SCALE "PREDISPOSITION TO RELIGIOSITY": EMPIRICAL VALIDATION AND DEVELOPING A MORE FORMALIZED MEASUREMENT MODEL

The article firstly introduces Predisposition to Religiosity scale, an experimental cognitive single-item ordinal scale and describes an empirical test to validate it. To validate the scale we analyzed the correlation between it and a common 10-point self-rating scale of religiosity. Test yields acceptable results and suggests further work on developing scales of religiosity based on the conceptual framework of cognitive theory of religion. Secondly, the article proceeds with description of experimental construction of cognitive Guttman-type scales intended for application in quantitative sociological research. Guttman-type scales are chosen as the more formalized and rigorous model of measurement that also provides solid evidence of unidimensionality of religiosity. Items used in those scales represent different contexts of religious cognition and perception and according to gathered empirical data form hierarchical structures based on degree of publicity/privacy of the particular context. Results of Guttman-type scale development are described as well as procedures. Next steps on validation are suggested.