Individual values and Internet use: comparison of Russia and European countries

Abstract

The article presents results from a cross-cultural study of interrelation between activity of Internet use and individual values of the highest order (S. Schwartz): “Self-Transcen¬dence” — “Self-Enhancement” and “Openness to change” — “Conservation”. The data of the eighth wave of the European Social Research (ESS) was an empirical base of the study. In a comparative perspective, we analyzed the links between Internet use and values in Russia (N=2430), as well as in the three European countries that hold the highest rating in the field of information and communication technologies (ICT Development Index, 2017): Iceland (N=880), Switzerland (N=1519), and UK (N=1926). The data were processed using structural equation modeling (SEM) as well as multigroup structural equation modeling (MGSEM). The study showed that similar between Russia and European countries is the lack of connection between the activity of using the Internet with the values of “Self- Transcendence “, as well as a positive relationship with the values of “Openness to change”. Also, was found the following differences in patterns of relationships: on the sample of Russians value “ Self-Enhancement “ was associated positively with the activity of using the Internet, and on a sample of Western European countries this link is missing, but there is a negative relationship values, “Conservation”, away from the Russians. Based on the data obtained, we supposed how the values of Russians may change in the process of further digitalization of society and increasing involvement in the use of the Internet.

Keywords

• digitalization
• information and communication technologies
• internet
• basic human values