Sociological Cultural Studies

Sociological Cultural Studies

Comparison of cultural attitude, belief system and critical thinking between teachers of Kurdistan region of Iraq and Kurdistan province in Iran

Document Type : .

Authors
Hassan Gharibi 1
Raheleh Rasouli 2
Shahin Rahmyan 3
1 Assistant Professor, Department of psychology, university of kurdistan,Kurdistan, Iran.
2 PhD student in Educational Psychology, Islamic Azad University, Sanandaj Branch, Sanandaj, Iran.
3 Master's degree in Educational Psychology, Payam Noor University, Tehran, Iran.
10.30465/scs.2024.48921.2856
Abstract
Abstract
The present study was conducted with the aim of comparing the cultural attitude, belief system and critical thinking among the teachers of Kurdistan region of Iraq and Kurdistan province in Iran. This research was comparative- causal method and survey-descriptive in terms of data collection. The statistical population of the present study was all the teachers of Kurdistan region of Iraq and Kurdistan province in Iran. The statistical sample of the research was 350 people, and multi-stage cluster sampling method was used to select them. In this research, Hofstede's cultural attitude questionnaire (1980), Holland's belief system questionnaire (1998) and Ritex critical thinking questionnaire (2003) were used to measure the research variables. To analyze the research data, the MANOVA test was used using SPSS 22 software. The findings showed that there is only a difference in the subscale of cultural attitude (power distance) between the two groups of teachers in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and the Kurdistan province in Iran. There is no difference in the other subscales of the system of beliefs and critical thinking in the two groups of teachers in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and the Kurdistan province in Iran. The teachers of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq have evaluated the distribution of power more unfairly compared to the teachers of the Kurdistan province in Iran. It seems that this difference is caused by the difference in background factors affecting the experience and perception of power distance in groups.
Keywords: Cultural attitude, Belief system, Critical thinking, Teachers, Kurdistan, Iraq, Iran.

Introduction:
Paying attention to the personality and social characteristics and capabilities of teachers is one of the fundamental concerns of the developed systems. Teachers are influenced by the cultural and value situation of their society, and as one of the most important elements of education, they influence the social and cultural situation of their society. Each person achieves his own cultural attitude, belief system and thinking in the heart of his social and cultural teachings. Teachers' thinking is affected by a complex and multidimensional system of social beliefs that affects their professional performance. Focusing on the beliefs and thinking of teachers leads to the understanding of individual and collective discourses and awareness of perception, judgment and decision-making and creates motivation and action in them. The belief system of teachers plays a significant role in educational performance, a clear and strong professional vision of educational goals and the expansion of their agency, which leads to growth and overall impact on the educational situation. The thinking of teachers plays an important role in the acculturation process and cultural identity of students, the most important requirements for cultural education in teachers are changes in the curriculum of the teacher education system based on prioritizing culture and cultural education, changing the attitude towards the teacher education system and changing the definition of a teacher. And he is a teacher in the education system. It is very important for cultural and social workers to pay attention to the cultural attitude and belief system and people's thoughts in social and psychological analysis. The importance of this issue is due to the important role of cultural attitude and belief system in predicting a wide range of people's behaviors and actions. Belief system of teachers puts their professional and educational perspective under the beam. On the other hand, teachers' critical thinking is an important and effective factor in teachers' professional growth and a new issue in the field of teachers' dynamics. In recent years, this issue has been continuously emphasized by educational systems, and all developed systems have sought to grow and develop the critical thinking of their teachers. In addition, the quality of their critical thinking can pave the way for realization of thinking and dynamism for progressive education. The ability and efficiency of teachers in various fields directly affects the socio-educational mechanisms in any society. Many research findings have shown that there is a significant relationship between the cultural attitude of teachers in teaching and the academic progress and learning status of students. In this regard, the current research was conducted with the aim of comparing the cultural attitude, belief system and critical thinking among the teachers of the Kurdistan region of Iraq and the teachers of the Kurdistan region of Iran. The present study was conducted with the aim of comparing the cultural attitude, belief system and critical thinking among the teachers of Kurdistan region of Iraq and Kurdistan of Iran.

Materials and Methods
This research was comparative- causal method and survey-descriptive in terms of data collection. The statistical population of the present study was all the teachers of Kurdistan region of Iraq and Kurdistan of Iran. The statistical sample of the research was 350 people, and multi-stage cluster sampling method was used to select them. In this research, Hofstede's cultural attitude questionnaire (1980), Holland's belief system questionnaire (1998) and Ritex critical thinking questionnaire (2003) were used to measure the research variables. To analyze the research data, the MANOVA test was used using SPSS 22 software.

Discussion and result
The findings showed that there is only a difference in the subscale of cultural attitude (power distance) between the two groups of teachers in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region of Iran. There is no difference in the other subscales of the system of beliefs and critical thinking in the two groups of teachers in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region of Iran.

Conclusion
The results indicate that the lack of difference in the research variables may be due to the overlap of cultural status, social and religious value system, interactions and cultural and identity mixing of the people of both communities of Kurdistan region of Iraq and Kurdistan of Iran. The difference in the power distance component in the teachers of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq compared to the teachers of the Kurdistan Region of Iran, they have evaluated the distribution of power as more unfair. And the lack of difference in the averages of critical thinking dimensions and beliefs in two groups can perhaps be investigated from the perspective of cultural-contextual homogeneity. This dimension shows that the socio-political structure and the ways and means of accessing various opportunities can affect people's attitude about social justice and equality. Power distance is defined as the extent to which subordinate members in organizations in a country expect and accept unequal distribution of power. Considering the conflicting conditions of the political parties in the region, it seems that it has affected the teachers' perception of the distribution of power in the society. As a limitation, since this research was conducted on the teachers of Kurdistan region of Iraq and Kurdistan of Iran, it is necessary to act with caution in generalizing it to other classes and societies. The current research is of a comparative causal type and it is not possible to determine and identify cause/effect relationships. The method of data collection was in the form of a questionnaire and all the limitations related to such a tool were present in the current research. According to the findings of the research, it is suggested that researchers pay attention to other cultural-political-social dimensions and investigate this issue with other tools and methods and design more comparative studies in different societies in the field of education. Carrying out research in other cultures and countries and comparing the results in different dimensions, carrying out research in different ethnicities of the country and comparing them in different dimensions and comparing the value system of teachers in different cultures can also be important for future researches.
Keywords
Cultural attitude
Belief system
Critical thinking
Teachers
Kurdistan
Iraq
Iran
Subjects
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Sociological Cultural Studies
Volume 16, Issue 2 - Serial Number 56
Summer 2025
Spring 2025
Pages 241-262

  • Receive Date 03 May 2024
  • Revise Date 14 July 2024
  • Accept Date 14 September 2024
  • Publish Date 23 August 2025