News

The Department of Sociology announces winners of the Spring 2026 Sociology Senior Showcase, including one winner and two honorable mentions.

A group of sociology students, along with their professor Dr. Markus Schafer, found through a two-year study that quality of relationships combat loneliness more than quantity of relationships. 

Dr. Laura Upenieks, sociologist at Baylor University, published an article in American Catholic Studies examining sociodemographic differences in Catholic understandings of the Eucharist, particularly beliefs about transubstantiation.

Dr. Markus H. Schafer, sociologist at Baylor University, graduate students James S. Malo and Meagan L. McGourty, along with graduated student alum, Brandon Brown, published an article in Social Networks examining how companionship in personal networks influences loneliness among young and older adults.

Dr. Markus H. Schafer, sociologist at Baylor University, published an article in The Journals of Gerontology: Series B discussing how poorer subjective hearing is associated with less frequent and more negative social interactions in older adults.

Dr. Markus H. Schafer, sociologist at Baylor University, published an editorial in The Journals of Gerontology: Series B discussing palliative and end-of-life care as a fragile collective accomplishment requiring interdisciplinary social and medical perspectives.

Sociologist Christopher M. Pieper, Ph.D., examines how rapidly advancing technologies may reshape the foundations of social life. 

Drs. Matthew A. Andersson and Markus H. Schafer, sociologists at Baylor University, published an article in Social Science & Medicine examining how higher educational attainment relates to later-life cognition across gender and race in the United States.

To truly end hunger, we must meet immediate needs while building sustainable, evidence-based strategies that address the underlying conditions that create food insecurity. This means ensuring families have food today and advancing policies that prevent hunger tomorrow. Both individual- and community-level work is critical; yet, without systemic interventions, efforts to end hunger and food insecurity remain reactive, responding to needs rather than addressing the systems that lead to hunger. To move from responding to hunger to preventing it, we must address the policies and systems that shape access to food in the first place.

Dr. Laura Upenieks, a sociologist at Baylor University, and Riley Peterson, a current Baylor University graduate student, published an article in the Journal of Religion and Health examining how socioeconomic status and religiosity substitutes for or amplifies the protective effects of education and income.

Baylor Provost Nancy Brickhouse, Ph.D., has announced James R. Brockmole, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Psychology at the University of Notre Dame, as the next Dean of Baylor’s College of Arts & Sciences.

Dr F. Carson Mencken, a sociologist at Baylor University, and Rachel Johnson, a Baylor University graduate student alum, published an article in Sociological Spectrum discussing Fox News cable consumption and trust in, including trust in white people, local police, and gun owners.

Dr. Laura Upenieks, sociologist at Baylor University, published an article in the Journal of Psychology and Theology discussing how social psychological resources such as religion/spirituality may buffer the negative effects of social media sue on youth well-being.

Dr. Matthew A. Andersson, sociologist at Baylor University, published an article in Social Problems discussing how socioeconomic status linked experiences of deprivation and internalized classism contribute to health disparities.

Dr. Samuel H. Fishman, a sociologist at Baylor University, and Michael Ervin, a current Baylor University graduate student, published an article in Research in Social Stratification and Mobility examining whether high school course-level truly influences educational attainment.

Drs. Laura Upenieks and Matthew A. Andersson, sociologists at Baylor University, along with Rebecca Bonhag, a Baylor graduate student alum, published an article in Review of Religious Research examining religious belief, identity, and related
social‑psychological outcomes.

Dr. Mackenzie Brewer, sociologist at Baylor University, and Rebecca Bonhag, a Baylor graduate student alum, published an article in Family Relations examining how pandemic‑driven stressors contributed to increased family conflict during COVID‑19.

Dr. Laura Upenieks, a sociologist at Baylor University, published an article in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence discussing how pandemic-related social isolation and financial hardship increased the risk of physical intimate partner violence perpetration.

Meet the 2024-25 Baylor University Outstanding Graduate Student award recipients in instruction, research and dissertation.

AASL recognizes Baylor social sciences professor, George A. Yancey, for outstanding scholarly achievement.

The national survey conducted in partnership with Gallup has explored the intersection of religion, health and community in the U.S. for two decades.

Longtime Baylor faculty member promoted to new Fuller Family Endowed Chair for Social Justice to focus work on serving those made vulnerable in society.

Baylor cements its status as a Top 50 private university, Top 100 national university.

For the first time in almost two decades, Baylor has a new University Chaplain. After Dr. Burt Burleson (BA ’80) retired in May following 17 years of service, Dr. Charley Ramsey (BA ’97, MA ’00) was named the university’s new Chaplain and Dean of Spiritual Life.

The Hill Country is a special place to Texans, including many in the Baylor Family. As news spread of the catastrophic July 4 weekend floods in and around Kerrville and the Texas Hill Country, the impact was felt far and wide.

Does technology use lead to "digital dementia" or its related term “brain rot?” A Baylor sleep researcher set out to see if such fears are warranted - and the surprising findings have earned international attention.

Baylor University students were awarded scholarships and fellowships, including Boren Awards, Critical Language Scholarships and a Fulbright UK Summer Institutes award.

As they reflect on 35 years of marriage, Carson and Kimberly expressed immense gratitude for the journey they’ve shared.

Baylor among the top 20 colleges and universities nationally, earning BU recognition this spring as a Fulbright Top Producing Institution for the third straight year.

Dougherty joins Baylor legends among the university’s 33 Master Teachers. In January, President Linda Livingstone announced the lifetime designation for this rare honor for four Baylor professors.

Sociology's very own, Dr. Kevin Dougherty, is announced as one of four distinguished recipients of highest honor granted for sustained excellence in teaching. 

Baylor University has been named to TIME Magazine’s list of the 100 Best Colleges for Future Leaders 2025, a ranking measuring universities that excel in nurturing some of the nation’s most highly influential leaders.

Ruiqian (Richi) Li has been awarded Baylor’s 2023-2024 Outstanding Dissertation Award in Social Sciences. Congratulations to Richi on this outstanding accomplishment, and to Paul Froese, his dissertation advisor.

Stanford University recently compiled a database of the most cited researchers in higher ed history — specifically, those who ranked among the top 2% all-time. It’s an incredible undertaking — and one that found 34 Baylor professors among the honorees.

WACO, Texas (May 16, 2023) – For most of U.S. history, tattoos have been associated with sailors and bikers, but not church-going people. As tattoos have become more popular, with nearly one-third of U.S. adults sporting at least one tattoo, religious-themed tattoos have also increased. A recent study examined the behaviors of college students with tattoos, including religious tattoos.

The end of each year brings with it a series of lists that bibliophiles eagerly await — a rundown of the year’s best books. Baylor professors are often honored on these “best of” lists, on a wide variety of topics. For 2022, two books authored by Baylor faculty members earned recognition from Christianity Today and […]

Jay Miles has lived his 52 years without marriage or children, which has suited his creative ambitions as a videographer in Connecticut and, he said, his mix of “independence and stubbornness.” But he worries about who will take care of him as he gets older.

Donna Selman, a 55-year-old college professor in Illinois, is mostly grateful to be single, she said, because her mother and aunts never had the financial and emotional autonomy that she enjoys.

Mary Felder, 65, raised her children, now grown, in her row house in Philadelphia. Her home has plenty of space for one person, but upkeep is expensive on the century-old house.

Researchers at Baylor and Campbell universities found that smartphone users seeking meaning and purpose through their devices and social media could experience the opposite.

Professors from Campbell, Baylor say those who rely on smartphones for meaning, satisfaction in life are mostly findings disappointment.

WACO, Texas (June 2, 2022) – Baylor University celebrated its 2022 Champions of Change, Solid Gold Neighbor (SGN) Community honorees for their outstanding community engagement and SGN Research Fellows during a May 25 recognition ceremony, hosted by Baylor’s Office of External Affairs.

When a class becomes a community, students change from being passive to active learners, write Neil Garg and Kevin D. Dougherty, who offer suggestions for how to create such an environment.

Three years ago, Baylor set a school record when seven Bears earned prestigious Fulbright scholarships -- part of the nation's flagship program for international graduate study and education.

This year, Baylor students are blowing that record out of the water. An incredible 13 BU students have already been named Fulbright recipients for 2022 -- a number likely to place Baylor among the top producers of Fulbright scholars nationwide, and a total that might still be growing.

In an effort to support students working to complete their dissertation, the Graduate School offers a select number of Summer Dissertation Fellowships intended to enable students to work on their projects without seeking summer employment.

Baylor sociology professor George Yancey, Ph.D., writes that to understand the path to ending racial alienation, it is valuable to understand first about using reason, power and moral suasion to affect others’ actions.

Sociology professor Paul Froese, Ph.D., director of the Baylor Religion Surveys, was interviewed about the latest survey conducted in the volatile months of early 2021, which found the lines between political and religious identity blurring even more as Americans increasingly self-identify in groups.

Laura Upenieks, Ph.D., assistant professor of sociology at Baylor, was among a team of researchers who studied the financial stress during the first several months of pandemic on Canadians and found that it was not the same for all citizens.

Having a racially diverse congregation offers a path toward church growth, according to a comprehensive national study of The United Methodist Church led by Kevin Dougherty, Ph.D., associate professor of sociology at Baylor.

Several Baylor University graduate and professional programs were among those nationally ranked in the 2022 U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools rankings, released March 30.

WACO, Texas (Aug. 17, 2020) – People who experience threats to their existence — which these days may well be economic and political instability — are more likely to experience miracles, according to a Baylor University study.

WACO, Texas (Feb. 18, 2019) — Women are more likely than men to believe the Bible is literally true, but a recent Baylor University study finds this may have more to do with how people relate to God than it does gender. Both men and women who report high levels of closeness to God take the Bible more literally – and this confidence grows stronger as they seek closeness to God through prayer and Bible study.

WACO, Texas (Jan. 9, 2018) — Belief that mental illness is biological has increased among both health experts and the public in recent years. But campaigns to treat it as a disease and remove stigma may be lacking because other factors, such as bad character and upbringing, still are viewed as playing a role, a Baylor University study has found.

WACO, Texas (Sept. 20, 2016) — Growing up in a well-off home can benefit a child’s physical health even decades later — but a lack of parent-child warmth, or the presence of abuse, may eliminate the health advantage of a privileged background, according to a Baylor University study.

WACO, Texas (Aug. 16, 2016) — People trying to shed pounds — but who hang out with heavier pals regularly — are more likely to lose weight if they include thinner people in their social lives, according to a study by a Baylor University researcher.

WACO, Texas (June 23, 2016) — Parents in the United States generally are not as happy as those who aren’t parents. Not only that, the U.S. has the largest “happiness gap” among parents compared to nonparents in 22 industrialized countries, according to a report by researchers at Baylor University, the University of Texas at Austin and Wake Forest University.

WACO, Texas (June 10, 2016) — Robyn L. Driskell, Ph.D., Divisional Dean for Humanities and Social Sciences in the College of Arts & Sciences, has been named Executive Director and President’s Chief of Staff by Baylor University Interim President David Garland, Ph.D. In this role, Driskell will be responsible for strategic communications from the President’s Office, collaboration on leadership initiatives, coordination of Board relations and representing the President in a variety of official capacities.

WACO, Texas (May 9, 2016) — Congregations attempting to boost their racial and ethnic diversity may end up with fewer people in the seats, according to a Baylor University study.

WACO, Texas (Aug. 17, 2015) — Troubling questions about multiracial congregations’ potential to address racial inequality are raised by a new national study done by researchers at Baylor University, the University of Southern California and the University of Chicago.

WACO, Texas (June 26, 2015) — A Baylor sociologist who reshaped “test day” in his class — transforming it with balloons, streamers, treats and music — found that students in “learning celebrations” scored higher than students who took standard-style exams in previous semesters.

WACO, Texas (Jan. 12, 2015) — More than a third of American clergy members are obese, with stress, longer hours, being underpaid and lack of self-care among the reasons, according to a Baylor University study. But the pastoral profession has some built-in prevention methods that can help clergy be healthier if they take advantage of them.

WACO, Texas (Jan. 8, 2015) — Lindsay R. Wilkinson, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the department of sociology in Baylor University’s College of Arts & Sciences, has won the 2014 Senior Service America Junior Scholar Award from the Gerontological Society of America.

WACO, Texas (Aug. 18, 2014) — The “Great Recession” may have put a dent in many older adults’ pocketbooks, but a new study by Baylor University found that more than 40 percent reported a decrease in “financial strain” between 2006 and 2010.

WACO, Texas (Aug. 12, 2014) — Whether the problem is health, enemies, poverty or difficulty with aging, “Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there,” suggested the late gospel musician Charles A. Tindley. But when it comes to easing symptoms of anxiety-related disorders, prayer doesn’t have the same effect for everybody, according to a Baylor University researcher.

WACO, Texas (Feb. 25, 2014) -- To better their survival chances, entrepreneurs and owners of small businesses in rural areas must successfully pitch their ventures to "faraway, unknown banking officials" rather than relying on local lenders as in the past, according to a Baylor University study.

WACO, Texas (July 30, 2013) -- Southerners are generally not as trusting as people who live in other parts of the country, but trusting people are more likely to cooperate in recycling, buying green products and conserving water, a new Baylor University study on environmental protection shows.

WACO, Texas (June 27, 2013) -- People punish generous group members by rejecting them socially -- even when the generosity benefits everyone -- because the "big givers" are nonconformists, according to a Baylor University study.

WACO, Texas (June 12, 2013) -- Young adults who deem themselves "spiritual but not religious" are more likely to commit property crimes -- and to a lesser extent, violent ones -- than those who identify themselves as either "religious and spiritual" or "religious but not spiritual," according to Baylor University researchers.

WACO, Texas (March 5, 2013) -- Adults whose parents were divorced are more likely to switch religions or disassociate themselves from institutional religions altogether -- but growing up in a single-parent family does not have any effect on private religious life, including praying, according to a study by a Baylor University sociologist.

WACO, Texas (Feb. 6, 2013) -- Caving in to social pressure -- such as saying that you love a movie because friends do -- makes for good vibes about being part of a group and can produce more of the same conduct, according to a Baylor University sociological study. The finding has implications for people ranging from philanthropists to gangs, researchers said.

WACO, Texas (Oct. 19, 2012) - Waco-area residents are reporting relatively high levels of satisfaction with their community as a great place to live, according to a survey conducted and analyzed by Baylor University's Center for Community Research and Development (CCRD).

WACO, Texas (July 18, 2012)- Baylor sociology Ph.D. student Jenna Griebel was awarded with nearly $10,000 in grants for research this summer.

WACO, Texas (April 23, 2012) - Sam Stroope, doctoral candidate in the department of sociology in the College of Arts and Sciences at Baylor University, has been awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support his dissertation on community context, gender and health in India.

WACO, Texas (April 10, 2012) - One hundred years after Arthur Eldred of New York earned the first Eagle Scout Award from the Boy Scouts of America, researchers with Baylor University's Institute for Studies of Religion (ISR) and Program on Prosocial Behavior have released findings from a nationwide, scientific survey that demonstrates the significant, positive impact Eagle Scouts have on society - from holding leadership positions in their workplace and neighborhood to voting and volunteering to protecting the environment and being prepared for emergencies.

Friendships forged at church seem to play a major role in people's religious activities and beliefs -- even when it comes to their views about how exclusive heaven is, according to a national study by a Baylor University sociology researcher.

Baylor University doctoral student Samuel Stroope, a researcher in the department of sociology, has been named recipient of a prestigious award given by the Association for the Sociology of Religion for outstanding student paper.
His research explored the interplay of congregation members' educational backgrounds.