Explanation of Iranian's Attitudes towards Cooperation and Cooperatives

The present study aimed at examining Iranians’ attitudes towards cooperation and cooperatives. It was a survey research and the sampling method was simple random sampling for the selection of provinces and cities and quota sampling for the selection of respondents based on their job categories. The sample volume size was determined using Cochran 1550 formula. The characteristics of the statistical population were analyzed based on questionnaires of a required validity. The results indicated that generally, the level of knowledge of respondents was lower than average. The majority of respondents had a positive attitude towards cooperation and cooperatives. The mean of respondents’ individualism was less than average; the mean of fatalism was more than average; the mean of foresight was less been less than average; and the mean of novelty was less than average among them. The respondents’ mean score in answering social capital questions was less than average. There is no significant difference between men and women attitudes towards cooperation and cooperatives. The older the respondents were, the more positive their attitudes towards cooperation and cooperatives became. Married people have a more positive attitude towards cooperation and cooperatives. Urban people had a more positive attitude towards cooperation and cooperatives as compared to rural people. The more individualistic people were, the less positive their attitude towards cooperation would be. There is no significant relationship between other personality traits, such as fatalism, foresight and novelty, and their attitude towards cooperation. There is a direct and significant relationship between the level of people’s social capital and their positive attitude towards cooperation. This relationship is more noticeable in social participation as compared to trust. The multivariable regression showed that the two variables of individualism and social capital explained 27% of changes in respondents’ attitudes. The effect of individualism on the attitude towards cooperation was - 25% and that of social capital was 15%. Therefore, according to the regression model, the degree of individualism has a negative and indirect effect and the degree of social capital has a direct and significant effect on having positive attitude towards cooperation and cooperatives.