For the duration of her sophomore year, Kristina had the honor of joining Dr. Janelle Peifer’s research team: the Global Identities Lab. Under the guidance of Dr. Peifer, Kristina conducted individualized research on Religiosity and Political Ideology at Agnes Scott College. Kristina was inspired to further explore the connections between political mindsets and religion after many of her peers encountered isolation due to their beliefs. Dr. Peifer and Kristina’s research examined the association between levels of religiosity, perceptions of Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and Atheism, and feelings of isolation and acceptance.
Their research explored questions such as:
- Do levels of religiosity correlate to feelings of isolation at Agnes Scott College?
- How do levels of religiosity predict perceptions of Atheism, Christianity, Islam, and Judaism?
- How do Atheists, Christian, Jewish, and Muslim students compare in terms of feelings of acceptance at Agnes Scott?
The research focused on 201 students from Agnes Scott College and found that levels of religiosity significantly predict perceptions of both Atheism and Christianity. Levels of religiosity also positively correlate to feelings of isolation at Agnes Scott. The research concluded that Jewish students are much more likely to feel isolated on campus because of their religion.
Kristina had the opportunity to present her research at the Southeastern Psychological Association conference in Charleston, South Carolina.
