Moral values and environmental responsibility for future generations: case study of Russia


Spiritual and moral values and motives are historically the basis of the mental matrix of the Russian citizen, determining the development and acting as a psychological coping mechanism in a crisis. In the modern world, it is spiritual values and motives that are being transformed. Mental protection of a personality based on the integrity of primal archetypes of the collective unconscious, creating mental traits and identity is interrupted, which leads to destructive changes, specifically, deprivation, alienation, deviance. In this regard, the purpose of the article is to identify the features of the transformation of spiritual and moral values of modern Russians. In the course of four sociological studies in 2007, 2009, 2010, 2019 in the regions of Russia, the values of schoolchildren (15-17 years), students (17-22 years), working youth (23-29 years) were studied. The research was based on personal, activity oriented, systemic and subjective approaches. It resulted in the consideration of the dynamics of personal values’ changes from 2007 to 2019, revealing the integrity of basic, spiritual, and moral values, which are fundamental for the personality formation of a Russian living in a particular historical and geographical environment.


Introduction
The sphere of values and motives is an intrapersonal central unit of a personality. Determining the worldview motives of a person's activity focus awakens motivated activity toward personal and social goals. Values and motives as dynamic personal formations provide stable development of all mental mechanisms of a personality, self-fulfillment of its potential, adaptation, and socialization. For thousands of years, each nation has developed its hierarchical system of values, which is responsible for providing psychological coping mechanisms for regulating the activities of individuals and society, in the light of specific natural and climatic conditions of life. The content-dynamic motive was influenced by values, determining the hierarchy and structure of the value system, the historical content, and the specific socio-economic conditions. Russia was historically dominated by the spiritual and moral values system, which formed the core value preferences and created a high degree of stability of the personality in the face

Materials and methods
The scientific literature analysis on the issue of studying human values and the influence of social changes on the process of spiritual development of an individual was the basis for conducting research. In connection with the socio-economic changes in Russia that initiated the transformation of the spiritual and moral values since the beginning of the 1990s, the first stage included a theoretical analysis of the empirical studies of the ISI RAS, VCIOM, ROMIR, RSIS&NP (1992)(1993)(1994)(1995)(1996)(1997)(1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)) that generally describe trends in the development of attitudes, beliefs, and values of the Soviet and post-Soviet society.
At the second stage, in June -July 2007 in Penza, an empirical study of personal spiritual and moral values transformation was carried out within the grant of the Russian Humanitarian Scientific Foundation 07-06-28607a/B in [2007][2008]. "Transformational processes of the spiritual potential of a personality as a basis for successful socialization of the younger generation" [1]. The questionnaire containing the questions for the study of personal values was presented to the respondents. A total of 693 people were interviewed: 232 schoolchildren (15-17 years old), 244 students (17-22 years old), and 217 working youth (23-29 years old). There were 63.9% of women and 36.1% of men among the respondents. This allowed us to study the system of values that determines the formation of the personality living in a certain environment, its socialization, and adaptation opportunities.
The second sociological study was conducted in November-December 2009 in Penza. It was a preliminary version of a new project, which developed a large-scale sociological study in 2010 in three regions of Russia. The respondents answered the same questionnaire as in the study in 2007. A total of 325 people were questioned, including 103 schoolchildren (ages [15][16][17], 110 students (ages [17][18][19][20][21][22], and 112 working youth (ages 23-29). There were 52.5% of women and 47.5% of men. This allowed us to compare the changes in the values system that occurred during the two years.
At the third stage in 2010, the scope of research was expanded to the Volga (Penza), Central (Moscow), and Southern (Rostov-on-Don) Federal Districts. The mass questionnaire survey was conducted from January 1, 2010, to January 31, 2010. The sample size was 1,320 male and female respondents under 30 years of age. Four age groups of youth were researched: 14-17 years old, 18- the studies allowed us to explore the dynamics of spiritual and moral values changes of modern youth from 2007 to 2019.
The results of the study were considered and summarized for each age group. The dynamics of changes in the value systems (vital, social, moral, religious, political, aesthetic), spiritual and moral values (compassion, mercy, honesty, kindness, philanthropy, humanity, victimhood), and values associated with spiritual and moral ones that promote personal development (activity, initiative, independence, determination, ambition, desire for knowledge, professionalism) were traced. The percentage contribution of each value, motivating and determining the formation of personality was determined. Tables and histograms were built for each question of the questionnaire.
The study was based on personal, activity, inclusive and subjective approaches. General methodological principles of research included the principles of determinism, social determination of personality, and development. Methods of research included the analysis of literary sources, questionnaires, overt observation, survey, methods of statistical data processing.

Result
Theoretical analysis of the ISI RAS, VCIOM, ROMIR, RSIS&NP research from 1992-2005 showed that trends in the development of views, perceptions, and values of Soviet and post-Soviet society were generally described. Unfortunately, the studies did not pay enough attention to the spiritual and moral aspects of personal development. The main result for our study was the conclusion that by the beginning of the XXI century there was a tendency to a certain increase in the overall spiritual and moral state of the Russian's personality.
The VCIOM research shows that by 2005 the role of personal qualities such as neatness, mercy, victimhood, etc. had decreased. For example, the evaluation of victimhood decreased from 11.8% to 9.7%, i.e. to the level of practically insignificant value. However, the role of humanity significantly increased from 50.7% to 56.9%. The role of diligence has also increased from 67.5% to 72.2%, probably, in the minds of individuals, it was associated with success. The importance of the church remained virtually unchanged, that is, religion According to the analysis of the results obtained, the following conclusions can be drawn: schoolchildren attached great importance to vital and social values. This can be possibly explained by the increasing role of economic factors in the country during this period. An increase in the importance of moral values compared to 2007 and a decrease in the importance of religious values was recorded.
All of the value importance indicators for students have increased. This indicates both a "spiritual increase" in the moral character of young people and an increase of vital and social values importance.
Working youth provides a more mature and conscious assessment of values. Moreover, there is a notable increase in the importance of religious values, which can be explained by the period when the church has stepped up its politics and its increasing role in society, as well as by young people's desire for traditional culture. The importance of political values demonstrates the desire for awareness and knowledge of politics.  In general, the study results indicate a certain lack of confidence in the future among young people. It can be assumed that in connection with this, spiritual qualities (responsiveness, honesty, victimhood, desire for knowledge) are decreasing. Leadership, E3S Web of Conferences 258, 07028 (2021) UESF-2021 https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202125807028 "combative" qualities that contribute to realization, such as initiative, determination, ambition, also give up their positions. All this signals a certain decline in the spiritual state of young people.
Regardless of age, respondents ranked as very significant the same spiritual and moral values, specifically love, kindness, compassion, cognition, honesty, humanity, mercy, justice, patience, the happiness of others. Victimhood and unselfishness were considered significant. Humility, generosity, unselfishness, and compliance were chosen to a lesser extent.  According to the results of the value systems significance study (Figure 4), we can note the following, that the most relevant, as in the 2010 study, are the vital and social value systems. Exceptions are the importance of social values for 14-17 years old, the numbers dropped from 65% to 63% (very significant) and from 28% to 26% (slightly significant). Political values significance increased for 18 to 29 age groups. The moral values significance decreased for ages 14-17 from 39% to 35% and for ages 22-25 from 84% to 56% (very significant), but increased from 7% to 38% (slightly significant). The aesthetic values' significance decreased overall for ages 14-17, 18-21, remained virtually unchanged for ages 26-29 but increased for ages 22-25 from 30% to 39% (very significant) and 32% to 38% (slightly significant). Religious values decreased only for 14-17-year-olds, for other groups of respondents this indicator increased as significant.
for themselves and their families determine the plans and dreams of the individuals at each of the considered age groups. Each of the vital values is associated with the entities of the external world, in which the implementation of the personality takes place. The conditions of society determine the trends of actual achievements and form specific directions in which the implementation of its life ideals and goals is possible. They also determine the political interest, especially of working youth, who worry about their country and their future and therefore seek consciousness and awareness in the sphere of numerous political changes and transformations.
The results of research on moral and religious value systems are of particular interest for our study. Since the beginning of the XXI century, various studies have emphasized the increasing importance of moral values. They are the basic concepts of moral consciousness and determine the norms of behavior in society, indicating the way of social ideal development and attainment. In Russia, this ideal has always been spirituality, practically manifested through values that are pleasant to the soul, and, at the same time, useful for society -good, love, mercy, victimhood, etc. Historically, spirituality was expressed through religious values, which, although not significantly, but in increased indicators, was manifested in the course of the study.
The desire of young people to traditional culture and spiritual and moral values was noted during the study of certain values. Values, as fundamental mental formations, contain ideas about the ideal models of behavior and goals for the respondents. This is what gives stability to the out-of-balance social environment in crises. In this regard, the respondents have a fairly stable picture of spiritual and moral values integrity and an increase in the number of indicators. The mental base that protects the personality in times of crisis and creates development opportunities has manifested itself through the values.
These provisions obtained in the course of the study are confirmed by various authors' researches. Thus, V.V. Babashkin [2] points out that Russia, closely looking at the basic values of the West and the East, should not forget their own, collective values. You can dream of either alternative, but it is necessary to know that in any case something very Russian is realized. Each state claims its way and it is impossible to find some common standard. The idealization of what is considered the norm is present in each case. The author cites as an example a letter from V.I. Zasulich to K. Marx on the possibility of Marxism's application in Russia. The answer received was: "No way". "Capital" is based on English materials and is suitable for England, as well as for several countries comparable with it, but Russia is incomparable. It has a different basis of social organization, the community, which the Russian revolutionaries ought to study, guarding against the rude political interference. Having studied several sociological studies, V. V.Babashkin states that over the past decades, a shift in the frame of the masses' mind, fixed by sociologists, has taken place in Russia, namely, a reorientation from the depressing present to a retrospectively embellished traditional past.
As L. Sagiv, S. Roccas, J. Cieciuch, S.H. Schwartz [3] say this happens because people always express the values of their culture and achieve the underlying goals of such values. Values are always personal and therefore reflect internal preferences and choices. Although little is known about the origin of values, it is clear that the fact they are shaped by a combination of genetic heritage and the influence of different social environments determines behavior. This is also confirmed by the research of E. Y. Pochtareva [4], which specifies that the integrated holistic personality contains specific structures of the internal and external world as a condition for its development. Values and motives, determining the internal guidelines of the personality, are revealed into space, conditioning the personal motives regulation of the mentality and self-fulfillment of life activity. However, the author notes, the inclusion of the personality in different value-and motive-forming contexts creates the need to identify the dominant relationships that determine the value-and motive sphere and define the formation of motives and values. In this regard, the author goes to the values of individualism and collectivism and notes their ironic compatibility.
Special attention should be paid to this. The study of the issue allows us to claim that individualism contains not only the acquisition of benefits for oneself, noted in numerous studies but also individual implementation in society, the manifestation, and assertion of one's uniqueness. By connecting it to spiritual and moral values, spiritual realization can be strengthened, manifested in the distinctive peculiarity of the individual mentality. In this case, individualism will acquire another, higher level of comprehension of its manifestation and direction of realization. M.S. Yanitsky's researches [5] confirm that value systems defining social behavior bear differences expressed in the level of life comprehension, self-fulfillment, regulation of social behavior.
We can assume that spiritual and moral values (love, kindness, honesty, compassion, humanity, mercy, etc.) are the basis of any culture, as a manifestation of the highest stage of self-realization. This is also confirmed by the research of several authors. Thus, Schwartz, S. H. [6] writes that there are basic values, distinguished by a universal dynamic structure, which are unconditionally recognized in any culture, determining special decisions and behavior through mechanisms. However, the distinction of values in terms of importance is carried out by the people themselves in each culture. Therefore, specific value priorities correlate with numerous behaviors and attitudes. As a result, values can even compete and influence people's behavior and attitudes, so compromises are necessary.
V. Ponizovskiy, L. Grigoryan, U. Kühnen, K. Boehnke [7] also describe the presence of basic values, their general structure, and general patterns in respect to values and attitudes determined by beliefs. According to the authors, it is the social structure that determines the direction of the motivational force of values and specifies patterns of behavior. A person's set of preferred values depends on the influences exercised on the personality during socialization.
The competition between values and social norms noted by the authors is interesting. Values, as fundamental general principles, apply to any situation, while societal norms apply only to a specific situation. They note that there is a conflict of "openness to change vs. integrity," that is, between openness to change and new experience and order, control, and restraint.
Studies of O. Y. Glukhova [8] also draw attention to the existence of metanorm (values: honesty, loyalty, mutual assistance, etc.), orientation on which can provide society a peaceful coexistence. The main thing, in this case, is reliance on common worldview bases, common laws of existence, and mutual influence of man and the surrounding world. The author makes an optimistic conclusion that the modern world is moving to the products of meaning-making through cognitive technologies and mental structures.
The existence of universals in the values' content and structure was emphasized by G.R. Maio [9]. Considering values through mentality, he defined values as mental representations, reflecting motivational tension and acting on a systemic level, including the abstract level and the level of fulfillment.
The matter of basic, fundamental values and motives for all peoples correlates with the integrity of each civilization as a unique distinctiveness, part of a single whole. In another study, O. Y. Glukhova [10] associates values and motives with cultural identity and civilizational identity, which must be preserved. She raises the question of Russia's refusal to copy Western cultural patterns that transform the life values of other nations. And emphasizes that in the era of global dialogue of cultures, there should not be an increasing tendency to preserve one single identity, a Western one, for example. This will lead to the gradual withdrawal of other types of identities from the world stage, as cultural values and patterns will begin to spread without reference to the civilization's inorganic body, i.e. to the objects of the material world.
The fact that civilization is a projective perspective of the view is also noted by N.B. Afanasov [11]. It is the cultural complexity of the modern world that leads to a significant loss of clarity in the meanings of personality concepts. V.M. Mezhuev [12] emphasizes that any civilization implies the existence of borders separating humanity in the present and the past, the cultural identity of people. Their separate existence has remained unchanged for centuries and there is no such power in the world to merge these worlds.
In this regard, N. Eremina [13] shows the need to acquire a national identity within the framework of the world culture and the globalized world in the course of the historiosophic comprehension of the existence of the country. L.S. Perepelkin [14] draws attention to what unites all the peoples of the country, namely the common historical memory formed traditionally as a result of territorial expansion and high consolidation of ethnic groups, and peculiarities of history. A special type of civilization emphasizes a unique socio-historical destiny, an original stereotype of behavior, and a certain tradition of relations with neighbors.
According to A.S. Sokolov and N.A. Stepanov [15], the appeal to the problems of civilizational identity, as a rule, occurs during the periods of complex, critical development of the subject when searching for the right vector of further way and correlating itself with the general context of world development. Options for development: searching for "one's" civilization and understanding one's place in the general civilizational context, or discovering one's civilizational essence and justifying one's type of civilization.
The authors emphasize that Russia, not having found a place in Western civilization, follows this path. It is important to live in its civilizational identity formed by a set of objective processes occurring in the depths of society and connected by social "staples" with the "generic", the deepest property of the subject, fixed in the generations and "protected" from particular and insignificant socio-cultural transformations. Deeper identity has little to do with the superstructure that emerges from dealing with the world of ideas.
By reconstructing the projects of Russian civilization proposed by Russian and foreign philosophers of the 19th and 20th centuries, Y.M. Reznik [16] has brought them closer to understanding the civilizational realities of modern Russia. He noted that most philosophers see Russia as a transcendental (the presence of "higher values" or "divine mission", etc.), human-dimensional (correspondence to human nature or the national character of society), intellectually mobile (the priority of science and education development), politically and economically stable civilization, where a reasonable balance of man and the socio-natural environment comes first.
The author highlighted projects based on the idea of the civilization's spiritual organization of life (H. Hegel, A. Schweitzer, and S. Huntington, etc.). So, according to Hegel, civilization should pass the stage of objective spirit development and be embodied in its moral idea, to revive the moral foundations of life, overcoming the contradiction between egoistic subjectivity, on the one hand, and the objective need to integrate different civilizational projects. According to A. Schweitzer, to develop the capacity for self-denial and self-improvement through the love of one's native land. According to S. Huntington, to complete the civilizational project by uniting the entire orthodox world.
Y.M. Reznik notes that Russia has: a great culture, a stable social structure, and the moral and creative properties of people. Russia takes into account the diversity of cultures, embedded in a common system -civilization. The idea of all-humanity is related to the identification of each subject with a common cause, ensuring "the unity of multiplicity." But still, the author concludes that to implement such a project in the modern world, it is necessary to pay attention to the virtues of Western civilization, which should be borrowed.
For example, as noted by I. E. Sokolovskaya and I. V. Volochkov [17], the desire of the West for hedonism and freedom can be transformed on the Russian platform in the form of E3S Web of Conferences 258, 07028 (2021) UESF-2021 https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202125807028 motivation for self-development, and the development of spiritual values will help drug addicts to reduce personal aggressiveness, anxiety and increase adaptive capabilities to society [18].

Conclusions
The analysis of the results allows us to draw the following conclusions: vital and social values are relevant for all respondents, schoolchildren, students, and working youth. These choices are influenced by modern socioeconomic factors. Spiritual and moral values, emphasizing the desire of young people for traditional culture, reliance on the mental base that protects the personality in times of crisis, remain in their entirety, with a decrease in several indicators, but with an increase in others.
Despite this, modern socio-economic conditions bring changes to the system of values. Therefore, numerous studies emphasize the need to take into account both the existence of basic fundamental values and motives, which are the basis of any culture and specific ones, characteristic for a particular civilization. Since each state has its way of development, being part of the multiple integrity while maintaining uniqueness in the unity. Russia is an example of taking into account the diversity of cultures of different peoples built into a common system -civilization. An example of combining the common and the special based on common basic spiritual and moral values.
In this regard, it becomes relevant to study the processes of spiritual and moral values' transformation as the basis of the identity of the people and its development; consideration of traditional values' essential stability and independence in the radically changing conditions of modernity; changing the structures of Russians' consciousness, as a result of the influence on the world of ideas, which are often poorly connected with the core identity; spiritual and moral values' study as the best internal condition for adaptation to the external, transformational conditions of life.