Question 1
In order to determine a relationship between a person’s social class and their religiosity, an empirical research needs to be conducted. Empirical research is a systematic approach that enables researchers to come up with explanations about social phenomena, make predictions and test them. In measuring these two concepts, some aspects have to be determined. These are variables and indicators. Variables are characteristics, behavior, events, or attitudes that can take two or more attributes. For example, social class and religiosity can be variables. An indicator is a measurable event, behavior or characteristic commonly thought to reflect a certain concept. For example, indicators of social class include income, occupational status and education, while indicators of religiosity can be affiliation, attendance, belief, formal membership, how often people pray, how often people go to church, and doctrinal knowledge (how much they know about a religion). The most effective method of collecting data would be the use of surveys which include structured interviews, focus group discussions and administration of close-ended questionnaires.
Question 2
In coming up with ways to reflect social class and religiosity, it is evident that there are difficulties in measuring and interpreting the two aspects. For example, it becomes difficult to quantify religion, reflect it and approximate it so that it can be studied. Therefore, it is not possible to find a true measure of religiosity since it exists only in our minds. As such, no empirical measurement can satisfy all of us as having captured the concept we are trying to understand. Social class basically means socioeconomic status while religiosity is basically religious commitment. Since it is difficult to quantify these aspects, researchers can only make approximations of them so as to come up with reasonable explanations and reliable predictions.
