FÉ IMPORTA? UMA ANÁLISE DO EFEITO DA ASSIDUIDADE RELIGIOSA SOBRE A MOTIVAÇÃO DE BUSCA POR EMPREGO DOS JOVENS BRASILEIROS

Abstract

Recent literature points to the beneficial effects of religiosity on coping with stressors associated with labor market, serving as a channel for social and psychological support. However, little is known about “how” and “to what extent” religious beliefs and practices influence the values, opinions, perceptions and social attitudes of the youth segment. In view of this, this article aims to understand the importance of the intensity of religious practice on the motivation to seek work by young Brazilians, using data from the National Health Survey (PNS) of 2013. Therefore, an empirical strategy based on in the extended regression model (ERM), more specifically the probit with ordinal endogenous treatment. Roughly speaking, estimates suggest that religion improves the incentive to leave total inactivity and seek occupational engagement, regardless of whether or not the young person is partly dedicated to studies. The Potential-Outcome Means indicate that, when nobody in the young population attends the church, it is estimated that 8,2% will be encouraged to dedicate themselves exclusively to looking for work, while those who dedicate themselves both to the labor market and to education, this result is slightly lower, corresponding to 5,9%. For the most religious young people, with high participation, the motivation to look for work is clearly higher, representing 61,3% for those exclusively dedicated, while for those who also dedicate themselves to study, they represent 50,3%.