Religion, plausibility structures, and education's effect on attitudes toward elective abortion

This study tests three hypothesis derived from Berger's (1967) plausibility theory. The first hypothesis states that among people who attend church fr equently, education's liberating effect on attitudes toward elective aborti on is weakest among conservative Protestants and Catholics, intermediate am ong moderate Protestants, and strongest among liberal Protestants and Jews. Hypothesis 2 states that education's effects is weaker among frequent atte nders in all religious groups except liberal Protestants and Jews, and hypo thesis 3 states that education's effect does not vary by religious group am ong infrequent attenders. Using General Social Survey data. I found strong support for Hypothesis 1 and 2 and partial support for Hypothesis 3. I disc uss the implications of the findings for plausibility theory.