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Investigating the Effects of Influential Factors on Sense of Community: Life Satisfaction as an Outcome

Somaye Salahia, Vahid Ghasemi, Alireza Azarpour and Autumn McClelland

Using a sample of university students (n=362), the present research aims to:1) investigate the factors affecting one’s sense of community (SOC), 2) study the impact of SOC on life satisfaction, and 3) add a new aspect to SOC based on a valuedbased model. Our measure of SOC is based on the scale created by Obst et al. with an added dimension–sense of responsibilitybased on Nowell and Boyed’s model. An Amos model was used to confirm the meaningfulness of the added dimension (sense of responsibility). The analysis includes multiple self-constructed measures, including Satisfaction with the University, Social Participation, Social Trust, Sense of Gender Equality, Openness of University, Hope in the Future, and Sense of Competition, while Extroversion is measured using the revised NEO scale. Life Satisfaction is measured using the scale developed by Diener et al. The results indicate a positive and direct relationship between Satisfaction with the University, Extroversion, Social Trust, and Openness of University. We conclude that the most influential factor on SOC is Satisfaction with the University. Moreover, the research findings provide additional support forth positive impact of SOC on life satisfaction.