مرکز منطقه ای اطلاع رسانی علوم و فناوری پژوهش انحرافات و مسائل اجتماعی 3060-821X 5 17 2026 6 27 Sociological Explanation of Attitudes Toward Family Stability with an Emphasis on Social Pathologies in the City of Isfahan” تبیین جامعه‌شناختی نگرش به پایداری خانواده با تأکید بر آسیب‌های اجتماعی شهر اصفهان 57 87 fa مریم سادات موسوی دانشگاه علوم و تحقیقات تهران سید محمد سید میرزایی باقر ساروخانی دانشگاه تهران 2025 12 28 “A Sociological Explanation of Attitudes Toward Family Stability with an Emphasis on Social Pathologies in the City of Isfahan”   Maryamsadat Mousavi <a href="#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1">*</a> Seyed Mohammad Seyed Mirzaie<a href="#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2">**</a> Bagher Saroukhani<a href="#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3">***</a> The present study provides a sociological explanation of attitudes toward family stability, with a specific focus on social pathologies in Isfahan. The research was conducted within a quantitative methodological framework utilizing a survey design. The statistical population comprised the citizens of Isfahan, from which a sample of 459 individuals was selected through multi-stage cluster sampling. Data were gathered via a structured questionnaire and analyzed at both descriptive and inferential levels. The findings indicate that the overall attitude toward family stability among the respondents is above average. Nevertheless, significant variances across specific demographic and social variables reveal structural vulnerabilities within the family institution under the pressure of contemporary social and cultural transformations. Inferential analyses demonstrate that variables such as media consumption, interpersonal trust, individualism, and collectivism play a critical role in explaining attitudes toward family stability, thereby either mitigating or exacerbating family-related social pathologies. Ultimately, the study underscores that the erosion of positive attitudes toward family stability serves as a catalyst for the emergence and proliferation of social pathologies at both familial and societal levels. Keywords: Social trust, Individualism, Collectivism, Attitudes toward family stability, Family social problems. Introduction As the most fundamental social institution, the family plays an indispensable role in maintaining social cohesion, transmitting values, socializing generations, and preventing social pathologies. Family stability not only ensures the psychological and social well-being of its members but also acts as a decisive determinant in preserving social order and macro-stability. In many societies, the family serves as the primary crucible for individual and social identity formation, directly anchoring social capital, emotional security, and interpersonal interaction. However, the sweeping transformations induced by modernity including the proliferation of new media, shifting lifestyles, rising individualism, and the erosion of traditional value systems have subjected the family institution to profound structural and functional mutations. In contemporary Iranian society, these shifts manifest through rising divorce rates, declining marital inclinations, delayed marriage ages, falling fertility rates, and the emergence of non-traditional emotional and relational paradigms. Furthermore, the evolving expectations of the younger generation and their integration into global culture have introduced unprecedented challenges to the family structure. Under these shifting dynamics, family stability has escalated into a paramount social and cultural concern. The destabilization of the family often triggers an array of social pathologies, including chronic domestic conflicts, diminished social capital, deficient intergenerational socialization, and systemic social distrust. Moreover, a decline in family solidarity adversely impacts individual mental health, the quality of civil interactions, and civic participation. Consequently, deciphering the determinants that shape attitudes toward family stability is highly critical for social and cultural policymaking. Adopting a sociological lens focused on the city of Isfahan, this study investigates the factors influencing attitudes toward family stability. The theoretical framework is synthesized from the classical and contemporary perspectives of Parsons, Durkheim, Giddens, Thomas, Znaniecki, and Gerbner. Within this matrix, the family is conceptualized as an institution whose survival hinges upon the preservation of its social functions, mutual trust, role commitment, and normative cohesion. Accordingly, variables such as media consumption, interpersonal trust, individualism, and collectivism are operationalized as critical predictors of attitudes toward family stability.   Literature Review An overview of empirical literature in the sociology of the family indicates that family stability has perennially occupied a central position in sociological discourse. Extant studies demonstrate that factors such as social trust, normative cohesion, lifestyle orientations, media consumption, and individualistic versus collectivistic tendencies exert a decisive influence on the quality of domestic relations and institutional continuity. A robust body of research suggests that the rise of hyper-individualism, the depletion of social capital, and overexposure to modern digital media tend to erode familial obligations and exacerbate social vulnerabilities. Conversely, the reinforcement of emotional networks, mutual trust, and collectivist values serves to fortify the foundational pillars of the family and minimize systemic conflicts. Furthermore, domestic research in Iran highlights that the socioeconomic and cultural transitions of recent decades have profoundly altered the younger generation's outlook on marriage, family dynamics, and emotional commitment.   Methodology This study was executed using a quantitative survey methodology. The statistical population encompassed married men and women residing in Isfahan. While Cochran’s formula yielded an initial sample size of 384, the final sample was expanded to 459 respondents to enhance statistical precision and reliability. A multi-stage probability cluster sampling technique was applied; urban zones of Isfahan were designated as primary clusters, from which respondents were randomly selected to ensure the generalizability of the findings to the wider population. The data collection instrument was a researcher-developed questionnaire partitioned into demographic profiles and core substantive variables. The dependent variable was the attitude toward family stability, whereas the independent variables comprised mass media consumption, interpersonal trust, individualism, and collectivism. Attitudes toward family stability were operationalized through 13 distinct items spanning three dimensions: cognitive, affective, and behavioral. Individualism and collectivism were measured along their horizontal and vertical axes. All substantive items were evaluated using a five-point Likert scale to capture fine-grained variations in respondent agreement. The psychometric properties of the instrument were validated through face validity and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), while internal consistency was verified via Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Data processing and analysis were performed using SPSS and AMOS software packages. Descriptive statistics included means, standard deviations, and frequency distributions. Inferential analyses were carried out using one-sample t-tests, independent-samples t-tests, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM).   Findings Descriptive metrics indicate that the mean score for attitudes toward family stability among Isfahan's citizens rests significantly above the theoretical average. This finding reveals that the family retains a sacred and meaningful status within the normative and cultural architecture of the studied population, with a substantial majority viewing it as a primary sanctuary for emotional, social, and moral support. Similarly, the cognitive, affective, and behavioral dimensions of the focal attitude were evaluated at highly favorable levels, reflecting a robust societal commitment to preserving domestic solidarity. Demographic cross-examinations revealed a statistically significant variance between men and women regarding their attitudes toward family stability. Additionally, native residents of Isfahan exhibited noticeably more positive attitudes toward family stability than non-native residents, a divergence likely rooted in stronger cultural ties, localized normative frameworks, and heightened social belonging among natives. Crucially, the findings indicated that individuals who engaged in opposite-sex friendships either before or after marriage expressed weaker attitudes toward family stability, pointing to a potential shift in their underlying value paradigms. The ANOVA results demonstrated that respondents' Socioeconomic Status (SES) is significantly associated with their familial outlook; specifically, middle-class individuals demonstrated more positive attitudes toward family stability compared to their upper-class counterparts. These dynamic underscores the differentiated impact of lifestyle patterns, social obligations, and cultural models across distinct social strata. Within the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis, the independent variables collectively accounted for 43% of the variance in attitudes toward family stability, indicating a robust explanatory power for the conceptual model. Among the predictors, vertical collectivism exerted the most substantial positive effect on the dependent variable. Furthermore, interpersonal trust and the consumption of state broadcasting media displayed statistically significant positive effects on fostering stable family attitudes. Conversely, the use of interactive social media networks and vertical individualism exerted significant negative impacts on attitudes toward family stability. While satellite television consumption and horizontal collectivism exhibited observable effects, these paths failed to reach statistical significance. In sum, the empirical model demonstrates that cultural, media-oriented, and value-laden variables act as primary anchors in shaping how individuals perceive family stability, and that macro-social shifts heavily modulate these attitudinal architectures.   Discussion and Conclusion The empirical evidence generated by this study confirms that the family continues to command a prestigious evaluative, cultural, and normative position within Isfahan's urban society. Despite the sweeping socio-cultural adjustments of recent decades, the institution remains a key linchpin for social integration, value transmission, emotional refuge, and psychological anchoring. Nonetheless, the findings simultaneously capture the encroaching vulnerabilities induced by modernity, digital communication technologies, hyper-individualism, and lifestyle pluralism, all of which are actively remodeling individual perceptions regarding familial obligations and functions. Theoretically, these dynamics align closely with Parsons’ structural-functionalist paradigm. The continuity of the family's core latent functions specifically primary socialization, social control, emotional stabilization, and internal cohesion remains a foundational prerequisite for sustaining positive attitudes toward institutional stability. The family operates as the primary engine for the transmission of moral and cultural assets; hence, any functional attrition within this sphere inevitably invites social pathologies and structural fragmentation. Furthermore, the significant positive paths discovered between interpersonal trust and family stability validate Giddens’ thesis on the role of trust in late-modern relational dynamics. Higher configurations of internal domestic trust and broader generalized social trust organically foster resilient outlooks on institutional continuity. Conversely, the liquidation of social capital and the erosion of trust render marital networks precarious, escalating the probability of severe domestic friction. On the other hand, the negative impacts associated with vertical individualism and intensive social media usage indicate that late-modern cultural currents are actively destabilizing traditional relational arrangements. The rise of competitive, market-driven individualism, combined with a hyper-focus on self-maximization and high media exposure, erodes family commitments and weakens internal solidarity. These patterns echo Durkheim’s classic concerns regarding the decline of organic social solidarity in modernizing milieus, as well as Gerbner’s cultivation theory regarding the capacity of media to reshape cultural values. Social media platforms do not merely provide communication channels; they actively cultivate a redefinition of domestic values and alter relational expectations. In contrast, the protective role of collectivist values especially vertical collectivism, which prioritizes duty, familial obligation, filial piety, and the collective interest over the atomized self highlights the enduring resilience of the traditional Iranian cultural core. This cultural asset serves as an ideological shield against external destabilizing factors. In conclusion, attitudes toward family stability cannot be reduced to atomized psychological preferences; rather, they constitute a multidimensional socio-cultural phenomenon bounded by economic, media, and normative configurations. Consequently, strategies aimed at augmenting social capital, delivering communication and conflict-resolution training, enhancing media literacy, and regulating digital consumption are vital for mitigating family social pathologies. 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Social Studies and Research in Iran, 3(3), 357–382. https://doi.org/10.22059/JISR.2014.53145 DOI: <a href="https://doi.org/10.22095/JWSS.2018.89244">10.22095/JWSS.2018.89244</a>     <a href="#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1">*</a> Ph.D. Student of Department of Sociology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. <a href="mailto:M.Mousavi8737@iau.ir">M.Mousavi8737@iau.ir</a> https://orcid.org/0009-0003-2125-7104 <a href="#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2">** </a>Corresponding Author: Professor, Department of Sociology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. <a href="mailto:M-Mirzaie@srbiau.ac.ir">M-Mirzaie@srbiau.ac.ir</a> https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5177-9240 <a href="#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3">***</a> Professor, Department of Sociology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. <a href="mailto:b.saroukhani@yahoo.com">b.saroukhani@yahoo.com</a> https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1912-3409 مطالعه حاضر با هدف تبیین جامعه&zwnj;شناختی نگرش به پایداری خانواده با تأکید بر آسیب&zwnj;های اجتماعی شهر اصفهان در چارچوب رویکرد روش&zwnj;شناسی کمّی و با استفاده از روش پیمایش انجام شده است. جامعه آماری پژوهش، شهروندان شهر اصفهان بوده&zwnj;اند که تعداد 459 نفر از آنان با استفاده از شیوه نمونه&zwnj;گیری خوشه&zwnj;ای انتخاب شده و مورد مطالعه قرار گرفته&zwnj;اند. ابزار گردآوری داده&zwnj;ها، پرسشنامه بوده و تجزیه&zwnj; و تحلیل داده&zwnj;ها در دو سطح توصیفی و استنباطی انجام شده است. یافته&zwnj;های پژوهش نشان می&zwnj;دهد که میزان نگرش به پایداری خانواده در بین جامعه آماری، بالاتر از حد متوسط است. با این&zwnj; حال تفاوت&zwnj;های معناداری در برخی متغیرهای جمعیت&zwnj;شناختی و اجتماعی مشاهده می&zwnj;شود که می&zwnj;توان آنها را به&zwnj; عنوان نشانه&zwnj;هایی از آسیب&zwnj;پذیری نهاد خانواده در برابر تحولات اجتماعی و فرهنگی تحلیل کرد. نتایج تحلیل&zwnj;های استنباطی نشان داد که متغیرهایی نظیر استفاده از رسانه&zwnj;ها، اعتماد بین&zwnj;شخصی، فردگرایی و جمع&zwnj;گرایی، نقش معناداری در تبیین نگرش به پایداری خانواده و پیشگیری یا تشدید آسیب&zwnj;های اجتماعی خانواده دارند. در مجموع نتایج پژوهش بیانگر آن است که تضعیف نگرش به پایداری خانواده می&zwnj;تواند زمینه&zwnj;ساز بروز و گسترش آسیب&zwnj;های اجتماعی در سطح خانواده و جامعه باشد.

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