(NewsNation) — Most Americans are spiritual or religious in some way but today they’re far more likely to say they have become more spiritual over their lifetime.
Some 41% of U.S. adults say they have grown more spiritual over time, while 24% say they have become more religious, according to a new Pew Research analysis. By comparison, roughly one-third of respondents have grown less religious, while only 13% became less spiritual over time.
When asked to describe what “spirituality” meant to them, roughly one-third of those surveyed described beliefs not tied to organized religion. That group included people who believe in a “higher power” or believe in the “unseen or otherworldly,” Pew noted.
About a quarter of respondents described spirituality linked to organized religion, citing a belief in God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit or other elements of Christianity.
Other findings in the analysis suggest conceptions of spirituality and religion remain closely intertwined.
Evangelical protestants (55%) and Black Protestants (53%) were especially likely to say they’ve grown more spiritual over time.
Religiously unaffiliated Americans were more split — 28% say their spirituality has grown, while 25% say it has declined.
Within the unaffiliated cohort, atheists were especially unlikely to say they’ve become more spiritual, with only 9% saying so.
There were also significant differences across age groups. Older adults were more likely to say they’ve become more spiritual over time compared to younger Americans. However, those ages 18-29 were still more likely to say they had become more spiritual (30%) than less (20%).
Across the religious groups analyzed, Jewish adults were the least likely to say they have become more religious over time, just 13% felt that way. By comparison, 29% said they had grown less religious.
Older Americans were also more likely to say they have become more religious, while younger adults are more likely to say they have become less religious, Pew found.