Value Orientations of the First Year Students (According to the Results of the Interuniversity Survey)

Abstract

In this paper, we analyze the differences in value orientations of the first year students of the speciality «Sociology» of three Ukrainian universities in 2016: Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv (Kyiv), V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University (Kharkiv) and Lesya Ukrainka Eastern European National University (Lutsk); universities represent respectively the central, eastern and western parts of the country. A full survey was conducted using the questionnaire method, the questionnaire contained a block of evaluation of value orientations according to the Schwarz method PVQ21. The authors analyzed 10-factor and 7-factor models and statistically significant differences for each of them. For the 10-factor model such differences were found for factors: Tradition, Hedonism, Achievement, Power and Stimulation; for the 7-factor – for Hedonism, Stimulation, Conformity-Tradition and Self-affirmation. It turned out that regional differences are more significant between the West (ENU) and the Center (KNU) and the East (KhNU) than between the Center (KNU) and the East (KhNU). The fixed difference between the value orientations of students of different universities is interpreted by the authors as the embodiment of inter-regional differences in value-normative systems, way of life and worldview.