Final answer:
Secularization leads to a decrease in the significance and influence of religion in society, and as historical sociologists and psychoanalysts have predicted, the modernization of society contributes to this trend.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term secularization refers to the process by which religion loses social and cultural significance. As such, secularization leads to a decrease in the influence of religion, not an increase. This trend has been anticipated by historical sociologists like Émile Durkheim, Max Weber, and Karl Marx, as well as psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud. They believed that the modernization of society would result in less religious influence. In the context of the United States, while there has been a rise in individuals identifying as having no religious affiliation, the country is still considered fairly religious, especially when compared with other democratic, industrialized nations. We also see manifestations of secular religion exemplified by the elevation of the nation-state and its practices.