The Impact of Social Capital on National Identity of Youth in Eastern Golestan Province

Identity, as one of the most important concepts of social sciences of the new era, is influenced by various factors that cultural capital is one of the most important factors in its formation and redefining. This paper seeks to study the effect of social capital indicators on national identity of youth by survey method which has been done by questionnaire with a statistical sample of 390 people among young people in eastern Golestan regions. The findings show that the average of social capital in the studied population is 3 out of 5, indicating that social capital is higher than the average. The results of statistical tests confirm the relationship between national identity and each indicator of social capital. Of course, the correlation between social capital and national, modern and religious dimensions of youth's social identity is moderate and positive, but this relationship with the ethnic dimension of youth's social identity is stronger and more positive. The results of path analysis test also showed that the dimensions of social capital have a direct and significant relationship with the social identity of respondents. Consequently, in order to strengthen national identity, social capital indicators, especially social agency, sense of security and tolerance of diversity should be considered more.