Value Change

Question 1

Inglehart Scarcity hypothesis

Answer 1

If you grow up in a time of economic scarcity and existential threat, you value economic security, physical safety. Whereas If you grow up in a time of abundance, prosperity and safety, you give priority to other things, e.g. autonomy, self-expression.

Question 2

Socialisation hypothesis

Answer 2

Basic values are shaped during the impressionable years and stay unchanged afterwards. Therefore societal change happens in cohorts.

Question 3

Pre and post war effects

Answer 3

Cohorts born after WW2 experienced economic growth, welfare state and peace. Pre-war had the great depression, violence and material deprivation. This causes different priorities across generations.

Question 4

Materialist Values

Answer 4

• maintaining order in this nation

- fighting price rises

Question 5

Post-materialist values

Answer 5

• Giving people a right in government decisions

- protecting freedom of speech

Question 6

Implications of post-materialist values

Answer 6

• growth of new social movements eg. environmental
• traditional left: trade unions
• new left: born from reduction of working class

Question 7

Inglehart and Baker 2000

Answer 7

People cling to traditional gender roles and sexual norms, and emphasise absolute rules and familiar norms in an attempt to maximise predictability in an uncertain world

Question 8

Criticisms of post-materialism

Answer 8

• can be explained by increased education causing more liberal views
• period effects in addition to cohort effects on values
• mixed values are possible