The role of education in the formation of values and value orientations among adolescents

In this paper is discussed the concept of values and value orientations, as to the role of education in the process of their forming among adolescents from middle and late adolescence. Presented and discussed are the results of a larger research regarding the differences in values and value orientations in adolescents with different kind of education and: а) adolescents learning religious subjects and ethics b) adolescents learning ethics and c) adolescents learning neither religious subjects, nor ethics. The findings obtained testify for the presence of differences in the system of values in adolescents with different educational type as regarding the following instrumental values: cooperation, honesty, determination, capability, assistance, clarity, generosity, logics and competing. There are also differences regarding the terminal values: an exciting life, peace in the world, self-respecting, peace of mind, equality, economic welfare, pleasure and social justice. As regarding to the examined life styles, differences are found between the examined groups of adolescents in the following value orientations: family, altruistic, utilitary, popular and individual, as to religious, hedonism and power.