Doctor's Affective Commitment and the Influence of Social Factors: Study of Doctors in Tehran

contribute to job motivation and an outstanding job quality for doctors. In the present research, some of the social factors known in relevant practical and theoretical basics as parameters touching the affective commitment, such as professional sociability and internalization of social norms, job obligation and commitment, longterm investment in the job, and job satisfaction are studied. Using a survey research method, some 396 doctors (general doctors, specialists, and dentists) were selected out of 44202 doctors of Tehran through a cluster sampling method, and the needed data were collected using a researcher made demographic questionnaire. The resulting data were processed and analyzed by SPSS software. According to the results of the research, job satisfaction, internalization of the norms, professional socialization, job obligation and commitment, and long-term investment in the job bear a significant relationship to the affective commitment of doctors, yet the amount of affective commitment does not change with age and sex. The affective commitment bears the highest correlation with satisfaction, job obligation and commitment, professional sociability, and internalization of social norms respectively. The results of the multiple regression analysis indicate that the independent parameters of the study are responsible for 41 percent of the changes related to the affective commitment of the doctors. The level of satisfaction of the doctors is in direct proportion to their affective commitment. The associates of the doctors, social conditions, and the specific characteristics of the profession are among the sources promoting satisfaction.