▁studies , ▁religion ▁did ▁not ▁dimin ish ▁and ▁was ▁instead ▁acknowled ged ▁by ▁research ers ▁as ▁a ▁topic ▁worth while ▁to ▁research . ▁Scient ists ▁and ▁sch ol ars , ▁like ▁British ▁soci ologist ▁John ▁Thompson , ▁realized ▁that ▁despite ▁the ▁neglect ▁of ▁religion ▁in ▁studies , ▁the ▁presence ▁and ▁impact ▁of ▁religion ▁on ▁individuals ' ▁lives ▁were ▁und eni able ▁and ▁did ▁not ▁disappear ▁with ▁time . ▁Hence , ▁a ▁body ▁of ▁research ▁on ▁religion ▁began ▁to ▁take ▁root . ▁Part icular ly , ▁a ▁hand ful ▁of ▁research ers ▁were ▁interested ▁in ▁exam ining ▁religious ▁identity ▁during ▁ad oles c ence . ▁ ▁Fact ors ▁that ▁affect ▁religious ▁identity ▁ ▁Given ▁that ▁religious ▁trad itions ▁can ▁be ▁intr ic ately ▁inter la ced ▁with ▁various ▁aspects ▁of ▁culture , ▁the ▁religious ▁identity ▁literature ▁has ▁consist ently ▁yield ed ▁eth nic , ▁gender , ▁and ▁gener ational ▁differences . ▁ ▁Eth nic ▁D iffer ences ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁Social ▁Identity ▁Theory , ▁when ▁individuals ▁of ▁eth nic ▁minor ity ▁background s ▁feel ▁as ▁if ▁their ▁identity ▁is ▁threatened , ▁they ▁may ▁emphas ize ▁their ▁other ▁social ▁ident ities ▁as ▁a ▁means ▁to ▁maintain ▁a ▁positive ▁self - con cept . ▁This ▁idea ▁is ▁supported ▁by ▁the ▁various ▁studies ▁that ▁have ▁shown ▁higher ▁levels ▁of ▁religious ▁identity ▁among ▁eth nic ▁minor ities , ▁particularly ▁those ▁from ▁Lat ino ▁and ▁African ▁American ▁background s , ▁compared ▁to ▁European ▁Americans . ▁ ▁G ender ▁D iffer ences ▁ ▁G ender ▁may ▁also ▁impact ▁one '