Author/Authors :
Khatib, Mohammad Allameh Tabatabai University, Tehran, Iran , Abbasi Talabari, Fattaneh Allameh Tabatabai University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract :
This study aimed, firstly, to investigate the underlying components of Iranian cultural identity and, secondly,
to confirm the aforementioned components via Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis. In order to
achieve these goals, the researchers reviewed the extensive local and international literature on language,
culture and identity. Based on the literature and consultations with a group of 30 university undergraduate
and post graduate learners English language learners and a cadre of four university professors in the field of
sociology, an Iranian EFL Language Learners‟ Cultural Identity Model with six components (Nationality,
Religion, Arts, Persian Language and Literature, Media, and Globalization) was hypothesized. In order to
test and validate the model, a questionnaire was developed. To probe the reliability of the questionnaire,
Cronbach‟s Alpha was used. The reliability of all the items in the questionnaire was 0.78. To estimate the
construct validity of the model, Exploratory Factor Analysis using PCA was performed, which indicated five
components (Religion, Arts, Persian Language and Literature, Media, and Globalization) underlying Iranian
Cultural Identity. Then, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis through AMOS 22 was performed to
test the model and the interaction among the components. The SEM results confirmed the existence of five
factors. Finally, statistical results are discussed and implications are provided.
