Basic Values in Europe

Shalom SchwartzThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem

ESS Launch ConferenceBrussels

November 25, 2003

As a guiding principle in your life, how important

is: equality loyalty

wealth ambition obedience

pleasure creativity humility social orderan exciting life

What are basic values? Basic values are beliefs about desirable goals in life. Values are intrinsically positive (unlike goals) Values apply across situations--all (e.g., honesty, security,

freedom) apply at work, in the family, and with friends People’s values form a fairly stable hierarchy of relative

importance (success>hedonism>security)

Relative importance of values is crucial to decisions Take a new job and move family?

(achievement & stimulation vs. security & benevolence)

Why are values important? Functions of valuesmotivate choice of behavior--what we dojustify past behavior--why we do itstandards to evaluate people & events--

who and what we like, underlie our attitudes

direct attention and perception--what we notice

Inferring Basic Values in SurveysSurveys typically measure values with attitude

questions in specific life domains (religion, morality, politics, work, etc.).

Infer underlying basic value orientations from responses to these specific questions (e.g., materialism, individualism)

But meanings of responses depend on specific social and economic conditions (e.g., meaning of “give people more say in government” depends on whether one favors or opposes current government policies)

UniversalismSelf-

Direction

Stimulation

Hedonism

Achievement

Power

Benevolence

Security

Conformity Tradition

Self-Enhancement

Openness to Change

Conservation

Self-Transcendence

Obedience Humility Devoutness

Helpfulness

Social Justice, Equality

Creativity, Freedom

Exciting Life

Pleasure

Success, Ambition

Authority, Wealth

Social Order

Organized by motivational similarities and dissimilarities

Empirical Tests of Theory

75,000 + respondents, varied samples in 68 countries

Instrument lists 57 abstract value items

“How important is each item as a guiding principle in your life?”

Near Universal Content & Structure

Each of 10 values distinguished in vast majority of countries

Comprehensive: Added items identified no other values

Oppositions present in virtually all countries Openness vs. Conservation

Self-Enhancement vs. Self Transcendence10 values ordered around circle as theorized in

vast majority of countries

Some Correlates of Value PrioritiesReplicated across Countries

voting for conservative vs liberal parties

adopting technological innovations

environmentally friendly attitudes, activities

religiosity [6 monotheistic religions]

SE/PO vs UN/SD

ST/SD vs SE/TR/CO

UN/SD vs PO/AC

TR/CO vs HE/STSelf-Direction

STimulation

UNiversalism

BEnevolence

COnformity

Hedonism

AChievement

POwer SEcurity

TRadition

ESS Basic Values Instrument

Need easy instrument for heterogeneous samples 21 items, each portraying a person in terms of one

value (goal) that is important to him/herIt's very important to him to help the people

around him. He wants to care for their well-being. (BE)

Respondent rates how similar that person is to me Indirectly reveals what values are more or less

important to self

1.Thinking up new ideas and being creative is important to her. She likes to do things in her own original way. (Self-Direction)

1 2 3 4 5 6

2. It is important to her to be rich. She wants to have a lot of money and expensive things. (Power)

1 2 3 4 5 6

3. She thinks it is important that every person in the world be treated equally. She believes everyone should have equal opportunities in life. (Universalism)

1 2 3 4 5 6

Very much like me

Like me

Some-what like me

A little like me

Not like me

Not like

me at all

How much like you is this person?ESS Basic Values Exemplary Items and Response Scale

Value Structures in Europe: Findings Across Europe, people’s values are organized in

the same way as postulated by theory Oppositions (openness vs. conservation; self-enhancement vs.

self-transcendence) present in all countries Exactly or very near theorized order of 10 values in every

country In 13 countries, every item in expected value region; in two

countries, one item near region This signifies relative equivalence of value meanings across

countries—now compare importance

Self-Direction (3-6)

Achievement(5-9)

Conformity(4-9)

Sweden

Universalism (1-4)

Czech

Greece

Hungary

Slovenia

Poland

Spain

Ireland

Norway

Finland

Netherl

Israel

Switzl Portugal

Britain

Security(1-5) Tradition(4-7)

Stimulation (8-10)

Power (8-10)

Benevolence (1-4)

Opposition to Outgroup ImmigrationPredictors in 10 West European Countries

Opposition: allow people of a different race or ethnic group from most, residualized on allow same (1-4 scale). All betas p<.001. Age, unemployment, rural-urban do not predict significantly.

Allow no immi-grants

R2=.085Education Years

Religiosity

Universalism Values

Security Values

Household Income

Tradition Values

Benevolence Values

Conformity Values

Native Born

Gender Male

-.03

-.03

.04

.04

.04

.05

.07

-.11

-.15

.11

Perceived Consequences of ImmigrationPredictors in 10 West European Countries

Consequences: increase jobs, pay more taxes than services used, improve economy, enrich culture, country better place to live, reduce crime problem: alpha at least .80 in all countries.All betas p<.001; Age & Unemployment do not predict significantly

Index of 6 Positive

Effects

R2=.173

Education Years

Native Born

Universalism Values

Security Values

Household Income

Tradition Values

Benevolence Values

Conformity Values

Religiosity

Rural

Gender M

.20

.17

-.14

.07

-.11

-.03

-.05

-.05

.03

.06

.04

Value Structures in Europe: Test

MDS analysis in each country

Arranges items in space to show which ones are similar and different—based on correlations

Items representing each value should form a distinct region

Value regions should array in space around circle as in theory

+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | | | 3 | | | | 8 | | | | | | | | 1 | | 19 | | | | 12 11 | | 18 | | | | | | | | 6 | | | | | | 9 | | | | 21 | | 15| | 10 | | 14 | | | | | | 20 5 13 | | | | 16 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 7 17 2 | +--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

PO SE CO

TR

BE

AC

HE

ST

SD UN

Universalism

Benevolence

Self-Direction

Stimulation

Tradition Hedonism

Achievement Conformity

Power Security

CH, SE PL, GR

FI, CH GR, IL

SE, CH HU, SL

GR, PT FI, NL

GB, FI HU, CZ

CH, HU CZ, PL

IL, SL FI, CZ

GR, IL CH, FI

CZ, HU NO, SE

CZ PL PT, CH

Highest Lowest

-1.0

-0.8

-0.6

-0.4

-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

Average Value Priorities in 15 Countries

Correlation Value Order Country x AverageMean .92( .84 to .99) IL ES

Countries Ordered on Value Priorities 1TRADITION CONFORMITY SECURITY

1 Greece Czech Rep. Czech Rep.2 Czech Rep. Poland Hungary3 Portugal Norway Poland4 Poland Finland Greece5 Slovenia Greece Portugal6 Spain Netherlands Ireland7 Ireland Spain Spain8 Hungary Ireland Finland9 Sweden Great Britain Israel10 Norway Slovenia Great Britain11 Switzerland Sweden Slovenia12 Great Britain Hungary Netherlands13 Israel Israel Switzerland14 Finland Portugal Norway15 Netherlands Switzerland Sweden

Countries Ordered on Value Priorities 2POWER ACHIEVEMENT HEDONISM

1 Greece Israel Switzerland2 Israel Slovenia Hungary3 Poland Portugal Netherlands4 Spain Hungary Sweden5 Czech Rep. Great Britain Israel6 Slovenia Ireland Slovenia7 Hungary Poland Portugal8 Norway Greece Finland9 Ireland Netherlands Greece10 Sweden Switzerland Great Britain11 Portugal Norway Spain12 Great Britain Spain Norway13 Netherlands Sweden Ireland14 Switzerland Finland Czech Rep. 15 Finland Czech Rep. Poland

Countries Ordered on Value Priorities 3STIMULATION SELF-DIRECTION UNIVERSALISM BENEVOLENCE

Great Britain Switzerland Finland SwedenFinland Sweden Switzerland SwitzerlandSlovenia Netherlands Czech Rep. Norway

Netherlands Great Britain Sweden FinlandNorway Norway Norway Czech Rep.Sweden Finland Spain SpainIreland Ireland Ireland Great Britain

Switzerland Czech Rep. Netherlands NetherlandsPoland Israel Great Britain PortugalIsrael Spain Poland IrelandSpain Hungary Slovenia Israel

Portugal Slovenia Hungary PolandGreece Portugal Portugal Greece

Hungary Poland Greece HungaryCzech Rep. Greece Israel Slovenia

123456789101112131415

Comments on Value Circle 1

Aim to derive set of universally recognized values Content of values derives from the basic goals that

people in all societies must pursue People must communicate with each other to gain

cooperation in pursuing their goals

needs of biological organism--e.g. hedonism

demands of social interaction--e.g. achievement

requirements for group survival--e.g. security

Comments on Value Circle 2Define each value in turn, noting exemplary value itemsOpenness to ChangeSELF‑DIRECTION: Independent thought and action‑choosing, creating, exploring.

(Creativity, Freedom, Independent, Curious...) STIMULATION: Excitement, novelty, and challenge in life. (Daring, a Varied Life, an

Exciting Life) ConservationSECURITY: Safety, harmony and stability of society, of relationships, and of self. (Family

Security, National Security, Social Order, Clean...)CONFORMITY: Restraint of actions, inclinations, and impulses likely to upset or harm

others and violate social expectations or norms. (Politeness, Obedient, Honoring Parents and Elders...)

TRADITION: Respect, commitment and acceptance of the customs and ideas that traditional culture or religion provide the self. (Humble, Devout, Respect for Tradition...)

Self-Enhancement POWER: Social status and prestige, control or dominance over people and resources.

(Social Power, Authority, Wealth...) ACHIEVEMENT: Personal success through demonstrating competence according to

social standards. (Successful, Ambitious, Influential...) Self-TranscendenceUNIVERSALISM: Understanding, appreciation, tolerance and protection for the welfare

of all people and for nature. (Broadminded, Social Justice, Equality, Protecting the Environment)

BENEVOLENCE: Preservation and enhancement of the welfare of people with whom one is in frequent personal contact. (Helpful, Honest, Forgiving...)

HEDONISM: Pleasure and sensuous gratification for oneself. (Pleasure, Enjoying Life)

Comments on Value Circle 3

Structure reflects consequences of acting on various valuesAdjacent values share motivation & are compatible

(conformity & security) (power & achievement)

Distant values have opposing motivations, conflict (power vs. benevolence) (hedonism & tradition)

Values form a motivational continuum [colors not categorical]Theory aspires to comprehensive coverage of major motivationally distinct types of values

Linking Value Priorities & Other VariablesCircular structure and motivational continuum

implyall 10 values associate systematically with any other

variablevalue with most positive association is usually opposite

value with most negative association

STSD UN

BE

TRHE

COAC

PO SE