Development of value systems in adolescents.

Abstract

In this study, the value systems of adolescents in Grades 5, 7, 9, and 11 were investigated by administering the Rokeach Value Survey to 739 New York City pupils. The most striking result was the relative stability of the rankings over all grades, perhaps indicative of a core cultural pattern. An almost equal number of changes in instrumental values across grades were observed for both boys and girls. However, twice as many changes took place in terminal values for girls than for boys. The boys exhibited a more unitary theme of increasing achievement orientation, while girls exhibited a dual theme of achievement and the stereotyped feminine sex role.

National and Gender Differences in Adolescents' War Attitudes

“…Americans who were adolescents at the time of the Vietnam War showed disapproval of it (MacPherson, 1984;Tolley, 1973), and ranked "a world at peace" as the most important terminal value (Beech & Schoeppe, 1974). Through the 1980s, the United States was less involved in active warfare but increased military spending under Reagan and Bush, and the successful bombing of Libya led to more patriotism (Stein, 1986), and more positive attitudes toward war (Roscoe et al, 1988).…”