Family Life and Marital Values of the School-Leaving Youth in Sandomierz

Abstract

The aim of this study is a diagnosis, not an assessment, of the social fact constituted by the moral self-awareness of the school-leaving youth in Sandomierz in reference to the family life and marital values accepted by them. The problems raised in the study aim to reveal the extent of the influence of the cultural context, which undoubtedly contradicts the traditional values in this field, on the moral condition of the young generation facing decisions and life choices. Taking into consideration the dynamic character of the valuation orientations changing under the influence of the so-called West, it seems interesting to analyze the moral condition of the youth at the declarative level. The author turns our attention to the question whether there exists a continuity or a change in the inter-generation transmission of values? How the researched perceive the necessary conditions and effectiveness of this process? The traditional moral values referring to marriage life are particularly endangered by the change caused by the liberal and permissive trends. Within the framework of the analyzed problems, the author has asked several questions. Is the morality of marriage-family life more conservative, or more liberal among the researched youths? Is the model of morality accepted by the researched youths characterized by relativism, utilitarianism and disbelief in the existence of an objective truth? In what relationship do the catholic norms of sexual morality and behaviours accepted in this field remain in the perception of the youth?