dc.description | Starting from Inglehart's basic conclusions that values are not completely
stable and fixed, but that they change under some other influences, our analysis is
aimed at exploring changes in value orientations in Serbia, by identifying and
examining their content of change, and analyzing possible mechanisms that could
be affected by the changes (impacts of generation, period and life cycle at the macro
level and the impact of socio-economic status at the micro level). Our analysis
monitors the changes in value orientations through four VS (three waves World
Values Survey, and one wave of European Value Surveys), from 1995 to 2010,
longitudinally, which allows us to separate the influences of different factors on the
change in value orientations in Serbia, and determine their relative strength.
Changes in value orientations were analyzed on the dimensions theoretically
developed by Inglehart, applied in our country, with a small necessary modification.
In the original version, the basic analytical dimension contrasts materialistic and
post-materialist values (by following the index of post-materialism); while in the
modified variance, the analysis takes place along the dimension: traditional versus
secular-rational values, that is, along the dimension of the two resulting super
factors "traditionalism" and "fundamentalism". From the methodological procedures
used in the research, the following were applied: descriptive statistics and frequency
of value distribution; factor analysis and multiple regression analysis.
The first objective of our research was to describe changes in value
orientations in Serbia from 1995 to 2010. Changes were first identified, noted and
described on the mentioned dimensions at three levels (depending on different depth
of analysis): a) completely superficial, at the level of indicators ie. at the level of
manifestly measured variables; b) monitoring the correlations between individual
indicators of value/value orientations, in which we monitored the change in the
consistency of the value system; and v) a comparison of factor scores as they
change from year to year. The analysis has: 1) been introduced to the complex
consequences of the concept of value itself, since it is a very complex, complex and
spill-over concept; 2) recognize the fact that the theoretical dimensions of Inglehart
in our country cannot be so applied to empirical analysis, since the data do not
support these assumptions; and that the search for them must have focused on
factorizing factors derived from manifestly measured variables that measure
behavior in an area; 3) stated that Serbian society is moving towards: higher
values of the postmaterialism index, ie towards values of self-expression (where
value priorities shifted from emphasizing economic and physical security to
emphasizing living conditions, ie from materialistic to postmaterial-list values ); and
towards the increase of values on the factors that measure traditionalism and
fundamentalism, that is, towards the increase of traditionalism (value priorities
emphasize the importance of the private sphere, that is, attach greater importance to
family, work and religion); and an increase in fundamentalism (value priorities
emphasize the importance of the public sphere, ie attach greater importance to
politics and religion). At the same time, there is a tendency to justify more liberal
behavior (divorce, abortion and euthanasia).
The second objective was to explain the changes identified, by testing
alternative hypotheses, in two ways: 1) identifying changes in value orientations
according to our independent variables, by which we reached some conclusions
about the socio-demographic characteristics and general profile of the respondents;
and 2) identifying changes in value orientations followed by regression models.
With this analysis, we have noted an increase in the index of post-materialism and
an increase in value on two super factors. We have found greater sensitivity and
greater affection for environmental issues and participation in social life, on the one
hand, and on the other hand an increase in traditionalism and fundamentalism, that
is, withdrawal from the public sphere and a turn to private self-realization, and a
decrease in tolerance. What we can generally conclude is that it is not possible to
unilaterally reject or substantiate global hypotheses obzirom given that some of
these factors affect individual value dimensions, while other value dimensions
affect other factors. In the postmaterialism index, we mostly explained this change
with a change in the composition of the sample, that is, in the prevalence of the
younger generations, with a high index, with education and income having a strong
effect on us. That is, within each generation, people with higher socio-economic
status have higher index values. For the first super factor of traditionalism, we have
described the change by the effect of the period and the effect of education, which
we explain by retradition. With the other super factor super fundamentalism ili, we
are faced with a retreat into the private sphere, with a significant effect of the period
and the effect of education.
We hope that the results of our research and analysis will highlight the
importance of understanding value, with particular reference to its understanding in
the works of renowned American sociologist Ronald Inglehart. Believing that it will
contribute to the empirical analysis of a concept considered as one of the basic
dimensions of cross-cultural variation in the literature, thus offering important
insights into the nature of the phenomenon being analyzed, and thus filling the
eventual gap in knowledge about the direction, extent and nature of the dynamics of
value change. | en |