Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies in Communication and Media

Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies in Communication and Media

Media Consumption and Its Relationship with Adherence to Iranian-Islamic Cultural Identity. (Case Study: The youth in Tehran)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
1 M.A. in Cultural Studies, Department of Cultural and Media Management, Culture and Communication Faculty, Soore University, Tehran, Iran
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Cultural and Media Management, Culture and Communication Faculty, Soore University, Tehran, Iran. (Corresponding author)
Abstract
One of the most important cultural challenges in Iran is the decreasing commitment of the younger generation to Iranian-Islamic cultural identity, especially in recent years. Considering the role of media in this process, the present study examines the relationship between media consumption and the commitment of young people to Iranian-Islamic cultural identity. The statistical population in this research includes all young people aged 18 to 35 in Tehran, from which 384 individuals were selected and studied using stratified random sampling. Data collection was conducted using a survey method and a researcher-made questionnaire. Data analysis was also performed using statistical methods. The findings of the research indicate that although there was no significant correlation between the overall media consumption and the adherence of young people to Iranian-Islamic cultural identity and its three components (cultural identity, national identity, and religious identity), the existence of this relationship was confirmed in the case of the use of domestic and foreign media with the mentioned variable.This relationship regarding the consumption of domestic media with Iranian-Islamic cultural identity and its components was direct, while the consumption of foreign media had an inverse relationship with the mentioned factors. Based on the research findings, it can be understood that merely the amount of time spent consuming media cannot explain the level of adherence of young people to Iranian-Islamic cultural identity and its components; rather, this is largely influenced by the type of media and the content disseminated by it.
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