Their Involvement In Their Religion example essay topic

Study on Religion Mike Feel Sociology-4 Mr. Winch January 6, 1997 Scientific Method Isolating the Problem - Does religious involvement have any impact on how people act? I wanted to find out if how involved a person was in their religion had any effect on their moral standards, behavior, or grades in school. I felt that their might be a pattern formed with involvement and the afore-mentioned variables. Forming a Hypothesis - My hypothesis going into this paper was: Those people who are involve in their religion, on average, have higher moral standards, better behavior, and do better in school than those who are not as involved in their religion. Building a Research Design - In conducting my research I used three sociological research methods: survey method, statistical analysis, and the historical method.

This involved a questionnaire, the data from the questionnaire, and studies from magazines and books. Collecting the Data - I collected the data from my questionnaires as well as found books that discussed the subject, and magazine articles on related topics. Analyzing the Data - I compared and contrasted the data I received, whether from my questionnaire or from the text. I tried to find similarities that either proved or disproved my hypothesis. Make Generalizations - After completing my studies, I found a connection between religious involvement; and was able to generalize that those who are involved act and behave better than those who aren't involved. Introduction My purpose for writing this paper on this particular subject was because was curious to find out if there were any connections between religious involvement and if it affected how people acted.

I found some similarities between those who felt that religious involvement affected behavior, and similarities between those who didn't. I also found similarities between those who replied that they were highly involved in their religion, as well as some similarities between those not as highly involved. Research I used three different methods to help me collect my data. The first was the survey method. I developed a questionnaire that I felt would get me the information I see ked.

These surveys were distributed in Randolph high school (to Mr. Winch's classes), mostly to Seniors and Sophomores, as well as a few from the Freshman and Junior classes. This gave me a good sample of the teenage population in our area. The questionnaire had the following questions: - 1. What is your religion? - 2.

How involved in your religion do you consider yourself? (1-10 1 being the lowest 10 being the highest) - 3. How would you rate your moral standards? 1-10 - 4. How would you rate your behavior? 1-10 - 5.

What are your average grades? - 6. Do you feel your religious involvement affects your behavior? Through my questionnaire I found that the majority of the people who felt that they had high religious involvement (a 6 or better on the 1-10 scale) felt that their religious involvement had an affect on their behavior, while the majority of those that felt that they had low religious involvement (a 5 or lower) felt that their religious involvement had little or no impact on their behavior.

Also I found that a larger percent of those who answered that yes their involvement had an impact on their behavior felt that they had high moral standards, good behavior, and good grades (a 7 or better for the two former andB's or better for the former) than those who felt that their involvement had no impact on behavior. A related study, conducted by Bill Moyer, showed that involvement and influence of religion is increasing. In November of 1992 only 27% of Americans said the influence of religion was increasing while 38% of Americans in a December 1995 study said that the influence is increasing, an 11% leap in only a matter of 26 months. It was also noted that. ".. the historical role of religion is molding personal identities, shaping social identity, generating community and goals, transmitting values, sharpening critical moral sense, challenging the status quo and questioning authority". 2 Another past study showed similar results. This study noted "Christian teaching is intended to govern the soul".

They found that 1970 75% of American people felt that religion didn't influence them, but only 46% were of that opinion in 1980. Their study was also able to show that those people who we reconsidered successful in life, doctors, businessmen, artists, etc., the majority of them were involved in their religion as well as credited their success to the influence of their religion and their involvement in that religion. 3 In research, I found my hypothesis to be proven true. Those people who were involved in their religion, no matter what religion they were, were more likely to have higher moral standards, rate their behavior higher, and do better in school, as well as feel their involvement in their religion affected their behavior. These studies suggest that if more people were involved in the irreligion that there might be less behavioral problems in our school systems, society would have higher morals, and more people would receive good grades. So after doing these studies I feel that there is definitely a connection between religion and how people act and behave; and I found that those who are involved in religion, whatever religion it may be, act and behave better than those who are not actively involved in religion.

So while not all the evidence I found while researching my topic was what I expected and some was inconclusive, the overwhelming feeling I got while studying my research is that my hypothesis is true. Footnotes 1. My Questionnaire on religion from a sample of Randolph High School. 2. Moyer, Bill America's Religious Mosaic, USA Weekend, Gannett Co. Inc., October 11 -13, 1996, pages 4 - 5 3.

Bender L., David, Leone, Bruno Religion in America, Greenhaven Press, Inc., San Diego, CA 1989

Bibliography

Bender L., David, Leone, Bruno Religion in America, Greenhaven Press, Inc., San Diego, CA 1989 Colombo, Frio, God In America, New York: Columbia University Press, 1984 Marx, Herbert L.
Jr., The Reference Shelf: Religions in America, The H.W. Wilson Company, NY 1977 Moyer, Bill America's Religious Mosaic, USA Weekend, Gannett Co.
Inc., October 11 -13, 1996, pages 4 - 5 My Questionnaire on religion from a sample of Randolph High School.