Comparison of adolescent's values: Riga and Vidzeme region

¹ Rıga Stradiņš University, Department of Sociology and Psychology, Riga, Latvia
² Rıga Stradiņš University, Department of Health Psychology and Paedagogy, Riga, Latvia
³ insttRiga State German Grammar School, Riga, Latvia

Abstract

The determination of individual values is the first step in the process of the personal development. Thus, the main purpose of this research is to investigate the difference between value hierarchies of Riga students and rural students and their subjective opinions about factors affecting them and compare the results with the values of previous generations. It is a pilot study with a comparative cross-sectional design. The study was carried out in several schools of Latvia in 2018: 2 schools of Riga and 2 rural schools of Vidzeme region. Participants were 11th and 12th grade students: 50 from Riga, 50 from rural schools. The research of values was based on the M. Rokeach value ranking test. It is found that the individual hierarchies of values in one group context differ more than hierarchies of adolescent groups of various years and different backgrounds. There are no significant differences related to the terminal and instrumental values between adolescents of Riga and rural areas: love, cheerfulness and education are more important for Riga students, but rural students prefer responsibility, obedience, capability. Some values have not been influenced by time or socio-economic and political situation, but some values have increased or decreased their significance with years.