Abstract
In contemporary society, the transformation of social behavior and life priorities among young people has become a relevant object of scientific inquiry. This article presents a comprehensive sociological analysis of the role of sports and physical culture in the value system of Kazakhstani youth aged 18–25. The study examines the socio-structural, cultural, and motivational determinants of the gap between the declarative support for sports and the actual physical activity of young people. The research was conducted using a mixed-methods approach: a secondary analysis of data from the Youth Research Center (2023) was carried out, along with in-depth interviews with urban residents of Almaty and Astana (n=15). The findings revealed that, although the majority of urban respondents recognize sports as an important life value, the proportion of those who exercise regularly is significantly lower than their stated positions. Qualitative analysis identified time scarcity, economic inaccessibility, digital passivity, and psychological pressure from the media industry as dominant factors preventing intentions from translating into actual behavior. The scientific significance of the study lies in substantiating the intention-behavior gap phenomenon using domestic data, as well as in applying an integrative analytical framework that combines the concepts of symbolic capital, the theory of planned behavior, and digital habitus.