[Study] Religion among scientists

"The first systematic analysis in decades to examine the religious beliefs and practices of elite academics in the sciences supports the notion that science professors at top universities are less religious than the general population, but attributes this to a number of variables that have little to do with their study of science.

[...]

Almost 52 percent of scientists surveyed identified themselves as having no current religious affiliation compared with only 14 percent of the general population.

And while nearly 14 percent of the U.S. population who responded to the GSS describe themselves as "evangelical" or "fundamentalist," less than 2 percent of the RAAS population identifies with either label.

[...]

Among scientists, as in the general population, being raised in a home in which religion and religious practice were valued is the most important predictor of present religiosity among the subjects.

[...]

Ecklund says, "It appears that those from non-religious backgrounds disproportionately self-select into scientific professions.

[...]

Results from the study also show that the more children in a scientist's household, the more likely he or she is to adhere to a religion.

In the general population women are more likely than men to be religious, but in the RAAS population, however, gender was not a significant predictor of religiosity.

[...]

RAAS data reveal that younger scientists are more likely to believe in God than older scientists, and more likely to report attending religious services over the past year."

buffalo.edu, 06/29/07

That non-religious people "disproportionately self-select into scientific professions" might mean the same as tall men self-selecting into basket ball.