Journal of Applied Sociology
Year:2018 | Volume:29 | Issue:1 (69) |Papers Count:15

Introduction: Community development is an important part of the ongoing development debate. Now the community development is referred to as a substitute for macro-based approaches to development. This form of development is in contrast with the integrated and homogenizing trends. It suggests that people's participation and engagement in development, encouraging development from the bottom, and exploiting the potential and capacities of the local community are vitally important. Various interpretations of community development and various examples have been presented. For a long time, the notion was that for the sake of development, a form of cultural and social cohesion was inevitable. That is why most policies and plans were implemented to realize the same idea. But over the time, it has become clear that many social differences and inequalities are inseparable, and they must be recognized and accepted in order to organize development plans with these differences. Geography, language, ethnicity, and different experiences of life, constitute a form of unity and social cohesion, which, despite some similarities, should be examined and understood based on the "difference" pattern. In spite of the very powerful flow of social spaces, the "communities" are joined by a an external force and formulated under the international community and based on specific cultural and economic patterns. Therefore, there comes an opposing force in which its specific social and cultural patterns are created to shape a collective life in accordance with a self-imposed pattern. To this end, these divergent social forces justify a concept called “community development”.The purpose of the present study is to examine the relationship between competition and community development to demonstrate that not only the priori conception of community development as a form of cooperation, participation, integration and trust between the members of the community that led to development, but it is no longer relevant to the present realities of these local communities; rather, this normative viewpoint can be misleading, if we neglect the capacity and potentiality of forces such as competitions, conflicts of local communities, etc. It should be noted that the second dimension of the dichotomy of the current research is cooperation in the form of a social capital indicator, which is a more comprehensive concept.Materials & Methods: The present study was carried out by survey method. Survey is a method for obtaining information about the views, beliefs, opinions or actions of members of a statistical society (Babbie, 2006: 530). The data gathering tool was a researcher-made questionnaire based on available scales. In order to evaluate the validity of the questionnaire, the viewpoint of scholars and experts were considered and the Cronbach's alpha coefficient was used to determine its reliability. According to official statistics, the population of the citizens over the age of 18 living in the city of Zarnagh is 3285, of whom we collected a sample of 345 individuals based on Cochran formula and simple sampling method.Discussion of Results & Conclusions: The findings show that there is a direct correlation between the sense of competition and popular differentiation with the level of objective and subjective developments in the studied region, so the more popular competition, the more community development. But this relationship disappears with the presence of such intermediating variables as trust, solidarity, partnership and social relations. The meaning of this is that moderating variables as independent variables have a direct relationship with community development, but they have been in opposition to competing. In fact, what explains this direct relationship with community development is the degree of strength or weakness of collectivism or grouping among members of the community study.

Introduction: Changes in the relationships within family is indicative of losing traditional ties between modern people. Dilution of emotional relations inside the family, between wives and husbands and their children, and superficial interactive relationships among them show that modern citizens are not anymore attached to many of their old traditional ties. One main reason of this is communication technologies, which, like any other change caused by technology, bring about big transformations. We cannot any more see family members talking to each other during the day. Due to the importance of this issue, the present article aims at studying the influence of cyber space on oral culture, using theories of communication, family, and globalization in sociology.Materials and Methods: This is a survey study. The research population is consisted of families who have children over 15 years of age in Isfahan city, whose number is 579302. The independent variable is use of cyber space with two criteria (quality and quantity of the use), and dependent variable is oral culture with two criteria (oral communication and exchange of oral literature among parents and children). Sample size includes 384 individuals, which was calculated using quota sampling method. A research-made questionnaires was designed and distributed among research sample after it was verified for reliability and validity tests.Discussion of Results and Conclusions: In this research, the effect of using cyber space on oral culture, namely, verbal communication has been studied. The hypotheses of this study were tested by structural modeling. The independent variable with two dimensions of quantity and quality of using cyber space and the dependent variable of oral communication with two dimensions of verbal communication between spouses and verbal communication between parents and their children were examined. The results showed that the quality and quantity of using cyber space have influenced oral communication and culture of family negatively, in the sense that when there is more usage of cyber space, the quality and quantity of oral communication diminish. This is so because of a lack in common aims among family members and also lack of transferring cultural traits from one generation to the next. We believe that sufficient verbal interaction between family members is necessary to transfer cultural heritage and experiences of parents to their children, providing therefore a desirable emotional atmosphere at home, which would strengthen feelings of support and protection in a way that family members, especially children, do not feel left alone. In such a situation, a collective spirit develops inside the family, which, in turn, increases trust and social capital. However, the study of our study showed that oral communication between family members has decreased compared to the past. Finally, it should be pointed out that oral culture and its advantages cannot be ignored, in the same way that the effective and beneficial role of cyber space should not be trivialized.

Introduction: Historical complexities constitute one of the important identity components of a society and indicate as well, its cultural structures. Persepolis, a nearly 2500 years old historical site, has been fascinating for domestic and foreign tourists. People who live near the complex should play an important role in managerial decisions. But residents of these villages have not been able to play their role properly. There are many villages in the vicinity of this complex and it means that any decision-making process at Persepolis have important impacts on lives of the residents. The concept of community is one of the basic human needs and a factor that can control the local and social damage. This concept often can be considered from different viewpoints, such as psychology and sociology. These viewpoints have their own perspective. quality of tourism is an important factor for both local residents and tourists’ arrival. Research shows that local residents are extremely concerned about their environment. Local residents have an important role in reducing negative effects caused by tourists and tourism development. So the level of local involvement can reduce environmental damages. Moreover, with the involvement of local residents not only can social and cultural identities be maintained, but also encouraged. Overall, this study is aimed at considering different factors influencing local residents’ perception towards supporting sustainable tourism development in Persepolis.Materials & Methods: In this research, a descriptive, survey method was used and in terms of purpose, it is an applied research. Five villages of Kenareh, Jalian, Firouzi, Shahrak-e Mahdieh and Shahrak-e Vali-Asr were chosen as the population of the study. The instrument used for gathering data is a questionnaire whose validity and reliability were measured through confirmatory factor analysis and Cronbach’s alpha. Using categorical sampling and Cochran’s table, a total of 385 questionnaires were distributed among and completed by local people. Structural equation modeling, Pearson coefficient and one-sample T-test were used to verify the hypotheses of the research.Discussion of Results and Conclusion: Todays, the main objective of development programs is to create participatory strategies in local communities. According to the results, in this study 79 percent of the participation were male and 21 percent were female. Most participants in this study were in the age group of 20 to 25 years old. In terms of occupation most were self- employed (30 percent) and agriculture held the lowest number of job holders. in terms of level of education, most held high school diploma. Results showed that social participation with a coefficient of 0.79 has the most effect on local residents’ perception towards sustainable tourism development in Persepolis. Social attachment with a coefficient of 0.17 has a positive and significant relationship with local residents’ perception of the complex of Persepolis. Lastly, local residents’ perception has a significantly positive relationship with supporting Persepolis complex and sustainable tourism development.Also, the results showed that social participation has a positive effect on the understanding of local residents in the selected villages. Thus, social participation is one of the most important factors in local resident's perception. Social attachment has a positive impact on local resident' s perception and support of Persepolis as a World Heritage Site (0.22). The amount of social participation and support for sustainable tourism development Impact factor (0.62) showed that there is little impact between social participation and support for sustainable development. Local perception has a positive impact on support for Persepolis as a world heritage (Impact factor: 0.36). Since Persepolis is registered at UNESCO, the people who live there have a sense of honor and it has reinforced their feelings of social attachment and support for this World Heritage Site.

Introduction: Nowadays, with the transition from the first generation universities (education-based university) to the second generation universities (research-based university) and to the third generation universities (Entrepreneur-based university), which focuses on the concepts of education, research and contribution to economic development through contacts with manufacturing institutions and commercialization of academic research, commitment to research ethics and its promotion in the university system has become vitally important. Although this concept ensures academic honesty and, most importantly, amplifiers the relationships between institutions of science and society through respecting the subjects’ ethics, commitment to honesty, emotional impartiality, professional responsibility, social responsibility, legitimacy and commitment to academic integrity have attracted the attention of intellectuals, especially the sociologists of science and technology. Commitment to research ethics, like other phenomenon, is affected by several factors. In this research, we have tried to study the relationship between academic socialization and commitment to research ethics by using theories of Merton, Kuhn, Resnik, Weidman, Bragg, Hagstrom, and Collins. We believe that the professional socialization is a social process whose results lead to the strengthening of professional and social norms, the formation of professional actors (Kicherova et al., 2015: 443-444) and dissemination of academic norms in academic environment. It can develop higher education, produce science and also institutionalizes the Ethical rules related to academic activities (Mohseni Tabrizi et al., 2010: 45). Also, Randall Collins (2000) discusses the importance of interactive event not only in everyday life but also in the relations between scientists. The interaction binds individuals together in a moral community and creates symbols by which the members make their world (Mohseni Tabrizi et al, 2010: 83). Accordingly, the aim of this study is to study the relationship between the process of academic socialization and commitment to research ethics.Materials & Methods: The method of this study, based on the research purpose, is practical and survey. The statistical population includes all graduate students of Tabriz University in the academic year of 2014-2015. They were 6615, of whom 729 cases were chosen via Cochran formula and using stratified random sampling method. We used a questionnaire to collect the data. Also, to measure the validity of the scale, content validity, and to ensure the measurement reliability, Cronbach's alpha coefficient were used. The results show that the items selected to measure commitment to research ethics and process of academic socialization had internal consistency. To analyze the data, parameters such as mean, standard deviation, skewness, Pearson correlation and multivariate regression were used by SPSS software (V.16).Discussion of Results and Conclusions: the findings show that commitment to the research ethics among graduate students was higher than the average (63.89%). More specifically, the highest rate refers to respect to moral rights of subjects and the lowest rate refers to social responsibility. According to the findings, the correlation between process of academic socialization and all of its aspects (supportive school atmosphere, student interaction with professors, student’s interaction with students, and academic encouragement of students, except participation in academic activities), with commitment to the research ethics was significant at 0.01 level. The correlations between socialization process with supportive faculty environment and student scholarly encouragement with commitment to research ethics were moderate while correlation between students’ interaction with students and students’ interactions with professors was direct but weak. According to the results, we can say that as the process of students’ socialization improves, their commitment to research ethics improves as well, and vice versa. Also, regression analysis showed that variables entered into the regression model could explain 30% of changes in commitment to research ethics. By comparing the beta coefficients, it can be said that the students’ academic encouragement to the process of academic socialization (with a 0.31 beta coefficient) had the highest effect and participation in academic activities (with -0.10 beta coefficient) had the least effect on the problem of research (the process of academic socialization). Finally, according to the research findings, students’ scholarly encouragement as a dimension of academic socialization process has a main role in promoting the commitment to research ethics. Therefore, it is recommended that by organizing scientific festivals, authorities appreciate top papers, senior and doctoral theses that efficiently observed research ethics. It seems that if we want to improve academic ethics among graduate students, very much depends on the performance of the professors. Since, as academic leaders, professors have a significant role in academic socialization of students being good examples of observing research ethics.

Introduction: One of the most well-known concepts in the social sciences in recent years is the concept of capital. Pierre Bourdieu, the French sociologist, believes that “if we want to have the grasp of social world, we should introduce the idea of capital, its accumulation and impression to the social world, again” (Bourdieu, 2005: 405). However, a revolutionary change took place in the concept of capital in recent decades and concept of new capitals have been introduced. Therefore, this concept has become more prevalent and entered into many areas of social life. Among new capitals, cultural and social capitals together with mechanism of changing such capitals into one another played an important role in experimental and theoretical investigations in sociological studies (Fazeli, 2003). Bourdieu believed that “the class structure of developed countries is not determined only by the economy but social and cultural capital and their relationship with one another should be considered as well” (Bourdieu, 2005: 408). Therefore, the present study aims at investigating the relationship between access to cultural services and artistic goods with social capital and its dimensions among isfahani citizens.Materials and Methods: This is a descriptive correlational study regarding data collection, cross sectional regarding time and extensive regarding depth. Statistical population of the study are citizens of region 14 of the municipal districts of Isfahan city, in the age range of 20 to 64 years old. 400 individuals among these citizens were selected using cluster sampling method to answer research questions, which were included in a researcher-made questionnaire.Discussion of Results and Conclusions: In order to consider the main research question, first theoretical basis of the study was established. By focusing on the phenomenon of cultural turn and increasingly important role of culture in society, we argued that social and cultural capitals are also important as part of the cultural turn in the social and cultural development of the city. Then, views of the most influential theorists of social and cultural capitals such as Pierre Bourdieu and Robert Putnam were introduced. Bourdieu believes that social and cultural capitals have the ability to be transformed into one another in addition to economic capital. Although there will be some problems on the way of such transformations. Findings of the study show that there is not a significant relationship between access to artistic goods and cultural services with social capital. However, examination of other hypotheses of the study shows that there is significant (reverse and direct) relationship between access to artistic goods, cultural services and components of social capital such as feeling of security, social participation, social cohesion and civic participation. Generally speaking, the current study is not a proof of cultural turn and it does not confirm the view of Bourdieu regarding ability of capital to be transformed. It shows that there is not a meaningful relationship between access to artistic goods, cultural services and the three dimensions of social capital among citizens of Isfahan city. The results show that research variables are not suitable at the explanatory level. However, regarding the access to artistic goods and cultural services, according to the evaluated standard values of gamma coefficient, the scales of use of cultural artistic devices and facilities with the coefficient of 0.627, work creation with the coefficient 0.572 and ownership of artistic cultural goods with the coefficient of 0.390 have the highest correlations. Regarding dimensions of social capital, social norms with the load factor of 1.018, social trust with the load factor of 0.613 and social networks with the load factor of -0.932, correlations amount to structural grades of social capital.

Introduction: Political culture as attitude to politics is one of the most important variables that play a crucial role in the stability of democracies. Acknowledging the importance of this issue is crucial because nowadays political culture has become an important concept in social sciences. The goal of this study is to study students’ political culture in the view of Tessler’s and Gauo’s conceptual framework.Materiel & Methods: Method of this study is survey. Unite of analysis is individual. Research population consists of students from Kurdistan province universities (azad university-Sanandj branch, university of Kurdistan, payam Noor sanandj branch), whose number is 28448 individuals in different levels (bachelors, master and PhD). Sample size was calculated to be 380 by Cochran formula. The type of sampling method was stratified sampling according to type of university, college, sex and grade of education. The data was collected by questionnaire, whose validity was determined by formal and constructive validities and its reliability was measured by Cornbrash’s alpha.Discussion of Results and conclusions: The results show that 33.72 percent of students had a democratic political culture, 28 percent were indifferent, 23 percent were pragmatic and 16 percent had a limited political culture. Political culture has is in a meaningful relationship with variables of religion, attitude, age, education, space and ethnicity. The result of multi-variable regression shows that nearly 33 percent of dependent variable can be explained by independent variables.The results also show that there is a meaningful relationship between political socialization and political acculturation, that is, values, attitudes, believes, rituals and customs are transferred from one generation to another by family. The educational system, religion, government and mass Media contribute to this process too (Haywood, 1997: 180). In the view of Alam, the family, school, peer groups, work experiences, mass media and contact with political system are effective in political socialization. Of particular importance is the role that mass media play in socialization of political culture. At the same time, our study showed that there is a meaningful correlation between personality traits and political culture. Although previous researchers have not paid enough attention to the relationship between authoritarian personality and political culture, Inglehart believed that individuals with democratic political culture tend to move beyond materialist values, develop positive attitudes to gender equality, and have more tolerance about others (Inglehart & Velzl, 2005, 132).

Introduction: Today Psychological disorders such as depression are considered to be one of the outcomes of urban life. Depressive disorders were the second leading cause of years lived with disability (YLDs) in 2010. Major depressive disorder (MDD) accounted for 8.2% (5.9%-10.8%) of global YLDs and dysthymia for 1.4% (0.9%-2.0%). Depressive disorders were a leading cause of disability adjusted life years (DALYs) even though no mortality was attributed to them as the underlying cause. MDD accounted for 2.5% (1.9%-3.2%) of global DALYs and dysthymia for 0.5% (0.3%-0.6%) (Ferrari, 2010). The World Health Organization estimates that depressive and anxiety disorders lead the list of mental illnesses across the globe and these disorders are responsible for approximately 25% of all visits to health care centers around the world. According to one study, it is estimated that 121 million people are suffering from depression) Lembert, 2006: 498). Psychological disorders such as depression have been studied in different disciplines as various as psychiatry, psychology, psychoanalysis, epidemiology, and sociology. The sociological perspective, through emphasis on external factors, studies the effects of social structures and pattern of relationships on social disorders. For example, by concentrating on external factors, sociological approaches study the effects of social structures like gender on mental disorders. The self-silencing model suggests that cognitive schemas about how to create and maintain safe, intimate relationships lead women to silence certain feelings, thoughts, and actions. It contributes to a fall in self-esteem and feelings of “loss of self' ' as a woman experiences, over time, the self-negation required to bring herself into line with schemas directing feminine social behavior (jack, 1992: 98). Four rationally derived subscales measure the relational schemas central to self silencing, and each is understood as an interrelated component of the overall construct. The subscales are considered to reflect both phenomenological and behavioral aspects of self silencing: 1) Externalized self-perception, which assesses schemas regarding standards for self-judgment and includes the extent to which a person judges the self through external standards.2) Care as self-sacrifice, which measures the extent to which relationships are secured by putting the needs of others ahead of the needs of the self.3) Silencing the self, which assesses the tendency to inhibit self-expression and action in order to secure relationships and to avoid retaliation, possible loss, and conflict.4) Divided self, which measures the extent to which a person feels a division between an outer “false” self and an inner “true” self, resulting from hiding certain feelings and thoughts in an important relationship (Jack, 2010: 6) For women, gender roles provide a social context encouraging self-silencing. These roles indicate that relationship maintenance is paramount to one’s own needs and that women are to be deferential to others. Women’s self-silencing becomes internally directed when they use an external standard to determine whether they should speak and when they believe that speaking one’s voice threatens relationships they believe they are responsible for maintaining (Swim, 2010: 494). The present article examines sociological approaches towards gender differences and self-silencing in formation and intensification of depression in the family. In fact, the main question is how and through what mechanisms, “gender roles”, which are affected by the socio-cultural structures defined as appropriate behavior for men and women in every society, will trigger and intensify different levels of depression between the two genders.Materials and Methods: documentary method has been applied. By considering sociological approaches related to depression, the present study aims to explain gender differences regarding depression.Discussion of Results and Conclusions: Based on the documentary findings, men and women have different psychological and emotional reactions toward social stress; that is to say women internalize psychological stresses and therefore experience higher levels of depression, whereas men are forced to externalize stress and hence are more subject to drug abuse and mental disorders. According to the theoretical model, which includes role, power, gender, and self-silencing, the emergence of learned self-silencing, with gender-role-stereotypes based on socialization, brings about or intensifies psychological, gender specific disorders. As a result, “redefinition of gender role stereotypes and modification of self-silencing mechanisms could be considered as a macro sociocultural strategy in reduction of psychological disorders.”

Introduction: In the past, the Iranian family was based on hierarchical relationships on age and gender and priority of men and elderly. Following the world changes, the Iranian family has experienced changes in various areas. Although Iranian people have always been family oriented but recent research shows that changes of values, decline of traditional family values and the rise of modern and postmodern family values are unavoidable. In this paper, it is attempted to address the situation of different types of family values and their relationships with social and economic characteristics in Tehran City.Material & Methods: This study is a cross-sectional survey with questionnaire in the Likert-scale format. The statistical جامعه آماری تحقیق افراد بالاتر از 18 سال شهر تهران هستند و با نمونه گیری خوشه ای population includes Tehrani citizens who have 18 years of age and above.600 individuals were selected using cluster sampling method. Also, face and construct validity were achieved. Based on Inglehart definition, the dependent variable was defined according to three dimensions of traditional, modern and postmodern family values. Each item is measured on 0 to 4 scale. Traditional family values include 9 items: women should be obedient to their husband, children should be obedient to their parents, in the rearing of children obedience should be taught, man is the main decision maker in the family, in the family the elderly should be respected more than others, family income must be in possession of the husband, child care is the duty of woman, invert of abortion should be legal. Modern family values also include 9 items: women have the right to spend their money, women have the right to decide on the number of children they want to have, parents should accept child's independence, couples must live independently at home, men should participate in housework, mate selection should not be compulsory, family members must have solidarity with each other. Finally, post-modern family values included 9 items too: in my opinion, marriage should be abolished, I choose my own comfort, abortion should be legal, married women can have sex with someone other than their husband, boys and girls can live together before marriage, homosexuality can be accepted, pleasure in life is the more important thing. By utilizing a definition from Mannheim (azadarmaki, 2007), the research population was divided into three generations: 18 to 34 years old as the third generation, 35 to 64 years as the second generation and 65 years and older as the first generation. Socio-economic status is made measurable by the combination of three variables including employment status, income and education.Discussion of Results & Conclusions: The results of the study show that the trend of changes in family values is not linear. There are traditional and modern values widely in practice, as well as mild degrees of postmodern family values. While modern family values are increasing at a large scale, the traditional family values have not declined strongly. This trend does not show rapid changes in the erosion of traditional values. The gender and generational structure of our society has caused higher average modern values and its predominant over the other types. From the first to the third generation, traditional values have decreased while the modern and postmodern values have increased. There are modern and traditional family values widely in practice in all three generations. Although there are cultural changes, but we can also see a continuity and stability in cultural traditions. Cultural replacement is happening slowly, but traditional values persist. Likewise, postmodern family values are rising but the rise is too slow and does not show the breakdown of the family in the near future and possibly distant future. Gender is an important determinant in the changes of traditional and modern values. Women have more access to power with higher levels of education and employment and have been able to bring change in family values towards gender equality. There are no gender differences in postmodern values. There is a significant relationship between education and family values, especially in traditional values. Traditional family values are seen in people with less education, while modern and postmodern family values are seen in people with higher education but this relationship is weak in postmodern values. Traditional family values are seen in people with lower income, education and socioeconomic status. There are modern and postmodern values in people with higher education and income. There are intergenerational differences in family values that especially created a distinction between the first and the third generations. Multivariate analysis shows that 22.7% of traditional family values are explained by gender, generation, education and income, respectively. Men resist changing traditional values in three generations. Gender, education and generation explained 12.5% of modern family values. Generation, marital status and income explain 11.5% of the postmodern family values, respectively. There are no gender differences in postmodern values and men and women move towards convergence. Explanatory power of these variables is less in the modern and postmodern values, so we should be looking for more effective factors. Finally, given the importance of the generation and marital status in postmodern values, providing facilities for marriage can help to prevent the spread of postmodern family values in younger generations. It is recommended that other researchers investigate other factors affecting family values and qualitative studies.

Introduction: An individual’s assessment of his/her performance in life with regard to society must be defined as social health. In point of fact, a socially healthy individual views the community as a meaningful, understandable and potential set for growth and prosperity and feels that he/she belongs to society, is accepted by society and is involved in the development of society. The individual’s assessment of his/her performance in the community results from the quality of his/her relations with others, i.e. friends and social groups, of which he/she considers himself/herself to be a member.Accordingly, the aim of this paper is to assess the social health indicators of youth and young adults and factors affecting it (such as: happiness, social security, social capital, life satisfaction and quality of life). The theoretical framework of this study is based on a combined approach. With regard to social health, social capital, quality of life, security, happiness and life satisfaction, theories of Keyes, Bourdieu, Zapf, Giddens, Veenhoven & Argyle and Myers & Diener have been used respectively.Materials and Methods: In this study, the survey method used is descriptive correlational. The population of this study has consisted of all the 18- to 30-year-old citizens of Qaen City, located in South Khorasan Province, in 2015-2016. Also, a sample of 400 individuals has been selected, using cluster sampling method. Moreover, the level of analysis and the unit of observation in this study is the individual (micro-level). The information required of respondents was collected using both standardized and researcher-made questionnaires. Cronbach’s alpha was equal to 0.85%. The respondents’ findings were analyzed based on descriptive and inferential statistics and using SPSS Software (v.22).Discussion of Results and Conclusions: The results show that the level of social health of the youth and young adults under the study is above average. There is a positive and significant relationship between social capital, social security, quality of life, life satisfaction and happiness, and social health. That is to say, with an increase in social security, quality of life, happiness, life satisfaction and social capital, social health increases among the youth in the city. Based on the regression results, of the independent variables, the variables of happiness, quality of life and life satisfaction have been able to explain the dependent variable more strongly; however, the variables of social capital and social security, did not have a direct role in explaining the social health of youth. Accordingly, the more happiness, quality of life and life satisfaction there is among youth, the more social health there will be as well. Also, the two variables of social security and social capital affect the variable of social health indirectly and through the central dependent variable; that is, the variable of social security and the variable of social capital affect social health through the variables of happiness, social capital and quality of life and through the variables of life satisfaction and quality of life, respectively. In addition to this, the correlation coefficient (R) between the variables is 0.275; thus, in general it can be said that there is a moderate correlation between the independent and dependent variables. Based on these results, social capital indicators, such as trust, partnership and norms which have been eroded at community level, must be strengthened by governing bodies. This will help reduce social harms among society members and also enhance individuals’ health (including mental and social health). Also, if the individuals’ security is improved, we will witness a boom in partnership, prosperity and social cohesion of society members. Moreover, considering the fact that the quality of life of youth at the community level is a composite variable, by making some changes to the income level, living conditions, health, psychological pressure, leisure, happiness, social relations, etc., we could witness the effectiveness of this vari a ble in the social health of Iran’s current young population. Furthermore, existence of happiness as a variable directly affecting the social health of youth indicates that in the present society, this variable can improve skills and abilities such as efficiency, independence, education and health at different levels. Finally, existence of the variable of life satisfaction -for dealing with problems and expressing deep emotions- in the life of a young adult, can significantly affect his/her social health, and lack of this variable will lead to the emergence of mental illnesses, personality problems and individual harms. Consequently, dire events could be envisaged for society at the community level.

Introduction: One of the most important issues in educational psychology is considering the responsibility principle for growth and evolution in humans. Social responsibility is defined as a pattern of behavior, motivated by personal and social values that demonstrate an attitude of concern for the welfare of others in all levels of society where no previous personal relationship exists. The reason that the entire world is paying more attention to the subject of responsibility is because of the issues that cannot be solved only with the help of government, social organizations, or political and economic agencies; it does require extensive changes in people's lifestyle. It also seems many social problems such as delinquency, crime and community behavioral problems are associated with low levels of personal and social responsibility. In addition, many studies show that responsibility in every society leads to better adjustments in social and human relations and increasing altruism and empathy. Therefore, this study has been done with the aim of investigating factors influencing social responsibility of student.Material & Methods: In order to achieve the objectives of this study, data was collected from a sample of 200 students of Zanjan University and Islamic Azad University of Zanjan branch through stratified random sampling method. A questionnaire was used as research tools. The questionnaire includes three sections; 1) the individual characteristics, 2) social responsibility (designed by Lee, 2009) and, 3) factors affecting responsibility such as family, friends, peers, education, religion and media, which were measured based on the five level Likert scale. In order to conduct the study, the instrument was made by a combination of established scales from previous research and some modified scales. In the next step, reliability and validity of survey instrument was evaluated. Face and content validity were confirmed by a panel of experts and key informants before the pre-test stage. The reliability of instrument was assessed by conducting a pilot study among 30 cases out of the original sample. The reliability of the instrument for the all sections based on Cronbach’s alpha coefficients value (more than.70) shows an acceptable level of internal consistency. The SPSS software was used for descriptive analysis (including frequency, percentage and mean), and AMOS was used for inferential analyses (using structural equation modeling and multivariate technique). Based on the conceptual model, it is assumed that factor such as family, friends and peers, the educational system and media in addition to having a direct effect on the dependent variable of social responsibility, indirectly and through the mediation variable of religiosity, affect the social responsibility too.Discussion of Results & Conclusions: The results based on direct structural model show that there is a positive significant relationship between variables such as family, friends and peers, the educational system and media with the dependent variable, social responsibility, and together these variables explain 57% of variances of the dependent variable. Also, based on the mediation structural model, religiosity variable has a partial mediating role in the relationship between family, friends and peers, the educational system and media with students’ social responsibility. Family, as a social institution, has an important role in encouraging the social responsibility of children, youth and even adults. The results in this study also show that there is a significant relationship between family’s and student’s social responsibility. Bandura's social learning theory (2001) which reflects on the impact of children’s behavior confirms this relationship. In this regard, it is suggested that officials organize educational programs and training sessions in order to explain the role model of parents to increase children’s responsibility.