Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

Personal values in human life

Nature Human Behaviour volume 1, pages 630–639 (2017)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

The construct of values is central to many fields in the social sciences and humanities. The last two decades have seen a growing body of psychological research that investigates the content, structure and consequences of personal values in many cultures. Taking a cross-cultural perspective we review, organize and integrate research on personal values, and point to some of the main findings that this research has yielded. Personal values are subjective in nature, and reflect what people think and state about themselves. Consequently, both researchers and laymen sometimes question the usefulness of personal values in influencing action. Yet, self-reported values predict a large variety of attitudes, preferences and overt behaviours. Individuals act in ways that allow them to express their important values and attain the goals underlying them. Thus, understanding personal values means understanding human behaviour.

Why do some people tend to help others in need while others do not? Why are some people more religious than others? What accounts for individuals’ differences in preferences for occupations? The values people hold play a crucial role in such attitudes and behaviours. In this Review article, we discuss some of the accumulating research on personal values. Recent research sheds light on the development of values, showing that they are formed through a combination of genetic heritage and the impact of exposure to multiple social environments, such as family, the education system, community and society at large. Although subjective in nature, self-reported values predict a large array of attitudes and preferences. As such, they provide invaluable insight into human behaviour.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Relevant articles

Open Access articles citing this article.

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Learn more

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Fig. 1: The content and structure of human values.

References

  1. Williams, R. M. American Society: A Sociological Interpretation (Knopf, New York, 1970).

  2. Schwartz, S. H. A theory of cultural values and some implications for work. Appl. Psychol. 48, 23–47 (1999).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Kluckhohn, C. in Toward a General Theory of Action (eds Parsons, T. & Shils, E.) 388–433 (Harvard Univ. Press, Cambridge, MA, 1951).

  4. Rokeach, M. The Nature of Human Values (Free Press, New York, 1973).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Schwartz, S. H. Universals in the content and structure of values: theoretical advances and empirical tests in 20 countries. Adv. Exp. Soc. Psychol. 25, 1–65 (1992).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Allport, G. W. & Vernon, P. A test for personal values. J. Abnorm. Soc. Psychol. 26, 231–248 (1931).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Hitlin, S. & Piliavin, J. A. Values: reviving a dormant concept. Annu. Rev. Sociol. 30, 359–393 (2004).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Maio, G. R. Mental representations of social values. Adv. Exp. Soc. Psychol. 42, 1–43 (2010).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Rohan, M. J. A rose by any name? The values construct. Pers. Soc. Psychol. Rev. 4, 255–277 (2000).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Schwartz, S. H. in Handbook of Value (eds Sander, D. & Brosch, T.) 63–84 (Oxford Univ. Press, Oxford, 2015).

  11. Knafo, A., Roccas, S. & Sagiv, L. The value of values in cross cultural research: a special issue in honor of Shalom Schwartz. J. Cross Cult. Psychol. 42, 178–185 (2011).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Hitlin, S. Values as the core of personal identity: drawing links between two theories of self. Soc. Psychol. Q. 66, 118–137 (2003).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Roccas, S., Sagiv, L., Schwartz, S. H. & Knafo, A. The Big Five personality factors and personal values. Pers. Soc. Psychol. Bull. 28, 789–801 (2002).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Roccas, S., Sagiv, L., Oppenheim, S., Elster, A. & Gal, A. Integrating content and structure aspects of the self: traits, values, and self-improvement. J. Pers. 82, 144–157 (2014).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Roccas, S. & Sagiv, L. Personal values and behavior: taking the cultural context into account. Soc. Personal. Psychol. Compass 4, 30–41 (2010).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Sagiv, L. & Roccas, S. in Values and Behavior: Taking a Cross-Cultural Perspective (eds Roccas, S. & Sagiv, L.) (Springer, in the press).

  17. Schwartz, S. H. & Bardi, A. Value hierarchies across cultures: taking a similarities perspective. J. Cross Cult. Psychol. 32, 268–290 (2001).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Schwartz, S. H. in The Ontario Symposium: The Psychology of Value Vol. 8 (eds Seligman, C., Olson, J. M. & Zanna, M. P.) 1–24 (Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc, New Jersey, 1996).

  19. Benish-Weisman, M. The interplay between values and aggression in adolescence: a longitudinal study. Dev. Psychol 51, 677–687 (2015).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Vecchione, M., Döring, A. K., Alessandri, G., Marsicano, G. & Bardi, A. Reciprocal relations across time between basic values and value-expressive behaviors: a longitudinal study among children. Soc. Dev. 25, 528–547 (2016).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Schwartz, S. H. et al. Refining the theory of basic individual values. J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 103, 663–688 (2012).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Schwartz, S. H. et al. Value tradeoffs propel and inhibit behavior: validating the 19 refined values in four countries. Eur. J. Soc. Psychol. 10.1002/ejsp.2228 (2016).

  23. Davidov, E., Schmidt, P. & Schwartz, S. H. Bringing values back in: the adequacy of the European Social Survey to measure values in 20 countries. Public Opin. Q. 72, 420–445 (2008).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Schwartz, S. H. & Rubel, T. Sex differences in value priorities: cross-cultural and multimethod studies. J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 89, 1010–1028 (2005).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Fontaine, J. R. J., Poortinga, Y. H., Delbeke, L. & Schwartz, S. H. Structural equivalence of the values domain across cultures: distinguishing sampling fluctuations from meaningful variation. J. Cross Cult. Psychol. 39, 345–365 (2008).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Miles, A. The (re) genesis of values examining the importance of values for action. Am. Sociol. Rev. 80, 680–704 (2015).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Hogg, M. A., Adelman, J. R. & Blagg, R. D. Religion in the face of uncertainty: uncertainty-identity theory of religiousness and religious extremism. Pers. Soc. Psychol. Rev. 14, 72–83 (2010).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Ysseldyk, R., Matheson, K. & Anisman, H. Religiosity as identity: toward an understanding of religion from a social identity perspective. Pers. Soc. Psychol. Rev. 14, 60–71 (2010).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Schwartz, S. H. & Huismans, S. Value priorities and religiosity in four Western religions. Soc. Psychol. Q. 58, 88–107 (1995).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Bilsky, W. & Peters, M. Estructura de los valores y la religiosidad: una investigacion comparada realizada en Mexico. Revista Mexicana de Psicologia 16, 77–88 (1999).

    Google Scholar 

  31. Fontaine, J. R. J., Luyten, P. & Corveleyn, J. Tell me what you believe and I’ll tell you what you want: empirical evidence for discriminating value patterns of five types of religiosity. Int. J. Psychol. Relig. 10, 65–84 (2000).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Pepper, M., Jackson, T. & Uzzell, D. A study of multidimensional religion constructs and values in the United Kingdom. J. Soc. Sci. Study Relig. 49, 127–146 (2010).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Saroglou, V. & Hanique, B. Jewish identity, values, and religion in a globalized world: a study of late adolescents. Identity 6, 231–249 (2006).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Saroglou, V. & Galand, P. Identities, values, and religion: a study among Muslim, other immigrant, and native Belgian young adults after the 9/11 attacks. Identity 4, 97–132 (2004).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Kusdil, M. E. & Kagitcibasi, C. Tuerk oegretmenlerin deger yoenelimleri ve Schwartz deger kurami [Value orientations of Turkish teachers and Schwartz’s theory of values]. Turk Psikoloji Dergisi 15, 59–80 (2000).

    Google Scholar 

  36. Saroglou, V. & Dupuis, J. Being Buddhist in Western Europe: cognitive needs, prosocial character, and values. Int. J. Psychol. Relig. 16, 163–179 (2006).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Saroglou, V., Delpierre, V. & Dernelle, R. Values and religiosity: a meta-analysis of studies using Schwartz’s model. Pers. Individ. Dif. 37, 721–734 (2004).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Roccas, S. & Elster, A. in Religion, Personality, and Social Behavior (ed. Saroglou, V.) 193–212 (Psychology Press, New York, 2014).

  39. Longest, K. C., Hitlin, S. & Vaisey, S. Position and disposition: the contextual development of human values. Soc. Forces 91, 1499–1528 (2013).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Knafo, A. & Sagiv, L. Values and work environment: mapping 32 occupations. Eur. J. Psychol. Educ. 19, 255–273 (2004).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Kristof-Brown, A. L., Zimmerman, R. D. & Johnson, E. C. Consequences of individual’s fit at work: a meta-analysis of person-job, person-organization, person-group, and person-supervisor fit. Pers. Psychology 58, 281–342 (2005).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. Kohn, M. L. Social class and parent-child relationships: an interpretation. Am. J. Sociol. 68, 471–480 (1963).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Kohn, M. L. & Slomczynski, K. M. Social Structure and Self-Direction: A Comparative Analysis of the United States and Poland. (Blackwell, Oxford, 1993).

    Google Scholar 

  44. Kohn, M. L. & Schooler, C. Work and Personality: An Inquiry into the Impact of Social Stratification. (Ablex, New Jersey, 1983).

    Google Scholar 

  45. Kohn, M. L. et al. Complexity of activities and personality under conditions of radical social change: a comparative analysis of Poland and Ukraine. Soc. Psychol. Q. 63, 187–207 (2000).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  46. Arieli, S., Sagiv, L. & Cohen-Shalem, E. Values in business schools: the role of self-selection and socialization. Acad. Manage. Learn. Educ. 15, 493–507 (2016).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  47. Bardi, A., Buchanan, K. E., Goodwin, R., Slabu, L. & Robinson, M. P. Value stability and change during self-chosen life transitions: self-selection vs. socialization effects. J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 106, 131–147 (2014).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Gandal, N., Roccas, S., Sagiv, L. & Wrzesniewski, A. Personal value priorities of economists. Hum. Relat. 58, 1227–1252 (2005).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  49. Chatman, J. A. Matching people and organizations: selection and socialization in public accounting firms. Adm. Sci. Q. 36, 459–484 (1991).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  50. Bardi, A. & Schwartz, S. H. Values and behavior: strength and structure of relations. Pers. Soc. Psychol. Bull. 29, 1207–1220 (2003).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  51. Schwartz, S. H. et al. Value tradeoffs and behavior in four countries: validating 19 refined values. Eur. J. Soc. Psychol. 10.1002/ejsp.2228 (2017).

  52. Sosik, J. J., Jung, D. I. & Dinger, S. L. Values in authentic action: examining the roots and rewards of altruistic leadership. Group & Organization Management 34, 395–431 (2009).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  53. Sanderson, R. & McQuilkin, J. in Values and Behavior: Taking a Cross-Cultural Perspective (eds Roccas, S. & Sagiv, L.) (Springer, in the press).

  54. Maio, G. R., Pakizeh, A., Cheung, W. Y. & Rees, K. J. Changing, priming, and acting on values: effects via motivational relations in a circular model. J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 97, 699–715 (2009).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Arieli, S., Grant, A. M. & Sagiv, L. Convincing yourself to care about others: an intervention for enhancing benevolence values. J. Pers. 82, 15–24 (2014).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. Verplanken, B. & Holland, R. W. Motivated decision making: effects of activation and self-centrality of values on choices and behavior. J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 82, 434–447 (2002).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  57. Maio, G. R. & Olson, J. M. Relations between values, attitudes, and behavioral intentions: the moderating role of attitude function. J. Exp. Soc. Psychol. 31, 266–285 (1995).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  58. Daniel, E., Bilgin, A. S., Brezina, I., Strohmeier, C. E. & Vainre, M. Values and helping behavior: a study in four cultures. Int. J. Psychol. 50, 186–192 (2015).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  59. Sagiv, L., Sverdlik, N. & Schwarz, N. To compete or to cooperate? Values’ impact on perception and action in social dilemma games. Eur. J. Soc. Psychol. 41, 64–77.

  60. Samuelson, C. D. A multiattribute evaluation approach to structural change in resource dilemmas. Organ. Behav. Hum. Decis. Process. 55, 298–324 (1993).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  61. Simpson, B. & Willer, R. Altruism and indirect reciprocity: the interaction of person and situation in prosocial behavior. Soc. Psychol. Q. 71, 37–52 (2008).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  62. Van Lange, P. A. The pursuit of joint outcomes and equality in outcomes: an integrative model of social value orientation. J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 77, 337–349 (1999).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  63. Lönnqvist, J. E., Verkasalo, M., Wichardt, P. C. & Walkowitz, G. Personal values and prosocial behaviour in strategic interactions: distinguishing value‐expressive from value‐ambivalent behaviours. Eur. J. Soc. Psychol. 43, 554–569 (2013).

    Google Scholar 

  64. Sagiv, L. & Schwartz, S. H. Value priorities and readiness for out-group social contact. J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 69, 437–448 (1995).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  65. Sagiv, L., Makhamra, M. & Kluger, A. N. Direct and indirect influence of culture on managers’ willingness for cross cultural cooperation. In Proc. 3rd Annual Meeting of the Society of Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP, 2004).

  66. Davidov, E. & Meuleman, B. Explaining attitudes towards immigration policies in European countries: the role of human values. J. Ethn. Migr. Stud. 38, 757–775 (2012).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  67. Davidov, E., Meuleman, B., Billiet, J. & Schmidt, P. Values and support for immigration: a cross-country comparison. Eur. Sociol. Rev. 24, 583–599 (2008).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  68. Davidov, E., Meulemann, B., Schwartz, S. H. & Schmidt, P. Individual values, cultural embeddedness, and anti-immigration sentiments: explaining differences in the effect of values on attitudes toward immigration across Europe. Kölner Zeitschrift für Soziologie und Sozialpsychologie 66, 263–285 (2014).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  69. Kuntz, A., Davidov, E., Schwartz, S. H. & Schmidt, P. Human values, legal regulation, and approval of homosexuality in Europe: a cross‐country comparison. Eur. J. Soc. Psychol. 45, 120–134 (2015).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  70. Donaldson, C. D., Handren, L. M. & Lac, A. Applying multilevel modeling to understand individual and cross-cultural variations in attitudes toward homosexual people across 28 European countries. J. Cross Cult. Psychol. 48, 93–112 (2017).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  71. Licciardello, O., Castiglione, C. & Rampullo, A. Intergroup contact, value system and the representation of homosexuality. Procedia Soc. Behav. Sci. 30, 1467–1471 (2011).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  72. Beierlein, C., Kuntz, A. & Davidov, E. Universalism, conservation and attitudes toward minority groups. Soc. Sci. Res. 58, 68–79 (2016).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  73. Roccas, S. & Amit, A. Group heterogeneity and tolerance: the moderating role of conservation values. J. Exp. Soc. Psychol. 47, 898–907 (2011).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  74. Bloom, P. B. N. & Bagno-Moldavsky, O. The conditional effect of network diversity and values on tolerance. Polit. Behav. 37, 623–651 (2015).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  75. Cieciuch, J. & Schwartz, S. H. in The Oxford Handbook of Human Essence (Oxford Univ. Press, Oxford, 2017).

  76. Hofstede, G. Culture’s Consequences: Comparing Values, Behaviors, Institutions, and Organizations Across Nations. 2nd edn, (Sage, California, 2000).

    Google Scholar 

  77. Grossberg, S. How does a brain build a cognitive code? Psychol. Rev. 87, 1–51 (1980).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  78. Döring, A. K. et al. Cross‐cultural evidence of value structures and priorities in childhood. Br. J. Psychol. 106, 675–699 (2015).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  79. Lee, J. A., Ye, S., Sneddon, J. N., Collins, P. R. & Daniel, E. Does the intra-individual structure of values exist in young children? Pers. Individ. Dif. 110, 125–130 (2017).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  80. Cieciuch, J., Davidov, E. & Algesheimer, R. The stability and change of value structure and priorities in childhood: a longitudinal study. Soc. Dev. 25, 503–527 (2016).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  81. Benish-Weisman, M., Daniel, E. & Knafo-Noam, A. in Values and Behavior: Taking a Cross-Cultural Perspective (eds Roccas, S. & Sagiv, L.) (Springer, in the press).

  82. Berzonsky, M. D., Cieciuch, J., Duriez, B. & Soenens, B. The how and what of identity formation: associations between identity styles and value orientations. Pers. Individ. Dif. 50, 295–299 (2011).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  83. Uzefovsky, F., Döring, A. K. & Knafo-Noam, A. Values in middle childhood: social and genetic contributions. Soc. Dev. 25, 482–502 (2016).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  84. Knafo, A. & Spinath, F. M. Genetic and environmental influences on girls’ and boys’ gender-typed and gender-neutral values. Dev. Psychol. 47, 726–731 (2011).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  85. Schermer, J. A., Feather, N. T., Zhu, G. & Martin, N. G. Phenotypic, genetic, and environmental properties of the Portrait Values Questionnaire. Twin Res. Hum. Genet. 11, 531–537 (2008).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  86. Vukasović, T. & Bratko, D. Heritability of personality: a meta-analysis of behavior genetic studies. Psychol. Bull. 141, 769–785 (2015).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  87. Schönpflug, U. Intergenerational transmission of values: the role of transmission belts. J. Cross Cult. Psychol. 32, 174–185 (2001).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  88. Knafo, A. & Schwartz, S. H. Value socialization in families of Israeli-born and Soviet-born adolescents in Israel. J. Cross Cult. Psychol. 32, 213–228 (2001).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  89. Whitbeck, L. B. & Gecas, V. Value attributions and value transmission between parents and children. J. Marriage Fam. 829–840 (1988).

  90. Grusec, J. E. & Goodnow, J. J. Impact of parental discipline methods on the child’s internalization of values: A reconceptualization of current points of view. Dev. Psychol. 30, 4–19 (1994).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  91. Knafo, A. & Schwartz, S. H. Identity formation and parent‐child value congruence in adolescence. Br. J. Dev. Psychol. 22, 439–458 (2004).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  92. Knafo, A. & Schwartz, S. H. Parenting and adolescents’ accuracy in perceiving parental values. Child Dev. 74, 595–611 (2003).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  93. McPherson, M., Smith-Lovin, L. & Cook, J. M. Birds of a feather: homophily in social networks. Annu. Rev. Sociol. 27, 415–444 (2001).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  94. Bardi, A. & Goodwin, R. The dual route to value change: Individual processes and cultural moderators. J. Cross Cult. Psychol. 42, 271–287 (2011).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  95. Schwartz, S. H. in Valores e comportamento nas organizacións (eds Tamayo, A. & Porto, J. B.) 56–95 (Vozes, Petropolis, 2005).

  96. Milfont, T. L., Milojev, P. & Sibley, C. G. Values stability and change in adulthood: a 3-year longitudinal study of rank-order stability and mean-level differences. Pers. Soc. Psychol. Bull. 42, 572–588 (2016).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  97. Lönnqvist, J. E., Jasinskaja-Lahti, I. & Verkasalo, M. Personal values before and after migration: a longitudinal case study on value change in Ingrian–Finnish migrants. Soc. Psychol. Pers. Sci 2, 584–591 (2011).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  98. Rokeach, M. Long-term value changes initiated by computer feedback. J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 32, 467–476 (1975).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  99. Roccas, S., Sagiv, L. & Navon, M. in Values and Behavior: Taking a Cross-Cultural Perspective (eds Roccas, S. & Sagiv, L.) (Springer, in the press).

  100. Bardi, A., Lee, J. A., Hofmann-Towfigh, N. & Soutar, G. The structure of intraindividual value change. J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 97, 913–929 (2009).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  101. Cieciuch, J., Davidov, E., Vecchione, M., Beierlein, C. & Schwartz, S. H. The cross-national invariance properties of a new scale to measure 19 basic human values: A test across eight countries. J. Cross Cult. Psychol. 45, 764–779 (2014).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  102. Kluckhohn, F. R. & Strodtbeck, F. L. Variations in value orientations. (Row, Peterson, Illinois, 1961).

    Google Scholar 

  103. Hofstede, G. Culture’s consequences: international differences in work-related values. (Sage, California, 1980).

    Google Scholar 

  104. Inkeles, A. & Levinson, D. J. in The Handbook of Social Psychology 418–506 (1969).

  105. Hofstede, G. & Bond, M. H. The Confucius connection: from cultural roots to economic growth. Organ. Dyn. 16, 5–21 (1988).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  106. Hofstede, G. J. & Minkov, M. Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind. 3rd edn, (McGraw-Hill, New York, 2010).

    Google Scholar 

  107. Hofstede, G. Dimensionalizing cultures: the Hofstede model in context. Online Readings Psychol. Cult. 2, 10.9707/2307-0919.1014 (2011).

  108. Schwartz, S. H. in Handbook of the Economics of Art and Culture Vol. 2, 547–586 (2014).

  109. Inglehart, R. Modernization and postmodernization: cultural, economic, and political change in 43 societies. (Princeton Univ. Press, Chichester, 1997).

    Google Scholar 

  110. Inglehart, R. Mapping global values. Comp. Sociol. 5, 115–136 (2006).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  111. Inglehart, R. & Welzel, C. Modernization, Cultural Change, and Democracy: The Human Development Sequence. (Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, 2005).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  112. House, R., Javidan, M. & Dorfman, P. Project GLOBE: an introduction. Appl. Psychol. Int. Rev. 50, 489–505 (2001).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  113. Smith, P. B., Dugan, S. & Trompenaars, F. National culture and the values of organizational employees a dimensional analysis across 43 nations. J. Cross Cult. Psychol. 27, 231–264 (1996).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  114. Hofstede, G. Culture’s recent consequences: using dimension scores in theory and research. Int. J. Cross Cult. Manag. 1, 11–17 (2001).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  115. Inglehart, R. The Silent Revolution: Changing Values and Political Styles Among Western Publics. (Princeton Univ. Press, Princeton, 2015).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  116. Sagiv, L., Schwartz, S. H. & Arieli, S. in The Handbook of Organizational Culture and Climate (eds Ashkanasy, N. N., Wilderom, C. & Peterson, M. F.) 2nd edn, 515–537 (Sage, California, 2011).

Download references

Acknowledgements

This paper was partly funded by a grant from the Israel Science Foundation (847/14) to L.S. and S.R.; grants from the Recanati Fund of the School of Business Administration and the Mandel Scholion Interdisciplinary Research Center, both at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, to L.S.; and a grant from The Open University Research Fund of the Open University of Israel to S.R. The work of J.C. was supported by the University Research Priority Program Social Networks of the University of Zurich.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Business Administration, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Mount Scopus, Jerusalem, 91905, Israel

    Lilach Sagiv & Shalom H. Schwartz

  2. Department of Education and Psychology, The Open University of Israel, P. O. Box 808, 1 University Road, Raanana, 43107, Israel

    Sonia Roccas

  3. University of Zurich, URPP Social Networks, Andreasstrasse 15, CH-8050, Zurich, Switzerland

    Jan Cieciuch

  4. Institute of Psychology, Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw, Wóycickiego 1/3 bud. 14, 01-938, Warsaw, Poland

    Jan Cieciuch

  5. Department of Psychology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Mount Scopus, Jerusalem, 91905, Israel

    Shalom H. Schwartz

Authors
  1. Lilach Sagiv
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sonia Roccas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jan Cieciuch
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Shalom H. Schwartz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lilach Sagiv.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Publisher’s note: Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sagiv, L., Roccas, S., Cieciuch, J. et al. Personal values in human life. Nat Hum Behav 1, 630–639 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-017-0185-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-017-0185-3

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing