Stability and change in value consensus of ethnic Estonians and Russian-speaking minority

The present study addresses stability and change in value consensus among ethnic Estonians and Russian-speaking minority in terms of the 10 value types defined by Schwartz, the nature of group differences, and the structure of value change. European Social Survey data from four rounds (in the years 2004, 2006, 2008, & 2010) about responses to a 21-item version of the Portrait Values Questionnaire were used. The authors expected a decrease in value consensus of ethnic Estonians and Russian-speaking minority after the “monument war” in 2007. The study found that value consensus has been in four rounds relatively stable, except a drop in 2006. Value priorities of ethnic Estonians and Russian-speaking minority in the youngest age group (under 20 years) diverged after 2004. Older people have bigger consensus than younger ones. As expected, ethnic Estonians placed more importance on values related to openness to change and self-transcendence, and less importance on conservation and self-enhancement. Older people considered values related to conservation and self-transcendence more important, but those related to openness to change and self-enhancement less important than younger people. Value change was related to belonging to majority or minority groups as well as the age and gender of respondents. The pattern of value change among ethnic Estonians followed, but among Russian-speaking minority differed from the theoretical model. The study shows that values of people in formative years are likely to be extremely sensitive to concrete historical events and their interpretation.