1. VALUES IN THE LAST 50 YEARS.
EUROHUMAN-CENTERED EDUCATION FOR A PEASEFUL WORLD
SURVEY OF CHANGED
VALUES IN THE LAST 50 YEARS.
BULGARIA
The survey was carried out in December 2016.

2. SURVEY OBJECTIVES THE RESPONDENTS
Monitoring the changes of the values of the Bulgarians as major outlook objectives, the variation in their significance, and their changes as guiding principles in life.
THE RESPONDENTS
50 people
25 men
25 women

3. Aged up to 30 years old
Aged between 31-50
Aged between 51-70 16 20 14
7 women
9 men
12 women
8 men
6 women
8 men

4. PICTURE OF THE PROFESSIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE INTERVIEWED
The economics area
The service areas
Creative professions
Students 14 16 12 8
6 girls
8 boys
8 women
8 men
8 women
4 men
2 women
6 men

5. QUESTIONNAIRE GRADING SCALE
Evaluation of 8 moral values based on 5 degree scale.
Choice of 5 moral categories specifying the current lifetime.
Choice of 5 moral categories specifying the lifetime 50 years ago.
Contemporary societal values fitting the needs of modern times.
GRADING SCALE
1 – low
2 – average (little importance)
3 – good (not so important)
4 – important
5 – very important

6. MORAL VALUES RANKING BASED ON A SCALE OF 5
Harmony and peace in human relationships - 4,63
Love and respect for family values - 4,56
Amicability - 4,54
Protection of the fundamental human virtues - 4,39
Tolerance - 4,23
Generosity - 4,14
Compassion - 4,10
Acceptance and respect of customs imposed by religions or cultures in the immediate surroundings - 3,58

7. CONCLUSIONS All moral values are rated very high.
Harmony in relationships takes the leading place, as it closely pinpoints adherence to a whole set of values.
The dynamics of change in the Bulgarian society from collectivism to individualism, the education gaps, and the slow adjustment of stereotypes after the change, afflict the people and make them more sensitive to accepting different traditions and cultures.

8. COMPARISON OF THE BASIC MORAL VALUES BY AGE AND GENDER

9. peace in human relationships – 4.63
Moral
values
Up to 30 years old
31-50 years old
51-70 years old
Women
Men
1. Harmony and
peace in human relationships – 4.63
Important
Very Important
2. Acceptance and respect of customs imposed by religions or cultures in the immediate surroundings – 3.58
Average
Good
3. Amicability – 4.54
4. Tolerance – 4.23

10. 7. Love and respect for family values – 4.56
Moral
values
Up to 30 years old
31-50 years old
51-70 years old
Women
Men
5. Compassion – 4.10
Very Important
Good
Important
6. Generosity – 4.14
7. Love and respect for family values – 4.56
8. Protection of the fundamental human virtues – 4.39

11. CONCLUSIONS
All respondents assess the fundamental moral values as important, and there is unanimity among the society with regards to the understanding of good and evil.
In the group aged from 51 to 70 the values are assessed as very important due to their longer life experience.
Higher assessments by the women due to their stronger sentiments and greater tolerance in communicating.
Average assessments by the men up to 30 years old and up to 50 years old, and by the women up to 30 years old of category No. 2 which is due to gaps in their upbringing and education.

12. COMPARISON OF THE FUNDAMENTAL MORAL VALUES BASED ON PROFESSIONAL FULFILLMENT

13. Qualification
Students
Service area
Area of economics
Creative profession
Up to age 30
Aged 31-50
Aged 51-70
Aged
31-50
1. Harmony and peace in human relationships – 5.63
4.13
4.81
5.00
4.5 4
4.30
4.75
2. Acceptance and respect of customs imposed by religions or cultures in the immediate surroundings – 3.58
3.19
3.72
3.80
4.12
4.3
3.20
3. Amicability – 4.54
4.25
4.72
4.80
4.11
4.66
3.66
4. Tolerance – 4.23
4.06
4.27
4.40
3.77 5

14. Qualification
Students
Service area
Area of economics
Creative profession
Up to age 30
Aged 31-50
Aged 51-70
Aged
31-50
5. Compassion– 4.10
3.81
4.09
4.40
3.77
4.3
4.66
4.50
6. Generosity – 4.14
3.75
4.04
4.60
3.66 4
7. Love and respect for family values – 4.56
4.18
4.81
4.80
4.55
4.75
8. Protection of the fundamental human values – 4.39
4.06
4.44
4.30

15. CONCLUSIONS
Highest are the assessments of the third age group regardless of their professional orientation.
Lowest are the assessments of those working in the area of economics aged 31 – 50. /The reasons are due to the great difficulties this age group had to overcome in the process of economic reforms in Bulgaria after 1989./

16. MORAL CATEGORIES REFERRED TO AS DETERMINING THE SOCIETY TODAY

17. BY GENDER Women Men Egoism Careerism Indifference Individualism
Nihilism
Lust for power
Individualism
Indifference
Careerism
Nihilism
Lust for power

18. BY AGE Up to 30 years old Aged 31-50 Aged 51-70 Individualism
Indifference
Egoism
Lust for power
Pragmatism
Careerism
Nihilism
Nihilism
Careerism
Individualism
Egoism
Indifference
Patriotism
Collectivism
Courage
Careerism
Individualism
Egoism
Pragmatism
Indifference
Conformism
Valour

19. Working in the service area
BY PROFESSION
Students
Working in the service area
Individualism
Indifference
Careerism
Nihilism
Egoism
Pragmatism
Lust for power
Individualism
Careerism
Egoism
Indifference
Lust for power

20. Working in the area of economics
Creative professions
Working in the area of economics
Indifference
Egoism
Nihilism
Individualism
Careerism
Careerism
Conformism
Egoism
Indifference
Freedom

21. CONCLUSIONS
The chosen moral categories suggest an overall negative assessment of the reality. Reasons: unprepared for the change, slow process of change, alteration of the values, etc.
Differences in the moral categories, delineating the society by age groups:
Aged 31 to 50 – patriotism and collectivism
Aged 51 to 70 – valour and collectivism
There are no differences in the professional groups except for “lust for power” (for those working the area of economics)

22. WHAT WERE THE FOREMOST MORAL CATEGORIES 50 YEARS AGO?
By Age
Up to 30 years old
Aged 31 – 50
Aged 51 – 70
Freedom
Patriotism
Respect
Diligence
Collectivism
Compassion
Valour

23. By profession Students In the service area In the area of economics
Creative profession
Freedom
Collectivism
Diligence
Valour
Respect
Patriotism
Compassion
Love
Courage

24. CONCLUSIONS
Both genders equally assess diligence, collectivism, respect, and patriotism.
By age groups - the difference of the group up to 30 years old stands out compared to the other two groups. The lack of collectivism and patriotism could be explained by the fact that today they have been replaced by other values referred to as more significant.

25. WHAT UNIVERSAL VALUES SHOULD BE FORMED TODAY

26. BY GENDER Women Men Love Patriotism Diligence Respect Freedom
Compassion
Love
Patriotism
Diligence
Respect
Courage
Compassion

27. BY AGE Aged up to 30 Aged 31-50 Aged 51-70 Love Courage Patriotism
Diligence
Respect
Compassion
Love
Collectivism
Compassion
Respect
Pragmatism
Diligence
Love
Patriotism
Compassion
Collectivism
Respect

28. BY PROFESSION Students In the service area Love Collectivism
Compassion
Respect
Pragmatism
Love
Patriotism
Diligence
Respect
Compassion

29. In the area of economics
Creative profession
Love
Patriotism
Diligence
Respect
Freedom
Love
Patriotism
Diligence
Respect
Freedom

30. CONCLUSIONS
The three age groups identify as important today similar moral values. Hence, there are no contradictions between the generations concerning the values.
In the comparison of the values by profession – patriotism is lacking with the students group, indicating a lack of sufficient education and upbringing in this field in the society, in the family, in school.

31. GENERAL CONCLUSIONS
The results display an impact of change of the values in the Bulgarian society over the last 50 years.
All moral values have high and very high assessment. The higher scores in the age group could be explained by the life experience gained and the concern and empathy formed throughout.
The differences in the assessments between age groups are not as a result of unsolvable contradictions, but due to the age priority changes, the different values referred to as dominating for its time. Each group substantiates its way of thinking and behavior.

32. GENERAL CONCLUSIONS
The assessment differences between women and men are due to the greater emotionality of the women and the greater importance of the moral qualities for them.
The changing Bulgarian society displays priority values related to individualism, personal responsibility, and prosperity. Collectivism and patriotism fall in the background when assessing the values importance.
The changes in the Bulgarian society have a slow influence on the stereotypes accumulated throughout. They also a reason, alongside with the continued lack of adequate state and media policy, for the average scores in accepting different cultures and traditions.

33. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION! :)