What do Americans think of sending prayers in response to tragedy?

Specifically, Thunström and Noy wanted to compare how Christians and non-believers react to receiving a prayer from a Christian stranger in support of a recent hardship. A recent Pew poll found that 63% of Americans identify as Christian and 29% consider themselves atheist, agnostic, or “nothing in particular”.

Thunström and Noy took an economic approach to exploring the matter. A total of 482 Christians and 174 non-believers were compensated to participate in an online survey. Subjects were asked to describe a recent hardship then informed that they would have an opportunity to receive a supportive prayer from a Christian stranger aimed at resolving that hardship. Subjects were also each given an additional $5 and told that they could use some or all of it to secure the prayer or to prevent it. Finally, they were asked to explain why they valued the prayer positively or negatively and asked to agree or disagree with various statements regarding the act of prayer.

“We find that Christians value prayers at an average of $2.34 while non-believers are willing to pay $1.56 not to be prayed for,” the researchers reported.