Determinants of attitude toward pedophilia crimes in the Catholic Church: a comparative study of Catholics and atheists in Poland

Pedophilia crimes among clergy have become a significant issue for the Catholic Church. However, the individual factors that influence the Negative Attitude toward Pedophilia Crimes in the Catholic Church (NAPCCC) remain unexplored. Thus, this study aimed to identify the determinants of NAPCCC. Three studies were conducted via an online survey panel of Polish Catholics and atheists. Study 1 (n = 688) found that atheists exhibited greater NAPCCC than believers, a relationship mediated by atheistic beliefs. Study 2 (n = 468) showed that moral foundations partially mediate the relationship between being Catholic (vs. atheist) and NAPCCC; Catholics had higher levels of purity and authority foundations than atheists, associated with less NAPCCC. Study 3 (n = 752) revealed that among Catholics, NAPCCC is predicted by specific religious schemata: Truth of Texts & Teachings (TTT), Fairness, Tolerance & Rational Choice (FTR), and Xenosophia/Interreligious Dialog (XENOS). Specifically, FTR and XENOS showed a positive relationship, while TTT and strength of identification with the Catholic group showed an inverse relationship with NAPCCC. Overall, these findings emphasize the importance of considering specific religious beliefs and moral systems in understanding individuals’ attitudes toward pedophilia crimes in the Catholic Church.