Effect of social media usage on the cultural identity of rural people: a case study of Bamha village, Egypt

Cultural identity is the compound of reminiscences, impressions, ideologies, images, idioms, inventions, and ambitions that sustains a group’s civilizational identity. Concern over social media’s impact on cultural identity is growing. This study aimed to identify the effect of social media use on components of rural people’s cultural identity in Bamha village, Egypt. A survey of 360 rural respondents was conducted in December 2021 using a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, chi-square, and stepwise multiple regression. Findings show that for 40% of respondents the level of change in cultural identity was high in relation to social media use; significant relationships exist between several independent variables and the degree of change in cultural identity. Implications include developing thinking and self-learning skills, activating media’s role to provide meaningful content that preserves societal values, employing social media to support youth community participation, and increasing coordination among institutions to maximize positive and reduce negative effects of social media.

Mostafa Radwan