ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the relationship between value orientations and lifestyles, social class and gender among 15-year-old young people. An exploration of value dimensions and factors associated with them showed that there is a group of values that are shared by many young people and that characteristics such as gender, social class or lifestyle were associated with these values only to a small extent. Given the massive social, economic, technological and political changes that have taken place in the late 20th century, lifestyles have gained particular significance as individual and collective expressions of differences and similarities. Individualism along with the Protestant work ethos were among the core of values supported by a sizeable group of young people. Striving for success by means of one’s own efforts and hard work remain in the heart of the Finnish work ethos according to the sociological literature.
