Investigating the Effect of Cultural Values on National Identity; (Case Study of Kerman's Citizens)

National identity is the most comprehensive and important level of identity in all social systems, which is influential in all domains of culture, society and politics. Considering the significance of national identity as the most component of social order and integrity, the present study investigates the indices of national identity. Accordingly, the effect of cultural values on citizens’ attitudes towards national identity is to be studied. The present study is a survey research and the required data were collected via a researcher-made questionnaire. The population included the youth aged 16 to 40 years old in Kerman City, among whom 270 participants were selected as the sample size. The results of the research indicate that the degree of values of pluralism, patriarchy, power distance and avoidance of uncertainty are at relatively high levels. Furthermore, citizens’ national identity is at the moderate level. In addition, the findings indicate that the effect of variables of pluralism and power distance has significant effects on citizens’ national identity, and the coefficient and direction of the effect of this two variables on national identity is positive. In other words, participants who enjoy pluralist cultural values have more degree of national identity than those who have individualist characteristics and the first group are more likely to be located at higher classes of national identity than the second group. Also, the results indicate that participants who have cultural values with high power distance have more degree of national identity than those who have cultural characteristics with low degree of power distance. The findings indicate that variables of risk-taking and patriarchy have no significant effect on the degree of citizens’ national identity.