Who is Not Afraid of Richard Dawkins? Using Google Trends to Assess the Reach of Influential Atheists across Canadian Secular Groups

Dados Bibliográficos

ID3944773
AutoresM Dilmaghani (0000-0002-5507-9487, Saint Mary's University, autor correspondente)
Ano2020
Volume49
Fascículo2
Páginas268-289
Data de publicação2020-06-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoStudies in Religion/Sciences Religieuses (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0008-4298 • E-ISSN: 2042-0587
EditoraSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/0008429819854353
OpenAlexW2995739176
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas5
Referências citadas97

Google Trends data on search volumes of high profile atheist public figures are used to assess their relative reach among different types of seculars in Canada. The user query data mined from Google Trends are complemented with an extensive set of information extracted from the Canadian General Social Surveys of 2005 to 2016. The analysis shows that the reach of high profile atheists is positively correlated with the presence of strictly-seculars, a proxy for the atheists. The investigation produces no statistically significant correlation between the presence of other types of seculars, namely the unchurched believers and the nominal affiliates, and the search volumes for high profile atheists. This exploratory finding suggests that the influential atheists likely "preach to the choir," catering to like-minded individuals, at the exclusion of those with relatively close but differing views on religion and spirituality

Proxy (statistics · Set (abstract data type · Sociology · Spirituality · Statistics · Computer Science · Demography · Mathematics · Media, Religion, Digital Communication · Medicine · Philosophy · Psychology · Religion and Society Interactions · Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology · Religious studies · Social Psychology