Introduction
I have chosen the article Schwadel, P. (2008). Poor Teenagers’ Religion. Sociology of Religion 2008, 69:2, 125-149. This article looks at the effects of poverty on the religious views and practices of teenagers. Based on data collected from the National Study on Youth and Religion, Schwadel shows that income level has some impact on the religious practices of youth.
Type of Article
This article would be considered a research article due to the fact that while the data was collected from existing sources, Schwadel used the data to determine if the level of income had an effect on teenagers’ religious views. The Survey Method was used to conduct this research. They called 3,290 teenagers nationally and asked a series of questions. Those individuals who did not or would not answer over the phone were followed up with a mail-in survey.
Summary
Schwadel determined through data collected via the survey that social class had a great deal to do with a teenager’s religious views and practices. He found that upper to middle class individuals were more likely to attend organized religious services, while lower class individuals were more likely to value private worship and scripture reading. It was also noted that lower class individuals were more likely to have no religious affiliation than that of the middle and upper class, regardless of their parent’s religious views and practices, as well as associate with those who hold the same religious beliefs. Teenagers in low income families were also less likely to follow the same religious practices as their parents. The social class of teenagers also played a key factor in the belief of an afterlife. The survey showed that poor teenagers were 72% more likely to believe in an afterlife than that of non-poor teenagers. In conclusion, while non-poor teenagers were more likely to have some form of religious belief,