Stability and Change of Personal Value in South Korean Adolescents: The Effect of Social Networks

Abstract

Adolescence is a period of life when an individual’s values become differentiated. Moreover, social networks undergo changes throughout the school years, making this a suitable research area for confirming the effect of network composition on the formation of human values. In this study, we examined the stability and change of values among Korean adolescents, while assessing the influence of one’s social network on the importance and change of values. Our findings reveal that the importance of conservation values among Korean teenagers increases during mid-late adolescence, and that the self-transcendence value is a settled disposition. We argue that these changes arise from a specific social structure and culture in South Korea, where children assume adult roles at an earlier age. In addition, the structural equation model revealed that social support enhances individuals’ prosocial and post-materialistic values. Consequently, this research significantly contributes to the academic discourse by confirming the stability and changes in personal values during adolescence, while also considering the impact of social factors.