Comparative Study of Values of Russians in Russia, Latvia and Azerbaijan

The existence of cultural, social and political differences in the Post-Soviet countries led to changes in values, beliefs, attitudes, intergroup relations in changed contexts. A large number of ethnic Russians, who previously lived in one state, now live in different countries. Many of them became an ethnic minority, and faced the challenge of adapting to their new life status (Muižnieks, Rozenvalds, & Birka, 2013; Musabekov, 2009). In the study we focused on a comparison of values of Russians in Russia, Latvia, and Azerbaijan from a cross-national and intergenerational perspective. We surveyed representatives of three generations of the same family. To measure individual values the 57-item Portrait Values Questionnaire Revised (PVQ-R) was used. Values of young generation of Russians do not differ in all three countries. Intergenerational differences were found in Self-Enhancement and Self-Transcendence values among three generations in Russia. However, in Latvia and Azerbaijan middle and older generations do not differ in terms of these values, and Russian youth do not differ from parental generation in Self-Transcendence values. We also compared values of Russians in these countries using generation, region, and group status as independent variables. The main effects of generation, region, and group status on higher order values were significant. The results are discussed from the perspective of changes in the Post-Soviet space.

Key words: values, intergenerational differences, cross-cultural study, Russians in Russia, Latvia, Azerbaijan