Editing Public display of affection (section)

== Impact of religion ==
{{Verification|section|date=April 2025}}
[[Religiosity]] is an important factor that influences how romantic relationships develop.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Bearman |first1=P. S. |last2=Bruckner |first2=H. |date=2001 |title=Promising the Future: Virginity Pledges and First Intercourse |journal=American Journal of Sociology |volume=106 |issue=4 |pages=859–912 |doi=10.1086/320295 |s2cid=142684938}}</ref> Higher levels of religiosity are not directly related to the number of partners reported by the respondents{{Which|date=April 2025}}. However, religious respondents report lower levels of intimate contact with their partners.{{Citation needed|date=April 2025}} Religiosity limits the level of expression of affection in general.{{Citation needed|date=April 2025}} Also, religion is related to more conservative values that may{{According to whom|date=April 2025}} have a global effect on all levels of PDA by younger participants. 

In many regions of the world, religion drives the cultural view on PDA{{Citation needed|date=April 2025}} and this sometimes culminates into proscription based on religious rules. Examples of such are [[sharia law]], Catholic and Evangelical [[virginity pledge]]s, Anabaptist [[plain people]], Methodist [[outward holiness]], Quaker [[testimony of simplicity]], [[Latter-day Saint]] [[Law of chastity]] and Judaic [[Tzniut]]. The conservative Islamic schools of thought, especially [[Salafism]]-oriented ones, forbid public displays of affection.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Etzioni |first1=Amitai |title=Hot Spots |date=2012 |page=152}}</ref>