Explaining the Effects of Cyberspace on Social Identity of Young People in Tehran

The study is to explain the changes in the social identity of young people through virtual social networks. The research was conducted in the theoretical framework of cultivation theory, Giddens theory and Castells network community theory. The data was collected through survey from 384 young people aged 18 to 35 using researcher-made questionnaire. Sampling was done using Cochran’s formula and multi-stage cluster method. The results of regression analysis and path analysis showed that the virtual social networks predict 15/5% of changes in youth social identity. On the other hand, despite the spread among users, the use of Twitter and Facebook social networks, did not explain the social identity variable. The use of YouTube with a value of 0/295 had the highest explanatory rate, which included a direct and indirect relationship. The second influential social network in explaining this variable was Soroush, which had the opposite effect in explaining the social identity of young people, unlike Twitter.