Ninth International Conference on Religion & Spirituality in Society

Abstract

Religion is considered as a most integral part of human life. The concept of religiosity is said to be individual’s excessive involvement in religious beliefs, practices and activities for the welfare of human kind like charity. Religion has been debated in criminological sciences as protective shield against any kind of risk behavior which needs to be studied among young people who are getting education in academic institutions. The main objective of the current research was to assess the religiosity level among university students and to examine the relationship between religious beliefs, practices and deviant behaviors by using a sample of 300 students of Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi-Pakistan. To measure religiosity level of students the Religious Personality subscale of the Muslim Religiosity-Personality Inventory (MRPI) (Krauss et al. 2006) was used. Risk behaviour was measured by using cheating, smoking, gambling, coupling and quarreling/scuffling among students. Sample showed higher score on religious beliefs as compared to religious practices. The findings indicated that there is negative relationship between religiosity and smoking behavior among students. However, religious beliefs and practices were positively correlated with cheating and gambling. The study suggests to further debate the relationship between religious beliefs and deviant behaviour among diversified kinds of populations as social and cultural specifics do matter in understanding, interpreting and practicing religiosity.