Sens życia i hierarchia wartości młodzieży klas maturalnych Tarnowa na podstawie badań przeprowadzonych w wybranych szkołach Tarnowa

Abstract

The article deals with the perception of the sense of life as well as recognized values among Tarnów secondary scholl leavers. The survey was carried out in 1994 within a group of 452 secondary school leavers, which consisted of 236 girls and 216 boys. The following conclusion have been attained: 1. More than a half of the school leavers surveyed, i.e. 51,8% often dwell on the sense of their life; 43,4% seldom do it; only 2,2% answered in the negative. 2. The secondary school leavers are afraid of wasting life (64,4%), of various threats against themselves: diseases, disability (56%), breaking bonds with the closest people (64,4%). 3. The surveyed very highly value the principle of the love of one's neighbour. As many as 60% believe in the validity of the disinterested help to others. 4. There are considerable discrepancies between the values considered to “exist” and values which “should exist” E.g. patriotism is valued by 19,5% of the surveyed, even though it “should be” valued by 70,4%. 5. Only one fourth of the surveyed (26,8%) acknowledge that moral principles are to be strictly observed. More than a half (50,7%) tend to recognise moral principles in situational and conformist terms. 19,7% of the surveyed are prepared to react “flexibly” 6. In the light of the survey the overall picture of the secondary school leavers seems to be quite varied and, at the same time, moderately optimistic.