Exploring Level and Type of Religiosity Among University Students in Qom City

This study examines level of religiosity among university students in Qom city and creates a typology of their different types of religiosity. Glock and Stark model was used for testing level of religiosity. For identifying types of religiosity, a combinations of different theories on the topic was used and seven types eventually selected for the statistical population. The seven types included: layperson, devout, established, modernist, secular, laïc and hybrid religiosity. Peter Burger analysis was used for the two descriptive hypotheses of the study. Independent variables of the study were extracted from the following theories: Berger’s theory of modernization and secularization, Wach’s theory of socio-economic status, Putnam’s social capital theory, Berger’s theory of social life-word, and Grebner’s cultivation theory. A survey method was used in this study. The statistical population included all students of universities in Qom province (43718 students) in 2010-2011. The sample included 354 students selected using quota sampling. The study started with two descriptive hypotheses: “level of religiosity in university students is generally high”, and “varied types of religiosity is observable in university students”. Independent variable of the study included: academic education, socio-economic status, amount of social capital, being a student at the Islamic seminary, and amount of using public communication media. According to the findings, relationship of level and type of religiosity with “amount of cultural capital” and “amount of using public communication media” as independent variables was approved, while with “socio-economic status” and “being a student at the Islamic seminary” not approved. Variables “academic education” and “geographical origin” had a relationship with level of religiosity, but no relationship between them and types of religiosity was found.