The Connection Between Personality and the Perception of Social Norms in the Adaptation to the Principles of Sustainable Development

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to identify the relationship between personality traits of student youth and the perception of social norms regulating adaptation to sustainable development principles. An empirical survey was conducted among 150 third- and fourth-year students of social and humanities specialities at L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University. The results showed that conscientiousness (M = 4.05; SD = 0.58), openness to experience (M = 3.95; SD = 0.63), and agreeableness (M = 3.87; SD = 0.65) were most strongly associated with the perception of sustainable development norms. Extraversion was moderate (M = 3.42; SD = 0.71), while negative emotionality was low (M = 2.76; SD = 0.74), indicating students' relative emotional stability. The highest support was observed for environmental responsibility (M = 4.12), reflecting students' participation in ecological initiatives and university programmes. Ethical consumption norms were also positively perceived (M = 3.88), although their practical implementation was limited by economic factors. The overall integral level of perception of social norms was M = 3.93 (SD = 0.57), indicating positive but incomplete assimilation of sustainable development values. The proposed model demonstrated the interaction between five-factor personality traits and cognitive, emotional-motivational, behavioural, and social-regulatory mechanisms. The findings may be used by university teachers and psychologists to develop programmes promoting sustainable development values and students' sociocultural competence.