فصلنامه پژوهش های ارتباطی
پیاپی 87 (پاییز 1395)

Over the last decade¡ social networks became ubiquitous as the latest option the Internet provided individuals with. This study is significant because social networks have received public attention and there are many of them right now. Among all virtual social networks¡ Facebook enjoys a distinguished position¡ because it is the most widely used social network in the world. This research aims to shed lights on the relationship between social capital in Facebook and users’ civil participation in real world. Purposeful snowball sampling was used to select 674 individuals to take part in the online survey by filling in a questionnaire. The findings indicate that there is a positive significant relationship between social capital in Facebook and users’ civil participation in reality. Furthermore¡ among social capital indicators¡ there are six indicators explaining users’ civil participation¡ i.e. openness/closeness of friends’ network; network’s concentration; conditions for accessing resources; gap between existing and expected resources; observing norms and regulations; institutional/civil trust as well as interactions’ norms.

Today¡ social networks¡ including Telegram¡ have become an integral part of many university students’ life; however¡ using these networks for educational purpose is too low to mention. Given the significance of intentional behavior as the strongest variable predicting individuals’ behavior¡ the present research aims to study factors affecting the intention of students using Telegram. The population consisted of 767 M.S. students majoring in agriculture in Mashhad Ferdowsi University¡ of which 196 individuals were selected using stratified sampling method. Findings indicate that such variables as perceived usefulness and attractiveness as well as positive affect attitude and meaningfulness have to do with the intention of students using Telegram for educational purposes.

This study addresses the Relationship between modern communications technologies (the Internet¡ Satellite TV and cell phones) and familial relations in the city of Shiraz¡ drawing upon Cultivation Theory¡ Giddens’ Structuration Theory as its theoretical framework. This is a correlational-comparative research carried out through a survey using researcher-made questionnaire with a sample of 384 families in Shiraz. Multi-staged clustered sampling method was employed in the survey. Findings based on Pearson''s correlation coefficient indicate that there is an inversely significant relationship between using modern communications technologies and familial relations and their aspects¡ except for power distribution. Regression Model results indicate that total level of using cell phone and satellite TV accounts for 17 percent of dependent variable''s changes. Path analysis test showed that the level of using satellite TV has to do with familial relations both directly and indirectly through social identity. Two aspects of using the Internet and cell phone¡ however¡ had to do with familial relationships only indirectly through social identity.

Given their modern communicational structure¡ virtual social networks have become a part of Iranians'' everyday life. The present paper examines individuals'' actions in everyday life and their methods of communicating with others in order to make their life meaningful in social media. It aims to shed lights on the components of culture and daily life governing these networks and their possible relationship with the components of the individuals being members of Facebook. This study uses the qualitative method of virtual ethnography to examine a population of 300 Facebook users. Data were collected through users'' participation¡ online observation and deep interviews. According to the research findings¡ the components of culture and daily life of social networks’ users are as follows: demonstration and implementation¡ pluralism and fear of being lost¡ informal narrative as an alternative to formal narrative¡ desensitization of taboos and exposing profession and art. These components are in fact a view of Iranian users'' daily life and the common culture governing Facebook.

Presence at virtual space – particularly in mobile-based social networks¡ due to their characteristics¡ options and special functions as well as social¡ political and cultural conditions of Iranian citizens – has a deep impact on users'' different social values across various cities in Iran. The present paper studies the impact on two generations¡ i.e. the young and the adult. This research was carried out using a survey and the samples were selected by clustered sampling. The population consisted of mobile-based social networks users of which 512 individuals from both generations from across five different provinces were selected as samples of the study. Findings indicate that there is a relationship between using mobile-base social networks and the level of value-related inter-generational differences between the two generations in question. However¡ in most cases¡ this convergence is not positive and results in decreased tendency of both generations towards Iranian society social values. There is also a direct and significant relationship between using social networks and individualistic values¡ choice of modern dressing and superficial criteria for choosing a wife. However¡ there is an adversely significant relationship between law-abiding¡ tendency towards religion¡ accountability and ethical criteria for choosing wife.

Today¡ as young women and girls make wide use of social networks¡ they are largely affected by these media. Personal identity is one of the many important aspects which are affected by social networks. This paper aims to study the impact of Facebook as a social network on the modern personal identity of young women and girls. This research was carried out through a survey with a voluntary sample and by an online questionnaire. It theoretically draws upon Cultivation Theory¡ Use and Gratification Theory as well as Giddens’ Structuration Theory. The research population is made up of Young women and girls using Facebook in Tehran in 1394 (Iranian Calendar). Research findings indicate that there is a positive significant relationship between modern personal identity and the level of using this social network¡ motive and objective of using (purposefully and unpurposely)¡ the level of participation and activity of users as well as recognizing this network’s contents.

The growing number of social networks and their social and cultural implications has made the study and understanding of these implications important and necessary. The present paper aims to examine the vulnerabilities surrounding joining and using these social networks by affecting adolescents and youths in the city of Ardabil. The population for this research includes all adolescents and youths between 15 to 30 years of age in the city of Ardabil¡ among which 380 individuals were selected using multi-stage clustered sampling and consequently surveyed. The findings show that there is a direct correlation between the level of using social networks and such vulnerabilities as poor education performance¡ getting addicted to the Internet¡ identity crisis¡ physical risks¡ isolation and lack of concentration. In other words¡ the more the level of membership and activity is¡ the higher the risk of poor education performance¡ getting addicted to the Internet¡ identity crisis¡ physical risks¡ isolation and lack of concentration. There is an adverse correlation between the level of membership and activity and users'' familial feelings and real communication. In better words¡ the more the level of membership and activity is¡ the lesser the users'' familial feelings and real communications would be.