Cultural Identity

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Cultural Identity of Palestinian University Student and its Relationship with Some Psychological Variables

Authors: 
Rasmyah Abdel Qader
Department of Psychology,An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine
Current Affiliation: 
Department of Psychology,An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine
Preferred Abstract (Original): 

This study aimed at identifying the degree and depth of cultural identity of Palestinian university students and its relationship with both citizenship and psychological hardness and meaning of life and anxiety. To this end, the study identified the most important factors shaping the Palestinian cultural identity. Furthermore, the study sought to find out if there were difference among the variables in question which may be attributed to variable of specialization, university level, sex and place of living.


This study was conducted in the context of frequent attacks on Palestinian scared sites, state terrorism of Israel , killings torturing, arrests, destruction, colonial policy, building of the separation wall, economic blockade and starving out. All these practices, by the Israel military authorities, aim at obliteration of the cultural identity along with all its historical, geographical, religious and ideological elements. This is in addition to the depopulation of the Palestinian's presence on their land, let alone the weakening of their will and hardness, thus leading to a state of psychological separation, existential vacuum and facilitating the process of their subjugation and control.  The Palestinian cultural identity among students in all its eight dimensions demonstrated depth and a degree of strength (solidity). The score was 84%. The national unity factor came first as one of the difference in the factors of cultural identity. However, the study did not reveal differences in the factors of cultural identity which might be attributed to the specialization variable but it revealed difference in the factors of peace, tolerance, belonging values and social habits which might be attributes to variables of university level in favor of first year students. In contrast, there were no differences which might be attributed to factors of language, religion, spiritual beliefs, democracy, and national unity. The female students had a higher score in the factors of religion, spiritual beliefs, democracy, and national unity, tolerance and belonging in contrast, the male students obtained a higher score in the fields of democracy. The student also did not reveal any differences in the factors of language, peace, values and social habits between the two sexes. There were also no differences between the scores of cultural identity factors which might be attributed to variable of place of living save the democracy variable. In this last factor, the students in the city scored higher than their counterparts in the village.  The student also revealed that the belonging factor had highest score among the eight factors of cultural identity as opposed to the lowest score for the democracy factors.  Furthermore, the study revealed the presence of a statistically significant positive correlation between the average scores of cultural identity and the average scores of the citizenship. The students achieved a very high score in citizenship (88.8%).


The study also found statistically significant differences between the average scores of citizenship which might be attributed to variable of specialization in favor of humanities and social sciences majors. However, the study didn’t find any difference between the average scores of citizenship which might be attributed to variable of university level, sex, place of living. Pertaining to citizenship-related rights and civil duties, there was an edge in the domains of right & political, economic and social duties. However, the study didn’t find any statistically correlation between the average scores of cultural identity and average score of anxiety. There were also no statistically significant difference in the scores of anxiety, among Palestinian university, which might be attributes to variables of specialization, university level, sex and place of living.  The study also revealed a statistically significant positive correlation between the average scores of cultural identity and average scores of psychological hardness. The latter, however, achieved a higher score (74.3%) among Palestinian students. No statistically significant difference were found in the average scores of the factors of psychological hardness which might be attributed to specialization variable. There were also no statistically difference in the commitment and control factors. However, there were differences in factor of challenge and total score of psychological hardness which might be attributed to the variable of university level in favor of the lower university level students. The commitment factor excelled control and challenge as factors of psychological hardness.

The study also revealed a statistically significant positive correlation between the average scores of cultural identity and average scores of the meaning of life. However, the meaning of life variable achieved an average score (66.1%) among Palestinian university students. However, the study didn’t reveal statistically significant difference in the factor of the meaning of life which might be attributed to specialization and university level variable. Exception to this was the existential richness and favor of freshman student. In the same context, the student showed no statistically significant differences in the factors of the meaning of life which might be attributed to the variables of sex. Exception to this were the purpose in life and positive regular of life in favor of females. Also, there were no statistically significant differences in the factor of the meaning of life which might be attributed to place of living save the existential richness factor in favor of city and village students. The quality of life factor, in contrast, obtained a low score in comparison with the other factors of the meaning of life.

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