Global Human Behaviour in Transition: Examining the Role of Culture, Technology, and Social Interaction in Shaping Individual and Collective Action

Abstract

The study examines the influence of cultural values, social trust, and digital participation on individual and collective action in contemporary global societies. As human behaviour is increasingly shaped by globalization, technological connectivity, and evolving social structures, there is a growing need for integrated behavioural research that explains how cultural, relational, and digital factors jointly influence action across diverse contexts. To address this need, the study adopted a quantitative cross-sectional design based on secondary data analysis of the World Values Survey (WVS) Wave 7. The analysis focused on key constructs related to cultural values, trust, digitally mediated participation, and behavioural engagement using a large cross-national sample. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and multiple regression techniques were applied to examine the relationships among the study variables. The findings revealed that cultural values, social trust, and digital participation all had significant positive effects on individual and collective action. Among these predictors, digital participation emerged as the strongest factor, indicating the growing importance of online engagement in shaping behavioural expression and civic involvement. Social trust also played a substantial role in supporting cooperation and participatory behaviour, while cultural values continued to provide the normative basis for action across societies. The study concludes that global human behaviour is best understood through a multidimensional framework that integrates cultural, social, and digital influences. These findings contribute to interdisciplinary behavioural scholarship and offer practical implications for policymakers, educators, and organizations seeking to foster meaningful participation in culturally diverse and digitally connected environments.