Motivational Aspects of Demographic Behavior of the Population in Post-Soviet Countries

The article presents a comprehensive analysis of the relationship between human motivational activities, presented as key value orientations, such as attitude towards family, subjective health and life satisfaction, and key demographic indicators, such as fertility, mortality, marriage and divorce, natural growth, etc., in post-Soviet countries, based on World Values Survey (WVS) data and national statistics from 1990 to 2021. Pearson correlation coefficients have been calculated between the changes in various categories of responses to questions about value and changes in demographic indicators in countries of the Former USSR, including Russia, Ukraine, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan. The results indicate strong and statistically significant correlations between changes in well-being and demographic trends, such as increased birth rates and decreased mortality, when family values strengthen and life satisfaction increases. Conversely, weakening traditional attitudes leads to demographic decline. Mechanisms underlying these relationships are discussed in the context of second demographic transition theory. Results are compared to international studies using WVS data, suggesting the importance of population value systems as a motivational basis for success in state demographic policies, as there is a statistical correlation between values and resulting demographic behaviors. This conclusion extends to measures related to not only reproductive attitudes and birth rates, but also subjective well-being, self-preserving behaviors, and other demographic outcomes.