Worldview Foundations of Intergenerational Conflicts in Contemporary Russia

The article is devoted to the study of the worldview foundations of intergenerational conflicts in contemporary Russian society. The research focuses on the analysis of value orientations across four generational cohorts: Generation Z (ages 18–24), Millennials (25–39), Generation X (40–59), and Baby Boomers (60 and older). Particular attention is given to the attitudes of different generations toward the core cultural universals of Russian society, including family values, historical memory, attitudes toward labor, justice, and moral norms. Special emphasis is placed on the analysis of moral universals as conceptualized by S. Schwartz and J. Haidt: namely, orientations toward compassion and care, ingroup loyalty, respect for authority, perceptions of purity and sanctity, as well as conceptions of honesty and fairness. The study considers the specificity of the Russian context, characterized by the simultaneous coexistence of four to five generations under conditions of accelerating social transformation, digitalization, and global crises. The empirical basis of the study comprises the results of two nationwide representative surveys conducted in 2023 and 2024 (1,600 respondents each, with a margin of error of ±2.45%), supplemented by focus group discussions and analysis of social media data. A stratified sampling method was employed based on age and regional criteria. Data processing was carried out using the SPSS statistical software package. A comprehensive analysis of intergenerational differences was conducted through the lens of moral universals, using the conceptual framework of contemporary moral psychology. The study established the existence of a stable core of Russian cultural universals that unite all generations around the values of family, peace, and historical memory, significantly reducing the conflict potential of intergenerational relations. A specific model of “symbolic dissent” among Russian youth was identified, manifested in a need for psychological autonomy while maintaining basic loyalty to institutional authority. The most problematic areas of intergenerational divergence were found in attitudes toward authority, traditional morality, and sexual freedom. Younger generations exhibit considerably greater tolerance for individual choice and a lower propensity for normative conformism. The study also revealed an ambivalence in Russian public consciousness regarding justice, reflected in the simultaneous support for both meritocratic principles and social equality. The findings indicate that intergenerational differences in Russian society are selective rather than total in nature.

intergenerational conflicts, cultural universals, moral foundations, worldview, generation, value orientations, In-group loyalty, symbolic dissent, sociocultural transformation, traditional values