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PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES OF THE FORMALIZATION OF VALUES IN

REQUIREMENTS WITHIN A VALUE SYSTEM AND A MULTICULTURAL

SYSTEM

Baloglanova Leyla1

Eyyubova Mahizar2

Aghayeva Rugayya3

Asadullayeva Sariyya4

Abstract: In this article, values in a multicultural environment are systematically analyzed in a bro-

ad sense and from various perspectives. Numerous theoretical approaches to this issue are grouped.

It is also noted that the currently existing approaches to values lead to differences in their structure.

In this context, the transformation of national-moral values among students divides young people

into different camps. The main purpose of the study is to determine the formation of students’ value

orientations, the changes that occur in them, and the role of socio-psychological factors in this pro-

cess. According to the results of the experimental study, age is one of the main factors that directs

the transformation of values. As age increases and the inuence of the social environment grows,

moral categories in the hierarchy of values are replaced by material categories. The study showed that

for student youth in a multicultural environment, an adequate assessment of moral values directly

depends on their intellectual level and worldview. It was found that high intelligence and a broad

knowledge base in young people allow them to adapt to a new environment within cultural diversity,

1 Psychology student of SABAH Groups Baku State University Baku, Azerbaijan. Orcid: https://

orcid.org/0009-0008-7865-6145

2 Psychology student of SABAH Groups Baku State University Baku, Azerbaijan. Orcid: https://

orcid/org 0009-0006-2043-0624

3 Psychology student of SABAH Groups Baku State University Baku, Azerbaijan. Orcid: https://

orcid.org/0009-0000-9903-6457

4 Psychology student of SABAH Groups Baku State University Baku, Azerbaijan. Orcid: https://

orcid.org/0009-0000-4474-0842

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preserving their conservative status despite external pressures. In conclusion, it can be stated that to

prevent the deformation of moral values, students’ self-awareness and understanding of their national

identity, along with the development of their analytical thinking skills, play a leading role in regula-

ting their behavior.

Keywords: students, multicultural environment, values, transformation, youth

İntroduction

A multicultural environment is a social space characterized by diverse religions, ethnic ba-

ckgrounds, and tolerance. Every year, hundreds of students from various countries and cities come

together to bring different cultures together. Here, their tolerant behavior toward one another and their

adaptation to the environment inuence the formation of students’ personalities and value orientations.

Both the negative and positive effects of cultural integration manifest in their value systems. Students

who are exposed to different cultures learn new customs and traditions, compare them to the habits

they are accustomed to, and form a universal personality (Kapterev, 1982). Values are studied within

the scope of the social and humanitarian sciences, particularly philosophy, psychology, and sociology.

From a philosophical perspective, Socrates and Plato, unlike other thinkers, emphasized the existence

of internal objectivity. More precisely, according to Socrates, there are truths that are universal to

humanity, that is, values. (Najafov, 2025) However, as research shows, multicultural environments

clearly demonstrate the dynamic nature and transformation of values. In such an environment rich in

cultural diversity, social-psychological factors—including intra-group and inter-group interactions—

play a role in the formation and development of students’ values. According to Schwartz’s (2012)

theory of fundamental human values, an individual’s value orientation is the fundamental basis that

lays the groundwork for their adaptation to different cultural environments. While Schwartz views

values as a relatively stable internal compass, according to Berry (1997), values serve as an internal

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scale. In this regard, it should be noted that according to the acculturation model, students’ adapta-

tion in a multicultural environment depends on the strategy the individual chooses. (Berry, 1997) It

is concluded that students with an integrative strategy are able to balance their value systems across

different environments. This study investigates the psychosocial factors that inuence the formation

of students’ value systems in a multicultural environment and examines their role.

Literature review

The reaction of members of social groups in a society to cultural diversity has resulted in

the emergence of monolithic, plural, and multicultural environments. (Cox & Blake, 1991). What dis-

tinguishes a multicultural environment from others is that cultural diversity is a core value. In other

words, each group member is encouraged to embrace the values of other groups and to respect the

uniqueness of the individual (DeSensi, 1994). Individuals belonging to the same culture share a com-

mon language, space, symbols, values, beliefs, and goals. All of these are part of the meaning-making

process that creates a foundation for the connection between the individual and the culture. (Bruner,

1990; Shweder, 1990). The value system and norms of the mine play an important role in how students

adapt to the educational process and communicate with teachers. These are social, cultural, value,

and psychological components. (Häyrynen et al., 2021; Jabbarov, 2021; Vakil, 2021). Students from

different religions, languages, ethnicities, and statuses come together in the same educational space.

Changes in the educational process, such as the creation of opportunities to study in different loca-

tions, result in an increase in the multicultural environment. Thus, students learn new behaviors, but

it is noted that various barriers are still created for both teachers and students (Yerken & Nguyen Luu,

2022). Some studies focus on the specic problem of teaching Muslim women, which is extremely re-

levant for many countries (Harum et al., 2024; Orhani, 2023). Culture is one of the means of inuence

to which people are exposed and exists outside the individual. Additionally, it has been noted that such

an inuence of culture manifests in people in the form of stimuli that direct attention to the individual

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or to the group, or to material or spiritual values. (Schwartz, 2014). This inuence is also reected in

the language structure, specically in the use of pronouns. (Kashima & Kashima, 1998). Values also

stem from culture. In other words, the ethnic afliations and groups that unite individuals play a sig-

nicant role in their emergence. (Boehnke, Hadjar, Baier, 2007). Culture itself consists of a number of

fundamental elements. Our habits and customs in society and our values not only shape our existing

beliefs but also create the conditions for the emergence of new, non-existent values. In particular,

values arise not only from moral or religious systems but also from the collective social behavior and

practices of society. Customs and traditions, which emerge from cultural practices and social norms,

can serve as both an expression of values and their source. (Najafov, 2025; Jabbarov et al, 2024; Jabba-

rov and İbrahimova, 2013). The concept of value is inherently complex and multidimensional, attrac-

ting extensive research across disciplines such as philosophy, sociology, psychology, anthropology,

social psychology, and theology. Each of these elds provides direct or indirect information about the

nature, origin, and scope of values. Broadly dened, values can be understood as abstract, generalized

behavioral norms that arise within social groups and are based on emotional commitments to shared

goals and standards of behavior. (Folstein, 1986; Jabbarov, 2021; Jabbarov, 2018).

To understand the evolution of value systems, one must look at the historical-philosophical

paradigms on which these values are based. Philosophical approaches provide a foundational lens

through which the concept of value can be evaluated. In classical antiquity, the Sophists were among

the rst thinkers to propose the relativity of values. They argued that moral standards were context-

-dependent and subject to human perception. In contrast, Socrates and Plato defended the objectivity

of values. Socrates argued that values have an internal, objective existence, while Plato claimed that

moral truths exist in a realm of absolute forms, where ethical concepts are either “right” or “wrong”

regardless of individual or cultural variation. Aristotle expanded this line of thought, linking value to

an objective dimension grounded in existence itself. (Loxton et al., 2001; Jabbarov, 2021).

In modern times, Immanuel Kant was the rst to systematically problematize value. For

Kant, values were rooted in rational autonomy and the categorical imperative. In contrast, existentia-

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list thought, particularly as developed by Jean-Paul Sartre, rejected the notion of pre-existing value

systems. Sartre argued that there is no intrinsic realm of values external to human activity; rather,

values are created through individual freedom and existential commitment. In this view, value does

not precede being, but arises from it. Similarly, Martin Heidegger criticized the articial separation

of value and being, describing such a bifurcation as a fundamental ontological error. From these

perspectives, value becomes a construct situated within the existential conditions of human beings.

Philosopher Paul Hanley Furfey argues that values arise only in existing entities; the more a pheno-

menon can be determined, the more it is valued, and the more abstract it is, the more it is perceived

in the exact opposite way. Therefore, value manifests as a volitional quality in relation to the human

perception of human and object relationships.

Thus, the value system serves as a regulatory framework, mediating between social reexes,

ontological realities, and epistemological prejudices. This facilitates alignment between individual

worldviews and the broader structures of social life. Despite ongoing theoretical research on concepts

of morality and ethics, signicant contradictions and uncertainties remain in both academic and prac-

tical spheres. Schwartz has sought to identify the values that play a signicant role in people’s lives,

which are fundamental in any sphere of life and in any situation. According to Schwartz, the source

of values is based on the 3 universal requirements of the human being, a universal entity; the needs of

individuals as biological organisms, the demands of coordinated social interaction, and the needs for

survival and well-being of groups. (Schwartz, 1994; Jabbarov, 2018).

If a person holds a certain value, that value will retain its essence in any situation. Therefore,

people’s value system will inuence their attitudes, behaviors, and decision-making (Schwartz, 1992,

2006). Schwartz’s (1992) theory shows that all people in the world are united around ten core values,

but the interrelationship between these values is different for everyone. Some of these values comple-

ment each other, while others are in conict. Additionally, Schwartz (2012) created the “circular struc-

ture of values” to more clearly illustrate these values. Schwartz’s (2006) theory of values explores the

relationship between human behavior and values. He states that every behavior a person performs

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arises from a balance between opposing values. In other words, for any given action to occur, one

value is activated, while its opposing value is necessarily suppressed. From this perspective, although

values are considered constant, research clearly shows that they are subject to transformation. Analy-

sis of the results indicates that values are dynamic. Furthermore, even during the formation stage,

values are subject to transformation and transmission. (Kuczynski & Navara, 2006). A transformation

occurs in the value system of adolescents and young people, both in its explicit and implicit forms. It

should be noted that this process is particularly evident in a modern transitional and multicultural en-

vironment. (Grebennikova et al., 2019: Vakil, 2021). Many experimental studies have been conducted

on the inuence of the environment on values. It has been found that the value systems of adolescents

and young people in urban and rural areas align more with the values of their peers than with those of

their parents. Additionally, it has been determined that differences also exist in the value systems of

adolescents and young people in urban and rural areas, with demographic factors playing a key role

in the emergence of these differences. (Jabbarov, 2021).

Methodology

The study was conducted among students from various majors at Baku State University. The

purpose is to identify the psychosocial factors that inuence the formation of students’ value systems

in a multicultural environment. The Kolhberg Method and a Questionnaire were used during the

study. N=150 students participated in the study. The student population consisted of 50% male and

50% female students. Based on age range, 50 participants were in the 18-20 age category, 50 in the

21-23 category, and 50 in the 24-26 category. Based on their academic performance, participants were

classied into 3 groups: 50 poor, 50 good, and 50 excellent. The Kohlberg methodology is named

after Lawrence Kohlberg, and his theory of moral development states that cognitive development pro-

gresses through three levels of moral reasoning (Kohlberg, 1984; Rita, 2018). As emphasized by Dr.

Rita (2018), Kohlberg identied three levels of moral judgment: pre-conventional, conventional, and

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post-conventional. “Each level corresponds to increasingly complex stages of moral development.”

(Rita, 2018, p. 43).

Results

Table 1. Attitude toward movement by gender and education variables

Gender Attitude towards action Attitude toward education Tot al

Bad Average Good

Girl İt depends on the situation 8 7 3 18

İncorrect 11 5 6 22

Correct 613 16 35

Tot al 25 25 25 75

Boy İt depends on the situation 8 6 3 17

İncorrect 12 7 5 24

Correct 512 17 34

Tot al 25 25 25 75

As the table shows, differences in attitude toward the action are inuenced by worldview and

intellectual level. Overall, when students approached the given situation from a moral perspective,

they correctly evaluated the behavior. Although average and good students correctly assessed the

given situation from a moral standpoint, when measuring the attitude of poor-performing male and

female students toward the action, a result was obtained indicating a misjudgment by the students.

Although both male and female students considered the action to be correct, the female students were

more assertive in defending their opinions than the male students.

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Table 2. Preferred values of respondents by gender and age

Gender Values Age Tot al

18-20 21-23 24-26

Girl Friendship 56516

Fairness 10 7320

Money 6813 27

Fame and Glory 44412

Tot al 25 25 25 75

Boy Friendship 77418

Fairness 10 410 24

Money 5611 22

Fame and Glory 38011

Tot al 25 25 25 75

Young students aged 18-20 have placed importance on “Fairness”. Male students outnum-

ber female students. Students in this age group are mainly in their second and third years. At this

stage, the value in second place for female students was “Money”, while for male students it was

“Friendship”. In the responses of 21-23-year-old students, however, certain changes in their value

system are already evident. In female students in this age group, the value of “Money” has taken pre-

cedence compared to those aged 18-20. In male students of this age, however, the value of “Fame” has

come to the fore. Trends towards self-afrmation and thoughts about the future are having an impact.

As the table shows, the value of “Fairness” ranks last among male students. The reason for this is that,

when students were asked, it was determined that the experience of certain negative situations during

their education has an impact. Looking at the responses of students aged 24-26, a sharp increase in the

value of wealth is noticeable. For female students, the value of “Money” is a priority. Moral qualities

have been replaced by the values of wealth. As students grow older and their worldview develops,

their perspective suggests that having a normal level of money—through social status, prestige, and

economic well-being—plays a crucial role in the preservation of other spiritual values. When consi-

dering gender, the values of “Money” and “Fame” are dominant among girls, whereas “Friendship”

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and “Fairness” are preferred by boys. The study showed that whilst students in earlier age groups

offered unsubstantiated responses when commenting on actions, in later years they substantiated their

answers with rationally thought-out explanations.

Discussion and Conclusion

Based on the research ndings, it was determined that contradictory aspects were identied

in the value system of students. A conict is observed among students, as they strive to preserve

moral values, while on the other hand, material values that are important in real life take precedence.

The respondents’ answers indicate that in a multicultural environment, students’ adequate unders-

tanding of values depends on their intellectual level, level of knowledge, gender, and cognitive level.

The results of our study are indirectly consistent with a number of studies. (Jabbarov, 2018; Jabbarov

et al., 2024; Mustavayev, 2025). The results of the study suggest that the formation of a value system

is one of the core components of personality. The emergence of values depends on the factors of the

socio-psychological environment. The correct development of values is possible through enhancing

the ability of self-awareness. To achieve this, one must master the skills of introspection and analysis-

-synthesis. The study is limited by the small number of respondents and the fact that it was conducted

only among a specic university and age group. The research ndings show that values play a role in

directing students’ behaviour. As students get older, they place a higher value on moral actions, while

their tendency to assess actions as situationally dependent decreases. A multicultural environment

enables students to have an adequate self-perception, possess national values, and understand their

moral and psychological parameters at a high level.

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