The Role of Motivational Factors and Social Resources in Political Participation of Citizens of the City of Shahoo (Case Study: Islamic Parliamentary Elections in the Field of Ravansar Election)

پژوهش ‎های جغرافیای سیاسی

Article 5, Volume 3, Issue 4 - Serial Number 10, March 2019, Pages 125-147   

Document Type: مقالات علمی -پژوهشی

DOI: 10.22067/pg.v3i10.81709

Authors

Mohammad Raouq Heidari Far^{* 1}; parviz solimani moghadam²; Iqbal Pahkideh¹; Nazir Moradi³

¹Payam Noor University

²Payam Noor University‌

³Ravansar governorate

Abstract

Extended Abstract

1. Introduction

Voting is the most common type of political participation for most citizens in democratic societies. Voting is actually a kind of social mechanism for collecting and identifying social options and preferences. The most fundamental function of voting participation is the opportunity to replace and transfer posts and responsibilities in society. Since the level of citizen participation in elections is one of the indicators of the legitimacy of the political system in many countries, Iran’s government system emphasizes the maximum turnout. The maximum turnout in the elections increases the confidence of the electors and increases their authority in decision-making. In this regard, the present study aimed to investigate the role of motivational factors and social resources in participation in the tenth parliamentary elections among the citizens of the city of Shahoo, using the micro level “Theoretical Model of Norris Political” participation.

2. Review of Literature

Nowadays, one of the main manifestations of democracy is elections. Democracy is not possible without elections, and a country without elections actually lacks democracy. Indeed, with the formation of democracy and the development of universal suffrage, elections have become one of the most important manifestations of political life in today's world.
Given the multiplicity and diversity of approaches and theories about political participation one of the methods for explaining political participation, especially voting participation, is to classify the variables and factors involved in explaining political participation. This method typically refers to two categories of micro (individual) and macro factors in explaining political participation, and in particular voting participation.
At the micro level, two theories are mentioned: resource theory and motivational theory. In resource theory, it is believed that those with more resources exhibit higher levels of political participation. These resources may be material or spiritual, but the greater the amount of resources available to individuals, the more likely they are to contribute. Education, income, leisure, communication, and organizational skills are the most important sources of political participation. In motivational theory, motivational factors vary, and may range from material motivations to value and attitude motivations. Experts have pointed to a variety of non-material motives, most notably: interest in politics, a sense of effectiveness, a feel of duty (of civic, national or religious), political confidence, and political values.

Method

The present study is a survey research with the aim of exploring the role of motivational factors and social resources in the political participation of citizens of the city of Shahoo in the 10th parliamentary elections in the Ravansar constituency. The approach used in this analysis is to use the micro level of "Theoretical Model of Norris Political Participation" and the role of motivational factors and social resources on election participation among citizens of the city of Shahoo. Required data were collected through documentary and field sources. Norris's social resources such as education, income, religion, political trust, political interest, internal political effectiveness, and participatory skills were included as the center of gravity of the questionnaire. SPSS software and chi-square tests and Pearson correlation coefficient were used for data analysis. The statistical society was all citizens of the newly established city of Shahoo with a population of 3700 population. With maximum accuracy of d=0.05 and maximum variance = 0.25 and 95% confidence level, 100 people were selected by quota method.

Results and Discussion

The results of the questionnaire indicated that the majority of the respondents (about 69%) consider themselves to perform their duties and religious obligations. The most important motivating factors stated by the respondents to run in the elections are as follows: Opposition to the rival faction or candidate, improvement of the economic and livelihood status of the people to the martyrs and their families and a sense of responsibility towards the country. The motivating factors affecting men's participation in the elections are more than women's, and men are more inclined to politics and issues than women. No significant relationship was found between jobs and other variables such as interest in politics, voting, not voting, religiosity and sufficiency. But there is a significant relationship between jobs and variables such as activity, voting and motivation; there is also a significant relationship between education and interest in politics, participation in elections and voting; meaning that people with a college degree are more willing than others. The most important analytical results regarding men's age show that interest in politics is high among the younger age group. But among older people, the tendency to participate in elections declines. The relationship between interest in politics and other variables, such as the degree of religiosity and political adequacy, is reversed. That is to say, there is a greater interest in political issues among the less religious and those who feel political adequacy. The relationship between the degree of religiosity and the level of activity in groups and political competence is very weak and direct, and the relationship between religiosity and interest in political activity and political trust and motivational factors is weak and inverse, indicating a lack of relationship between religiosity and other variables studied. The relationship between political trust with interest in political activity in groups and political competence and motivational factors is direct, but is indirectly related to the degree of religiosity. The relationship between motivational factors with interest in political activity in groups and political trust is direct, and it is indirectly related to the degree of religiosity and political adequacy.  This means that, with increasing interests in political issues and participation and activity in groups and increasing political confidence, the motivational factors affecting respondents' participation in the elections will increase.

Conclusion

Although with the globalization and communications revolution, our knowledge of politics has shifted and awareness has increased around the world and the country, politicization is another contrasting approach, seen in our region, and often presence and participation seem to be beyond politics and political programs, and the vote of the people of the region has a more traditional-religious basis. Finally, if we want to evaluate the elections in this part of Iran from a behavioral perspective, we cannot say absolutely which of the above models corresponds to the behavior of the people in the elections. But it can be said that, to the extent that people's choice was made consciously, the results would be better for the country.

Keywords

Motivational Awareness; Social Resources; Political Participation; Geography of elections; Shaho city

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