Abstract:
The purpose of the present study is to investigate the sociological impact of social factors on the electoral behavior of citizens of Mazandaran province by comparing the two age groups of youth and adults. In this regard, a descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study was conducted using a researcher-made questionnaire. Statistical population of this study is men and women over 18 years old that are divided into two groups: 18-35 years old and 36-60 years old; Through Cochran formula, 384 individuals were selected as sample from the whole target population and finally, using multi-stage sampling method, the selected sample participated in the questionnaire. The theoretical foundations and framework of the research are the Pippa Norris theory and other theories of electoral behavior. The results of the comparison tests showed that the two age groups had different electoral behavior. In the youth age group, there was no statistically significant difference in electoral behavior by gender, place of residence, marital status, and type of occupation, and only by education; and the same tests were similar for adults of the same age group by residence, marital status, education, and statistically different electoral behavior by gender and occupation. The results of linear regression between the two groups showed that the age group of youth of national identity and in the age group of adults' social networks had the most influence on their electoral behavior.
Machine summary:
From a sociological point of view, Paul Lazarus White and the Columbia University Research Group (1940) believe that by studying the social, economic, and cultural conditions of the constituents, political orientation and therefore their vote can be predicted.
(Abdullah, 2010, 89) and the psychological approaches that result from the research results of the Mashigan University Research Group (1948) emphasize that the decision of voters are more subject to psychological factors than to the influence of other factors as well as the economic approach proposed by Anthony Downes that Believes people's incentives to vote''; Therefore, it can be stated that elections are studied by scholars of different fields in different aspects and dimensions And in this sociological study, different social dimensions that influence electoral behavior will be examined.
From a sociological point of view, electoral behavior is influenced by several factors: political culture (Al Ghafour, 1996, 118) social class (Inglehart, 1990,15) socioeconomic base (occupation, income, education) religious affiliation (Lazarfeld, 1994, 27 44).
Sub-hypothesis There seems to be a significant difference in the electoral behavior of youth and adults at the micro level of social factors in terms of contextual variables and value preferences.
The results of t-test show electoral behavior and residence in both adolescents and adults statistically significant differences were not found in urban and rural residents in the youth age group (sig = 0.