Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Communication developed the 7-dimensional Üsküdar Life Purposes Scale (ÜSYAM). The scale, applied to 1026 people aged 15-71 across Turkey, revealed that Generation Z statistically differs from other generations. The results indicate that Generation Z adopts behaviors such as aspiring to be popular, rapidly advancing in their careers, earning easy money and spending freely, aiming to enjoy life, avoiding goals that require effort, and preferring to live comfortably today rather than endure hardship for future investment…
An investigation was conducted with 1026 participants across Turkey, under the leadership of Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Aylin Tutgun Ünal from the Department of New Media and Journalism, within the scope of the scale developed under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan.
7-Dimensional Üsküdar Life Purposes Scale Applied to 1026 People
The “Üsküdar Life Purposes Scale (ÜSYAM)” was applied to 1026 people across Turkey. The average age of the participants, aged between 15 and 71, was 33. The average score obtained from the scale application was 104. The lowest possible score from the scale was 28, and the highest was 140. According to the scale score ranges, 28-65 was determined as low level, 66-102 as medium level, and 103-140 as high level. The score obtained was found to be slightly above the medium level.
No Gender Difference Found, Generation Gap Emerged
In the research, 1026 participants were grouped as Generation X, Y, and Z according to their age groups. It was revealed that Generation Z statistically differed from other generations. Accordingly, Generation Z received the lowest life purpose skills score. Generation Z scored 100.7 points from the total scale. This result showed that they demonstrated a medium level of ability to manage life purposes.
Being Popular, Easy Gain, and a Comfortable Life are Gen Z's Preferences…
The results obtained from individuals, the youngest of whom are 15 years old, identified as Generation Z, indicate that young people adopt behaviors such as aspiring to be popular, rapidly advancing in their careers, earning easy money and spending freely, aiming to enjoy life, avoiding goals that require effort, preferring to live comfortably today rather than enduring hardship for future investment, prioritizing their own needs, postponing family communication for success, and valuing their own happiness more than other things.
For Generation Z, whose problem-solving skills have not yet developed, studies are needed for concrete meaning skills, abstract meaning skills, death belief, gratification postponement skills, internal control skills, medium and long-term planning skills, and ego ideal perception. For this purpose, the “7-Dimensional Üsküdar Life Purposes Scale” was first developed to measure these skills. We cannot manage what we cannot measure. The scale will enable status determination to be made at regular intervals for future studies.
In the research, Generation Z was considered to be in the 15-29 age range, those between 30-45 years old were grouped as Generation Y, and those over 45 years old were grouped as Generation X. Generations X and Y scored close to each other on the scale, falling within the high-level range (107 points).
It was revealed that individuals aged 30 and over, who were the focus of the research as Generations X and Y, gave more importance to planning their future, family communication, and being beneficial to society. At the same time, it was concluded that individuals in their 30s, as well as those over 45, have started to contemplate thoughts about the afterlife and what kind of legacy they will leave after death.
Results Point to Values Education…
Generation Z individuals gave low scores to the statements in the scale regarding death belief, such as thinking about what would be written on their tombstone after death, whether they wanted to think about death, and how they would be remembered after death. Accordingly, it was observed that young people in the 15-29 age range had a low level of acceptance skills regarding the belief in death. While their excitement and desire to live in the moment manifested as distinct characteristics of Generation Z, it was revealed that they did not want to think about death. The research results point to the importance of providing values education to Generation Z. At Üsküdar Üniversitesi, steps have been taken for a project led by Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, encompassing studies on intergenerational communication, awareness of values, and education.
Validity and Reliability of the Scale Were Established
Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Aylin Tutgun Ünal stated that the validity and reliability studies of the Üsküdar Life Purposes Scale (ÜSYAM) were conducted using data collected from 1026 individuals. Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Aylin Tutgun Ünal provided the following information:
“Accordingly, the data set was divided into two, with exploratory factor analysis (EFA) applied to the 510-person section and confirmatory factor analysis to the 516-person section. The results of the exploratory factor analysis revealed that the scale consists of 7 dimensions. The explained variance of the scale was found to be 52%. This rate indicates a good level in social sciences. To validate the dimensions, a model was created in the AMOS program from the resulting 7 dimensions. The analyses showed that the goodness-of-fit results were at a sufficient level. The content of the items covering the dimensions was named. Accordingly, the scale can measure across the dimensions of “Concrete Meaning Skills”, “Death Belief”, “Gratification Postponement Skill”, “Abstract Meaning Skill”, “Internal Control Skill”, “Medium and Long-Term Planning Skill”, and “Ego Ideal Perception”.
The total scores obtained from the scale indicate 3 levels. Accordingly, 28-65 is evaluated as “Low Level”, 66-102 as “Medium Level”, and 103-140 as “High Level”. The obtained result reveals the ability to manage life purposes within 7 dimensions.
Items 1,2,4,26 of the scale measure concrete meaning skills, items 5,6,7 measure death belief, items 8,9,10,17 measure gratification postponement skill, items 11,19,20,22,23,28 measure abstract meaning skills, items 12,13,14,15 measure internal control skill, items 16,18,27 measure medium and long-term planning skill, and items 21,24,25 measure ego ideal perception.”
7-Dimensional Üsküdar Life Purposes Scale - ÜSYAM
For statements related to life purposes in the scale, participants indicate their frequency of agreement, rated as “Strongly Disagree”, “Slightly Disagree”, “Neutral”, “Slightly Agree” and “Strongly Agree” (Strongly Disagree: 1 point, Strongly Agree: 5 Points). After summing the scores given to the 28 items, the total score is evaluated according to the appropriate range.
Items other than 3, 6, 7, 11, 16, 18, 22, 27 should be reverse coded.
1. I dream of being rich.
2. I dream of being famous.
3. My greatest wish, above all else, is to be healthy.
4. Holding a high position is very important.
5. I don't really care how I will be remembered after I die.
6. What will be written on my tombstone after my life ends is important to me.
7. I pay attention to the steps I take to leave a good story behind.
8. I prefer to enjoy today rather than endure hardship to invest in the future.
9. When faced with difficulties, I don't push myself too hard; I change the subject.
10. I avoid goals for which I would have to endure hardship.
11. The concepts of “Flag”, “Homeland”, “God” hold great importance for me.
12. I don't like waiting for greater gains; getting results immediately is more important to me.
13. I cannot control my shopping addiction.
14. I fall in love easily.
15. When I get bored while studying or working, I stop immediately.
16. When doing work I don't like, I can continue by thinking about what it will bring me in the medium and long term.
17. I don't want to go through hardship to have more material possessions.
18. I dream of being a discoverer, inventor, or a Nobel laureate scientist who benefits humanity.
19. For me, my own needs are more prioritized than national values.
20. For me, my own needs are more prioritized than religious matters.
21. Succeeding in something I've worked hard on is more important than human relationships.
22. I believe in the saying, “The one who loves their homeland most is the one who performs their duty best.”
23. I prefer not to think about death and the afterlife.
24. I prefer to be admired and envied rather than being beneficial to society.
25. If the goal is to be more successful and happy, neglecting my family doesn't upset me much.
26. I highly value others speaking well of me.
27. I like taking some risks and doing new and different things.
28. My own happiness and desires are more important than many other matters.
Evaluation:
28-65 low level
66-102 medium level
103-140 high level