The topic of atheism has become an increasingly studied subject in the United States. With the slow but steady increase in the atheist population in the United States, this investigation is becoming increasingly relevant in modern research. The atheist population in America is considered cognitively deviant because they reject the theistic views which are the majority. They are also one of the most discriminated groups and are victims of very significant and pervasive stigma. There are a multitude of recent studies that approach the topic of atheism in the United States in different ways. First, “Becoming an Atheist in America: Constructing Identity and the Meaning of Rejecting Theism,” Jesse Smith explores the process by which atheists come to call themselves atheists. This study uses the qualitative research methods of participant observation and in-depth interviews. Smith divides the process into four stages that ultimately result in self-identification as an atheist. Smith is careful to note that "the construction of an atheist identity is a fluid and dynamic process rather than one that follows a simple pattern or trajectory." (Smith, 2011) It is worth mentioning that the latest comprehensive study found that there are “only 1% of Americans [who] identify as atheists” (Caldwell-Harris, 2011). This means that only 1% of Americans go through this process. The first step is a “starting point” (Smith, 2011). He notes that “belief in God and religious practice characterized their lives at some point” (Smith, 2011). Most atheists started out in a religious family and practiced a religion for part of their lives. The United States supports a culture where "92 percent of people express belief in God, or about 60 percent... middle of paper ...... ed1." Caldwell-Harris, CL, Wilson, AL, LoTempio, E., & Beit-Hallahmi, B. (2011). Exploring the atheist personality: Well-being, respect, and magical thinking among atheists, Buddhists, and Christians. Mental Health, Religion and Culture, 14(7), 659-672.2. Gervais, WM, Shariff, AF and Norenzayan, A. (2011). Do you believe in atheists? Distrust is at the heart of anti-atheist prejudice. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 101(6), 1189-1206.3. Jones, T. (director) (2011). Sunset Limited [DVD]4. Saroglou, V., Yzerbyt, V. and Kaschten, C. (2011). Meta-stereotypes of groups with opposing religious opinions: believers and non-believers. Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology, 21(6), 484-498.5. Smith, J.M. (2011). Becoming an Atheist in America: Building Identity and Meaning from the Rejection of Theism. Sociology of religion,72(2), 215-237.