Schwartz, Shalom H. - An Overview of the Schwartz Theory of Basic Values Flashcards
Why have values been a central concept in social sciences?
Values help explain social and personal organization and change, as emphasized by early theorists like Durkheim and Weber, and are used to understand cultural and individual behavior.
What challenges did the study of values face historically?
There was no consensus on a definition, structure, or reliable method to measure values, which limited research in this area.
What advancements have revitalized the study of values in social sciences?
Theoretical and methodological work by Schwartz and others has clarified the understanding of basic values and their dynamic relations.
What does the recent theory identify about values?
It defines ten motivationally distinct types of values and describes how some values conflict (e.g., benevolence vs. power) while others are compatible (e.g., conformity and security).
Are the structure and importance of values universal?
The structure of values, showing patterns of conflict and congruence, is universal, but individuals and groups differ in the importance they place on each value.
How are people generally able to assess whether someone’s behavior is socially acceptable?
People can usually assess if behavior aligns with societal norms learned during primary socialization, allowing them to distinguish between “good” and “bad” or “right” and “wrong.”
What does the Schwartz Theory of Basic Values explain?
The Schwartz Theory describes the nature of values, including common features and distinguishable aspects, and identifies ten basic personal values.
What is the structure of the ten basic personal values according to Schwartz?
The ten values are arranged in a circular structure, highlighting their compatibilities and conflicts.
Are the ten basic values culturally specific or universal?
The ten basic values are considered culturally universal, meaning they are recognized across different societies, though their relative importance may vary.
What are the six main features of values according to Schwartz’s value theory?
1) Values are beliefs linked to emotions,
2) They refer to desirable goals that motivate actions,
3) They transcend specific actions and situations,
4) They serve as standards or criteria,
5) Values are ordered by importance, and
6) They guide actions when relevant.
What distinguishes one value from another in Schwartz’s Theory?
The type of goal or motivation each value expresses distinguishes them from one another.
What is the defining goal of Self-Direction values?
The goal is independent thought and action, which includes creativity, freedom, and exploration.
What is the goal of Stimulation values, and why are they important?
The goal is excitement, novelty, and challenge in life, deriving from the need for variety to maintain an optimal level of activation.
What does Hedonism value emphasize?
Hedonism focuses on pleasure and sensuous gratification for oneself, related to satisfying organismic needs.
What is the core motivation behind Achievement values?
Achievement values emphasize personal success through demonstrating competence and obtaining social approval.
How do Power values differ from Achievement values?
Power values focus on social status, control, and dominance within a social system, while Achievement values emphasize active competence in specific interactions.
What is the focus of Security values?
Security values emphasize safety, harmony, and stability in society, relationships, and for the self.
What is the goal of Conformity values?
Conformity values involve restraining actions and impulses to adhere to social expectations and maintain smooth social interactions.
How do Tradition and Conformity values differ?
Tradition values involve respect and commitment to cultural or religious customs, while Conformity focuses on self-restraint in interactions with close others.
What is the motivation behind Benevolence values?
Benevolence values aim to preserve and enhance the welfare of those in close personal contact, emphasizing loyalty, honesty, and responsibility.
How does Universalism differ from Benevolence?
Universalism focuses on understanding, tolerance, and protection for all people and nature, extending beyond the in-group to broader society and the environment.
Why do actions in pursuit of one value often conflict with other values?
Give an example of value conflict according to the Schwartz Theory.
Because the consequences of pursuing one value can obstruct or contradict the goals of other values.
Pursuing achievement values (personal success) often conflicts with benevolence values (enhancing the welfare of others).
What values are typically congruent and mutually reinforcing?
Achievement and power values, as both emphasize personal success and social dominance.
How do stimulation values relate to tradition values?
Pursuing stimulation values (novelty and change) tends to conflict with tradition values (preserving customs).
What is the practical consequence of choosing an action that promotes one value?
It may contravene or violate a competing value, such as taking drugs for stimulation contradicting religious traditions.
How do social consequences manifest in value conflicts?
Others may impose social sanctions for perceived inconsistencies between one’s actions and professed values.
How do people generally pursue competing values?
By engaging in different acts at different times and in various settings.
What does the circular structure of values illustrate?
The pattern of conflicts and congruities among values, showing how similar or antagonistic different values are.
Why are tradition and conformity located together in the value structure?
Because they share the motivational goal of submission to external expectations, though tradition values conflict more with opposing values.
What are the two bipolar dimensions in Schwartz’s value structure?
Openness to change vs. conservation and self-enhancement vs. self-transcendence.
What values fall under ‘openness to change’?
Self-direction and stimulation, which emphasize independence and readiness for change.
Which values emphasize conservation?
Security, conformity, and tradition, focusing on order, self-restriction, and preservation of the past.
What values are associated with self-enhancement?
Power and achievement, emphasizing personal success and dominance.
What does self-transcendence encompass?
Universalism and benevolence, focusing on concern for the welfare of others.
Which value shares elements of both openness to change and self-enhancement?
Hedonism, as it emphasizes both pleasure and arousal.
What does the motivational continuum imply about the division of values?
Dividing values into ten distinct types is practical but arbitrary; the motivations are interconnected along a continuum.
How does the circular arrangement affect understanding values’ relations to variables?
It implies that values relate to behaviors, attitudes, or demographics in a holistic and integrated manner.
What is the Schwartz Value Survey (SVS) and what does it measure?
The Schwartz Value Survey (SVS) is a tool developed to measure individual values based on Schwartz’s theory. It includes 30 items describing desirable end-states and 26-27 items describing desirable ways of acting. Respondents rate the importance of each item as a guiding principle in their life, which is used to determine their value priorities.
How are respondents asked to rate the importance of values in the Schwartz Value Survey (SVS)?
Respondents rate the importance of each value on a 9-point scale, with values ranging from -1 (opposed to my values) to 7 (of supreme importance), allowing for a nuanced measurement of the relative importance of different values.
What is the Portrait Values Questionnaire (PVQ), and how is it different from the SVS?
The PVQ is an alternative to the SVS designed for younger audiences (ages 11-14) and those not educated in Western schools. It uses short verbal portraits of people with different goals, allowing respondents to rate how similar they are to these individuals, inferring their values based on self-reported similarity.
What is the method of scoring in the Portrait Values Questionnaire (PVQ)?
In the PVQ, respondents answer how much they identify with a person described in the portrait. The value of each item is calculated by averaging the ratings given to the portraits that correspond to that value.
How are value priorities generated in both the SVS and PVQ?
To measure value priorities, individual differences in response scale use are eliminated by subtracting a person’s mean response to all items from their rating of each item, converting responses into relative importance scores for each value.
What is the significance of the pan-cultural hierarchy of values?
The pan-cultural hierarchy reflects a universal order of value importance across cultures, with benevolence, universalism, and self-direction being the most valued, and power and stimulation being the least valued. This hierarchy supports the idea that values serve adaptive functions for group survival.
How do the Schwartz theory’s basic values relate to one another in a cultural context?
Values like power, achievement, hedonism, and stimulation focus on personal interests, while values like benevolence, universalism, tradition, and security primarily regulate social relationships. These relationships among values help explain their role in societal function and individual behavior.
How do values relate to attitudes, beliefs, traits, and norms?
Values serve as guiding principles that influence attitudes (evaluations), beliefs (ideas about truth), norms (behavioral expectations), and traits (consistent behavior patterns). For instance, if one values stimulation, they may have a positive attitude toward adventurous activities like bungee jumping.
What principle explains the structure of values across cultures?
The structure of values across cultures is organized by the congruence and conflict among values that are implicated in decisions. Values are also shaped by their function in promoting group cohesion, survival, and individual self-interest.
Why are values like benevolence and universalism highly ranked in the pan-cultural hierarchy?
Benevolence and universalism values are highly ranked because they promote cooperative and supportive social relations, which are essential for group functioning and survival. These values are internalized from early socialization and are critical for maintaining social harmony.
What are values in the context of personal and social change?
Values are deeply held beliefs or principles that guide behavior and decisions. They evolve both on a personal level (through life experiences, education, and reflection) and on a societal level (through collective shifts in norms and experiences).
What is the definition of self-direction?
Self-direction refers to independent thought and action, including choosing, creating, and exploring, often driven by the desire for control, mastery, autonomy, and independence.
What are the biological and interactional needs that contribute to self-direction?
Self-direction arises from biological needs for control and mastery, as well as interactional needs for autonomy and independence.
What are some characteristics of self-direction?
Self-direction involves creativity, freedom, choosing one’s own goals, curiosity, independence, self-respect, intelligence, and privacy.
How does self-direction relate to creativity and freedom?
Self-direction emphasizes the importance of thinking up new ideas, being creative, and doing things in an original way, allowing for freedom to explore and choose one’s path.
How does self-direction connect to decision-making and planning?
People who value self-direction believe it’s important to make their own decisions about what they do, enjoying the freedom to plan and choose their activities independently.
Why is curiosity important in self-direction?
Curiosity is a key aspect of self-direction, as it encourages individuals to be interested in various things and try to understand them, fostering continuous learning and exploration.
What role does independence play in self-direction?
Independence is central to self-direction, as individuals who value it prefer to rely on themselves and make choices based on their own judgment rather than external influences.
What is the defining goal of stimulation?
The defining goal of stimulation is excitement, novelty, and challenge in life, driven by the desire for variety and optimal activation.
What is the biological need that stimulation values derive from?
Stimulation values derive from the biological need for variety and excitement to maintain an optimal, positive level of activation (non-threatening).
How do stimulation values relate to self-direction values?
Stimulation values are related to self-direction values as both arise from the need for variety, challenge, and autonomy, contributing to personal growth and positive engagement.
What are some characteristics of stimulation?
Stimulation involves a desire for a varied life, an exciting life, and a willingness to take risks and seek new adventures.
Why is variety important in stimulation?
Variety is important in stimulation because individuals value doing many different things in life, constantly looking for new experiences to keep their life interesting.
How does stimulation relate to risk-taking and adventure?
People who value stimulation enjoy taking risks and seek out adventurous experiences, as they find excitement and challenge in these activities.
What role does surprise play in stimulation values?
Surprise plays an important role in stimulation, as individuals who value it believe that having an exciting life full of unexpected events is essential to personal fulfillment.
What is the defining goal of hedonism?
The defining goal of hedonism is pleasure or sensuous gratification for oneself.
What biological need do hedonism values derive from?
Hedonism values derive from the biological need for pleasure associated with satisfying one’s needs.
