers: The Effects of Religious Beliefs and Network Closure on Muslim Identity in the United States
Using nationally representative survey data from the 2011 Pew Muslim American Survey, this study investigates how the combined effects of religiosity, personal networks, and attitudes toward American society shape the subjective identities of Muslims residing in the United States. We draw on social identity theory, Simmel’s notion of the “stranger,” and past research on subjective identity among faith groups to examine U.S. Muslim identity prefer…
Coping with an Evil World: Contextualizing the Stress-Buffering Role of Scripture Reading
This research note advances the religious coping literature by testing whether belief in an evil world conditions the stress-moderating role of scripture reading. Hypotheses are tested with original data from a survey of black, Hispanic, and white American churchgoers from South Texas (2017-2018; n = 1,115). Our findings show that reading scripture for insights into the future attenuates the positive association between major life events and psyc…
Is it the Sermon or the Choir? Pastoral Support, Congregant Support, and Worshiper Mental Health
Background Although religious involvement tends to be associated with improved mental health, additional work is needed to identify the specific aspects of religious practice that are associated with positive mental health outcomes. Our study advances the literature by investigating how two unique forms of religious social support are associated with mental health. Purpose We explore whether support received in religious settings from fellow cong…
Job Insecurity and Happiness Among Muslim Americans: Does the Moderating Role of Religious Involvement Differ by Gender
A substantial body of literature has examined the factors predicting happiness among various groups; however, few studies have systematically focused on happiness and related factors among Muslim Americans. Within the framework of the stress-process paradigm, this current study addresses fundamental arguments regarding job insecurity as a key predictor of happiness and the role of religious involvement as a buffering factor against the deleteriou…
Psychology (12 works) · Sociology (12 works) · Social Psychology (11 works) · Political science (10 works) · Religion and Society Interactions (9 works) · Law (8 works) · Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology (8 works) · Religiosity (5 works) · Epistemology (4 works) · Gender Studies (4 works)