News Science Quarterly (NS)

News Science Quarterly (NS)

The Role of Social Media in the Adherence of Tehrani Youth to National Identity

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Fatemeh Tahriri Zangeneh 1
Majid Rezaeian 2
1 Master of Cultural Studies, Department of Cultural and Media Management, Faculty of Culture and Communication, Soore University, Tehran, Iran. E-mail: y.tahriri.z@gmail.com
2 Corresponding author, Assistant Professor, Department of Cultural and Media Management, Faculty of Culture and Communication, Soore University, Tehran, Iran. E-mail: rezaeian@soore.ac.ir
10.22034/lrsi.2025.495277.1298
Abstract
Objective: The simultaneous presence of globalization and localism as two prevailing currents in the contemporary world has posed significant challenges to national identity across various countries. Considering the role of social media in this dynamic, the present study investigates the extent of social media usage and its relationship with adherence to national identity.
Method: The statistical population of this research comprised all individuals aged 18 to 35 in Tehran, from which 400 participants were selected through stratified random sampling. Data were collected using a survey method, with a questionnaire serving as the primary research instrument. The validity of the instrument was assessed through face validity, and its reliability was confirmed by calculating Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS statistical software.
Results: The findings indicated that although no significant correlation was observed between the overall use of social media (including both domestic and foreign platforms) and young people's adherence to national identity and its components, a significant relationship emerged when each category of social media was examined separately. Specifically, the use of foreign social media showed an inverse correlation with adherence to national identity, whereas the use of domestic social media demonstrated a direct correlation.
Conclusions: The duration of social media use alone does not sufficiently explain the extent of young people's adherence to national identity and its components. Rather, this relationship is substantially mediated by the affiliation of social media platforms with particular political structures and, consequently, the nature of the content they disseminate. 
Keywords
Social Media
Media consumption
Tehrani Youth
National Identity
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Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 27 February 2026