Investigating the role of social security in the social capital of Iranian rural citizens with the mediating effect of psychological security (Case study: heads of rural households in Hashtrood County)

Abstract

No emotion would exist without social relation and interaction. In social sciences, the feeling of freedom to perform social interactions and activities is known as the sense of social security. Since this sense originates from people's experiences and interpretations, correct and incorrect experience and interpretation of social conditions may give people a true or false sense of security. Regardless of its accuracy, people's perception of their own social environment or that of others may induce a feeling of insecurity. Another important multidisciplinary concept of particular interest to humanities scholars is the notion of social capital. This concept contributes to the social and economic analysis of rural developments by explaining the role played in this regard by local resources available to rural settlements such as human relationships, networks, and institutions in social structures. The present study aimed to investigate the role of social security in the social capital and the mediating role that psychological security of citizens may play in this regard in rural areas of Hashtrood County, Iran. The study was applied in its objective and a descriptive survey in its methodology. From the population, which consisted of rural households residing in Hashtrood County, a sample of 440 rural households was formed through stratified random sampling. The sample size was calculated using Cochran's formula. The research instrument was a standard questionnaire, the validity of which was confirmed in advance by content validity analysis and Cronbach's alpha method. Research hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling with the help of Amos. The results showed, at <em>95% confidence level, that social security has a significant positive impact on social capital and psychological security of rural</em> citizens. It was also found that the psychological security of these citizens mediates the impact of social security on social capital.