جامعه شناسی کاربردی (Mar 2020)
The Study of Youth Religiosity in Sarpol-e-Zahab City and some Related Factors
Abstract
Introduction Today, the values of various societies are subject to a wide range of changes. These values include a range that varies according to the characteristics of each society. In addition, within societies, the degree of commitment to and following these values among members of each society varies according to the division of gender, class, place of residence, generation, etc. One of these values, regardless of the type and level of commitment, is religiosity. In the definition of religiosity, it is said that religiosity has ‘religious endeavors’ in such a way to influence the attitude, orientation, and individual actions. This research sought to investigate religiosity among the youths of Sar-e-Pol-e Zahab city and its related factors. Material & Methods The research methodology was a survey approach. The study sample consisted of 635 youths with the age range of 19-29 years in Sar-e-Pul Zahab. They were selected using stratified sampling. The data gathering tool was a questionnaire. The measured dependent variable was religiosity which had three dimensions: emotional, belief, and practical. Social capital as one of the two independent variables of the study had the dimensions of participation, solidarity, trust, socio-economic basis, and ethnic identity. Another independent variable of the study was media consumption. The results indicated that the level of religiosity among respondents was slightly higher than average. Among the dimensions of religiosity, the belief dimension had the highest average, and the practical dimension had the lowest average. Results in relation to gender differences indicated that in terms of emotional and belief dimensions, the level of religiosity of women is significantly more than men. However, there was no significant difference between men and women in practical aspects. But, in relation to the marital status, the results indicated that the level of religiosity of married people in all aspects was greater than that of single people. Pearson correlation test indicated that three variables of social capital, national identity, and ethnic identity had a direct and significant relationship with religious dimension. Media consumption also had a negative and significant relationship with all three dimensions of religiosity. But, the relationship between economic and religious aspects was not meaningful. Finally, the direct and indirect relationships between independent variables and religiosity were tested in the path analysis model. Discussion of Results & Conclusions According to research findings, religiosity was relatively high in the population under study. The belief dimension had the highest degree and practical dimension had the lowest. In addition, individuals were more committed to rituals than rites. Therefore, it can be said that the form of religiosity has changed to personalization. The research also indicated that gender still plays a role as an effective factor in explaining social behaviors. Even a phenomenon like marital status can play a role in the level of religiosity of people. Therefore, the level of religiosity as a social variable varies among different social groups. In explaining the level of religiosity, the social capital variable was more powerful than other variables. In fact, social capital has a complex relationship with religiosity, because these two variables have a relative overlap. In addition, although ethnic identity was also associated with religiosity, the relationship between national identity and religious aspect was more effective. Religiosity, as a determinant variable, is more influenced by variables such as national identity. The power of ethnic identity to explain the degree of religiosity was relatively small. Media consumption also had a negative effect on aspects of religiosity. By increasing the use of these media, the degree of religiosity is reduced. Finally, it can be said that religiosity can be explained both negatively and positively; some variables have a positive influence, while others have a negative influence on religiosity.
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