A few days ago, I posted a request for surveys regarding the reasons why people reject evolution. I received numerous responses, too many to include all here. Thank you for the suggestions! Several people suggested the National Center for Science Education. I've looked at their site ( http://www.ncseweb.org/default.asp ) but didn't see specific information regarding my question. Tarek Einaccash at U. Pittsburgh noted work by the Alters. I will look at their book. Thanks! >> "Defending Evolution" by Brian and Sandra Alters would be a good place to start. Chapter 3 is titled "Why students reject evolution: Religious reasons" and chapter 4 is titled "Why students reject evolution: non-religious reasons". << Barb Edmunds at Portland State sad that Eric Lovely at Arkanas Tech "had a poster entitled "Teaching Evolution: Challenging Religious Preconceptions" at the SICB conference in 2006.  He was asking for collaborators in other areas of the country, so I am assuming that this research is on-going." Joe Graves at NC A&T State responded: >> Dear Norman, There is some discussion of this question in a book entitled: Cult Archaeology and Creationism: Understanding Pseudoscientific Beliefs About the Past, F.B. Harrold and R.A. Eve, U. Iowa Press, 1995.  Although I don't know of any study that explicitly addresses the question you are posing.  The title "Monkey Girl"  in Ed Humes, Monkey Girl: Evolution, Education, Religion, and the Battle for America's Soul, 2007 comes from the taut directed at the Dover children whose parents opposed intelligent design.  So you may be on to something here. We are planning to do a large survey of student veiws on evolution here at North Carolina A&T State University.  As you may know, NCATSU is a historically black institution with over 97% undergraduate enrollment consisting of African Americans.  They also tend to have been raised in Biblical literalist, fundamentalist backgrounds.  We will include a question that captures your concern in our survey. Sincerely, Dr. Joseph L. Graves, Jr. Dean, University Studies & Professor of Biological Sciences 312H Craig Hall North Carolina A&T State University 1601 E. Market St. Greensboro, NC 27411   Email: gravesjl@ncat.edu Phone: (336)-256-2280 << Several of the responses I received were similar to David Fitch's >>Not being a creationist myself, I do not have personal experience.   However, many of my students have been creationists (yes, even here   in New York City).  So my data is anecdotal, not quantitative.  But   here are some insights I've inferred: The overarching fear is that, if evolution is true, then God did not   create, and thus God does not exist.  A correlary to this miscarriage   of logic is that, if God does not exist, we would be plunged into a   world without morality or ethics, and basically it would be okay to   loot, murder and rape at will.  Thus the equation that is made   between evolution and evil.  The alliteration of these  two words   also doesn't help. The connection to the animal world is secondary to this major fear,   but it's linked, because animals are not supposed to have a moral   code.  Even otherwise reputable scientists like Francis Collins   ("Language of God") believe there is something divine about the Moral   Law (Collins' "evidence" of God).  Another connected fear is the lack   of purpose to our lives if we are only products of a mindless   evolutionary process. That's why I think it is very important in our teaching to emphasize   that scientists canNOT prove or disprove the existence of God (i.e.,   science is not atheistic, but rather agnostic, in the sense that it   cannot disprove supernatural phenomena/mechanisms), as well as to   expose the faulty logic that gives rise to this fear.  Another thing   that is important for us to do as teachers is to show that   understanding how life works gives us a greater appreciation and   respect for our fellow beings and life in general.  (A value system   that actually seems to conform more to buddhist than judeo-christian- islamic principles.)  The answer to purpose, of course, comes from   ourselves--we give purpose and meaning to our own lives. Best wishes, Dave<< njohnson@ent.umass.edu