The Value Orientations System of Generation Z: Social, Cultural and Demographic Determinants

Values of each generation are perceived as derivatives of objective conditions of their socioeconomic situation. In regards to how Generation Z (those who were born since 1995) socialize, they are often characterized by postmaterialism and refusal to adhere to the traditional value system, which results in the "world-view break" from the preceding generations, and substantial diversity of their values. Nonetheless, the influence of belonging to a certain social community on the value hierarchy of Generation Z has not been thoroughly researched yet. The abovementioned issue has determined the aim of our research: assessing the influence of socio-cultural and demographic determinants on the formation of the Generation Z value orientations system. The present study used Shalom H. Schwartz's method on the sample of 1251 representatives of Generation Z of various sex, age, nationality, religion, residence and education. The research took place in the following regions: Siberia (Kemerovo, Chita, Ulan-Ude); the Far East (Khabarovsk, Vladivostok, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky); Central Russia (mostly Moscow and Moscow Region); Ukraine (Rovno, Khmelnitsky, Ternopol and others). We have found that the most distinctive common feature of Generation Z is the priority of independence in terms of opinions and agency, as well as lack of adherence to the existing traditions. In addition, belonging to a certain gender, ethnic, confessional or religious community determines the qualitative identity of the value hierarchy of today's youth. Particularly, belonging to a national or religious minority or a traditional confession, as well as identifying as residents of the countryside are factors that contribute to preservation of collectivist and traditional values. By contrast, living in a metropolitan city or a cross-border region and not being involved in a religious community result in higher importance of individualistic and postmaterialistic values. The study has proven that, despite noticeable changes in the system of value orientations of the new generation, the significance and role of institutions and the factors that underlie formation of said values remain unchanged. The identified patterns determine the possibility of predicting how values transform in public consciousness and what corresponding changes in social behavior follow.

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