Lyasina I.Y., Sokolov R.V., Khvan N.S., Dyakonova K.S.

ВПИ (филиал) ВолгГТУ, Волжский, Россия

Филиал МЭИ в г. Волжском, Волжский, Россия

PRACTICE OF USE OF GENERATION THEORY IN THE STUDY OF VALUES DIFFERENCES OF THE RUSSIANS

(analysis of the results of the survey in Volzhsky Volgograd Region)

The dynamics of any socio-political system depends on several factors. From our point of view, the most significant factor is the basis of norms and values of society, component of which are the values that form definite (including dominant) types of political culture of population. For example, they determine speed, direction and stability of the changes that characterize these or other power solutions; they determine the degree of involvement of citizens in political-governmental relations, etc.

Studies in this field remain actual over the past decades and they attract the interest of scientists. The most significant contribution to the development of the theme was made by the following Russian sociologists: Akhiezer A.S., Batalov E.Y., Gajiyev K.S., Gaman-Golutvinova O.V., Gulyaikhin V.N., Lukin A.V., PetukhovV.V., Rukavishnikov V.O., Shestopal E.B. and others.

We believe new research approaches and techniques provide additional resources to address the problem of the value basis of the modern Russian political culture. So the generation theory created by the American researchers Neil Howe and William Strauss deserves attention. Its main points were stated in «Generation Theory" in 1991.The main point of the theory is that human behavior depends on a system of values, which is formed in humans till 12 - 14 years. At that, upbringing has a significant impact on its contents as well as those events and social phenomena that surround the child during his growing up influence his behavior. According to the authors of the theory, not having the skill to analyze what is happening, the child absorbs the reality surrounding him as the rule of conduct.[2.с.13]. Thus this kind of formed value system affects various aspects of the behavior of an adult, for example, the assessment of current events, etc. In each historical period models of children upbringing are similar and background event is common, respectively the values, which are formed within each generation, are similar. The development of the generation theory in Russian social thought is reflected in the works of scientists and practitioners Shamis E., A. Antipov, E. Nikonovand others. [2 - 7]

Within the generation theory the applied research on "Civil society in the perception of citizens of Volzhsky" was conducted by the authors, the results of this research confirmed generational differences in the perception of the phenomenon. [1, p. 361]

The study was conducted by the sociological group Volzhsky Polytechnical Institute (branch) VSTU in Volzhsky. The survey of the population was conducted using the method of formalized personal interview with toolkit prepared by the research team. The study involved 312 people. In the survey a representative sample of the population by sex and age of the respondents was used. The data on the age and sex composition of the residents of the town, needed to calculate the sample, were obtained from the department of state statistics of Volzhsky.

Representatives of six generations currently live in Russia (according to the generation theory): GI (winners) (1890 - born in 1923), Silent generation (born in 1923-1943), Generation of baby boomers (born in 1944-1963), Generation X (born in 1964-1984), Generation Y (Millennium) (born in 1985-2000), Generation Z (since 2000). Therefore, when calculating the sample study the age distribution of residents according to the data of generations was taken into account. Because of the small size of the generation of winners in the town, and because of minority of generation Z, the representatives of these generations have not taken part in the survey. Millennium generation was surveyed by the proportion of adults in its composition. Thus, the object of this study was adult population (over18 years) of Volzhsky.

One of the hypothesis, on the basis of which was made the analysis results of the study, was the assumption that the representatives of different generations differ in their value orientations. In order to obtain information about what values townspeople have, the question was asked, "What human values are the most important to you personally?" (Table1).

Table 1. Value orientations distribution of Volzhsky residents.

value	relative frequency,% (the proportion of total responses)
confidence in the future	11,7%
family safety	11,5%
stability	8,3%
honoring parents	7,9%
well-being	7,7%
knowledge, good education	7,3%
accord, peace	6,8%
true friendship	5,6%
civil rights	5,1%
equal opportunities for all	4,9%
independence	4,6%
personal freedom	3,0%
tolerance	2,9%
equality	2,7%
career	2,5%
belief in God	2,0%
freedom of speech	1,9%
property	1,8%
democracy	1,4%
pluralism	,4%
Total	100%

Values are as follows: "confidence in the future" (11.7%), "family safety" (11.5%), "stability" (8.3%), "honoring parents" (7.9%), “well-being” (7.7%), etc. (Table 1).

It is noteworthy that the values that can be referred to democratic values were in the second part of value priorities of the respondents. Among them, the highest indicators are in "civil rights" (5.1% of the total responses), "independence" (4.6%) and "personal freedom" (3%). Moreover, the "democracy" won the penultimate place (1.4% of total responses).

The generational section showed that significant common values of all the generations have become a "family security" (from 9.5% to 12.7% of the total responses) and "honoring parents" (from 7% to 9.2%).

In addition, the study found some differences in the priority values in representatives of different generations. So Silent generation put "confidence in the future"(13.4% of total the responses) before "family safety"(10.4%), "accord, peace" (8.3%), "knowledge, good education "(7.8%)," honoring parents "(7.3%) and" equal opportunities for all "(7.3%). Among the values that can be referred to democratic values the priority is given to "equal opportunities for all" (7.3% of the total responses), as well as "civil rights" (6.5%).

Generation of baby boomers put "confidence in the future" (14.4% of total responses) before "family security" (12.7%), "stability" (9.4%), "knowledge, good education" (8%), " honoring parents " (7%) and "consent, the world " (7%). Among the democratic values, "civil rights" (6.3%) and "equal opportunities for all" (4.5%) swapped.

The list of leading Generation X values is somewhat different from the list of the older generations: "family security" (11.8% of the total responses), "confidence in the future" (11%), "stability" (10.4%; the most great result of all the generations), "safety" (9%), and “honoring parents" (9.2%).Among democratic values for this generation the closest values were "independence" (5.8% of the total responses) and "equal opportunities for all" (4.2%).

The youngest of the surveyed generations, Generation Y (Millennium), showed the greatest differences from the common data in their assessments of significant values.Generation Y’s basic values were the following: "true friendship" (9.6% of the total responses), "family safety" (9.5%), "honoring parents" (7.4%), "security" (7, 4%), "knowledge, good education" (6.8%). Among the democratic values Generation Y prefers "independence" (6.4%) and "individual freedom" (6.1%).It should be noted that the value of "personal freedom" increased 1.5 times compared to other generations.

It should also be noted that the data showed the increaseof significance of some valuesfrom generation to generation, as well as, on the contrary, the decline of importance of others. The following values showed a steady growth: "true friendship" (from 4% to 9.6% of the total responses), "independence" (from 3.5% to 6.4%), "personal freedom" (from 2.2 % to 6.1%), "democracy" (from 0.8% to 2.3%), "freedom of speech" (from 1.3% to 4.9%), "career" (from 0 to 6%, 1%)."Independence," "freedom of speech", "democracy" have been fixed among the fastest growing democratic values.

The decline of importance was noted in such values as "tolerance" (from 7% to 1.5%), "confidence in the future" (from 13.4% to 5.5%).From our point of viewthe reduction of importance of the values of "equal opportunity for all" is significant (from 7.3 to 3.9%).

So as a result of the study, a number of significant generational valuable features has been revealed along with common values for all generations.It was found that the set of values of any of the generations is not fully correlated with the set of values of all the array of respondents.The analysis also fixes the growth of importance of certain values and the decline of others from generation to generation.Besides, the results give a good reason to argue that, despite the positive trend, democratic priorities in values of the average Russian town residents are poorly represented.According to the obtained data in generational section Silent Generation and Generation Y can be referred to the most committed to "democratic" values. The democratic values inherent in Generation X least of all.

REFERENCES

1. Lyasina I.Y, Prikhodko E.A., Sokolov R.V.A civil society in the perception of different generations of the Russians (analysis of results of the survey in Volzhsky).Young scientist, № 5 (40). - 2012.-365 p.360-365.

2. Shamis, E., Antipov A. Generation Theory / / Marketing Management. 2007.№6. http://old.eecutive.ru/publications/specialization/newfolder8086/article_5457/

3. Shamis E. Generation Theory / / Human Resources Director. 2008. Http://www.hr-director.ru/115

4. Chumakov V. “Not responsible for X” / / X idea. №11. 2009.12-21.

5. Svetlova I. Grey beard, crisis in the stomach / / X idea. - № 1. 06. 2009. 24-26.

6. ChumakovV. For whom the generation Z keeps silent/ / Commercial Director. №11 (23) 2007. 56 -61. http://rugenerations.wordpress.com

7. Mitrofanova E.S. Use of applied aspects of generations theories in the formation of social, corporate and public policy / / Demoscope Weekly. 2009. № 381 - 382.