Youth Value Orientation: A Field Study in Western Mongolia
Our study was conducted in Western Mongolia (in Bayan-Ulgii and Khovd aimags) in September, 2013. The aim was to identify similarities and differences in the views of adolescent schoolchildren living in the border areas. We tried to reveal their values and conceptions of social justice and the social structure of society. We used modified Rokeach Value Survey (RVS) and our questionnaire based on Purpose in Life Test (PIL). The task group consisted of 440 respondents (12…14 ages), including 140 respondents from Bayan-Ulgii aimag and 300 ones - from Khovd aimag. 52 % of the respondents were the female, 48 % - the male. Each age group was represented in such correlation: 28.9 % of 12 ages, 37.5 % of 13 ages and 33.6 % of 14 ages. Respondents of Bayan-Ulgii aimag were Kazakhs (100%) and respondents of Khovd aimag were adolescents of different Mongolian ethnic groups (94.5 %) and Kazakhs (5.5 %).The principal result of the study was the identification of meaning of life values and objectives inherent in contemporary adolescents living in Western Mongolia. In particular, answers of respondents were highly representative to the question of the social ideal which, in their opinion, is oriented youth ages 12…14. They were asked to select 3 the most attractive from six different social structures. In general, most respondents highly rated the society of social and natural evolution (47.9 %). At the same time, Mongolian adolescents gave priority to the modern post-industrial society (52.8 %). The Soviet type of social structure (23.4 %) and monarchy (12.7 %) were rated low. Particularly negatively these types of social structure were treated by Kazakhs adolescents. Further we present the adolescents' views on meaning of life, ideals of justice, the ratio of purposes and ways to achieve them, the significance of national identity, their instrumental and terminal values.