Sociological Study of Relationship between Modern Communications Technologies and Family Relations in Shiraz City

This study addresses the Relationship between modern communications technologies (the Internet¡ Satellite TV and cell phones) and familial relations in the city of Shiraz¡ drawing upon Cultivation Theory¡ Giddens’ Structuration Theory as its theoretical framework. This is a correlational-comparative research carried out through a survey using researcher-made questionnaire with a sample of 384 families in Shiraz. Multi-staged clustered sampling method was employed in the survey. Findings based on Pearson''s correlation coefficient indicate that there is an inversely significant relationship between using modern communications technologies and familial relations and their aspects¡ except for power distribution. Regression Model results indicate that total level of using cell phone and satellite TV accounts for 17 percent of dependent variable''s changes. Path analysis test showed that the level of using satellite TV has to do with familial relations both directly and indirectly through social identity. Two aspects of using the Internet and cell phone¡ however¡ had to do with familial relationships only indirectly through social identity.