Values and Attitudes to Ethnic Culture and Traditions as Predictors of Subjective Well-Being Among Russians and Kazakhs

Introduction. The article discusses the results of the study of the predictors of subjective well-being among representatives of two ethnic groups – Russians and Kazakhs from Russia and Kazakhstan. Values are the product of social creativity; they determine the type of adaptation, and also variations in the subjective well-being of the individual. This process occurs indirectly, through the correspondence of values and the realized activity. The main purpose of this study is to analyze values and attitudes to ethnic culture and traditions as predictors of subjective well-being. Methods. These were the Satisfaction With Life Scale (E. Diener et al.) modified by D. A. Leont'ev and E. N. Osin; Subjective Happiness Scale (Lyubomirsky & Lepper) modified by D. A. Leont'ev and E. N. Osin; the Ruff Scales of Psychological Well-Being modified by L. V. Zhukovskaya and E. G. Troshikhina; the Schwartz Value Inventory; authors' scales for revealing attitudes to ethnic culture and traditions. The study employed proportional sampling method; each sample comprised 75 persons (n = 300). Results. The study revealed new data about subjective well-being in the conditions of isolation and integration of ethnic groups. Almost all of the investigated values were similar. The representatives of a titular nation had a higher level of the “Independence: thoughts” value; the minority groups had a significantly lower level of this value in both cases. Values and attitudes to ethnic culture and traditions were the strongest predictors of psychological well-being. More definite value determination of life satisfaction and happiness was inherent in the representatives of the titular ethnic groups. Discussion. The paper considers the obtained results through the prism of ongoing changes in the two countries, characterizing two opposite tendencies – consolidation of titular ethnic groups and the adoption of multiculturalism.