Evaluation of Path Analysis Model in the study of Neighborhood Identity of Velenjak, Hesarak and Vahidieh Neighborhoods in Tehran

Abstract This research’s aim was assessing the fitness of path analysis model to compare the neighborhood identity of three neighborhoods with different characteristics in Tehran. Velenjak in area 1, Hesarak in area 5 and Vahidieh in area 8 have been studied. Neighborhood identity was dependent variable and independent variables were social capital, lifestyle, physical quality, contemporary capitalist economy, social security and telecommunications. The research method was survey and the data were collected using a questionnaire which was validated by a pre-test. The statistical sample of this study, based on the census of 1390, was estimated using 382 by Cochran formula, and 428 questionnaires were distributed in order to assure and cover invalid responses. The sampling method was classified by the population of neighborhoods from the total population. Sampling was done randomly and SPSS software was used for data analysis. The results showed that based on the multivariate regression model, 30.9% in Velenjak, 53.8% in Hessarak and 62.4% in Vahidieh were explained neighborhood identity changes by independent variables in the model. In all three social districts, social capital had the most impact on neighborhood identity, with the explanation equal in Velenjak was 0.366, in Hesarak was 0.654, and in Vahidieh was 0.522 at 95% confidence level has been. The variable of lifestyle also had the greatest impact on social capital change as an interface variable in the local identity. Finally, the effects of each of the significant variables in explaining neighborhood identity in the three neighborhoods studied in the tables are shown.