Influence of types of social identity of parents and children on value congruence among Russians in North Caucasus

On June 25, Zarina Lepshokova and Viktoria Galyapina (senior researchers at ISEL-SCR, Higher School of Economics, Moscow) took part in the «Culture matters» research seminar.

The presentation was called “Influence of types of social identity of parents and children on value congruence among Russians in North Caucasus”.

Russians are the largest ethnic group in Russia, comprising 81% of the general population. However, in some regions of Russia, Russians constitute an ethnic minority – for example, in North Ossetia – Alania. Another interesting scenario is when a group finds itself being an ethnic minority, but belongs to a religious majority. The study presented by Lepshokova and Galyapina is dedicated to the role of various social identity in value congruence between parents and children in Russian families in North Caucasus.

The sample was comprised of 454 participants. Participants were assessed with a measure of religious, ethnic, and national identity developed by M. Verkuyten, as well as with measures of republican and regional identities developed by ISEL-SCR. Participants were recruited from among Russian families in Kabardino-Balkaria and North Ossetia. The results showed that in North Ossetia – Alania and Kabardino-Balkaria, ethnonational, religious, and regional identity is passed from parents onto children. In Kabardino-Balkaria, levels of ethnonational identity predicted value congruence of children and their parents, and in North Ossetia – Alania, only levels of regional identity predicted value congruence. These results demonstrate the importance of identity in children, and its role in preserving heritage culture. Other variables being the same, children’s national identity promotes value congruence, showing that adaptation in the host society helps promote value congruence.