English,Israeli‐Arab and Saudi Arabian Adolescent Values

This paper compares the results of three surveys. The subjects comprise 96 adolescents in an English comprehensive school, 118 Arab adolescents in three schools in Israel and 89 adolescents in two schools in Saudi Arabia. The first and last groups of subjects have a modal age of 14 years whereas the majority of the second group are 15 years of age. The open‐ended questionnaire comprised 10 prompts designed to elicit responses concerning ideals and least ideals, most and least preferred companions, use of solitude, summum bonum, most and least desired outcomes to life and nascent philosophies. Two methods of analysis were used. First, references to dominant themes were totalled; secondly, responses were assigned to six categories according to the dominant values expressed from materialistic to altruistic. Similarities but also significant differences were found in the dominant themes and significant differences were also apparent in the values that were expressed. Most marked was the high value placed on parents and friendship by the English young people, the importance attached to education by the Israeli‐Arab group and the prominence given to Islam by the Saudi Arabian adolescents.