Criterion/Predictive
Schwartz (1996) investigated the relationship between values and voting behavior, using an abbreviated 37-
item version of the SVS, from a representative sample of the Jewish population aged 18 years or older.
Supporters of the high liberalism Mapam-Ratz party rated Self-Direction, Stimulation, and Hedonism values as
more important than did supporters of the low liberalism Religious party, who rated Tradition and Conformity
values as more important ( p,.0001). Voters for Labor and Likud, the two major parties, reported intermediate
levels of importance on these five values. The size and sign of mean differences between the two extreme parties
generally complied with the Schwartz circular model.
Bardi and Schwartz (2003) reported positive correlations between SVS scores and behavior ratings value scales
ranging from .30 (Benevolence) to .68 (Stimulation), with median 5.47. These positive correlations were
replicated with student couples. The mean correlation across nations was found to be .92 ( Schwartz & Bardi,
2001, p. 11). Pozzebon and Ashton (2009) reported positive correlations greater than .50 between SVS
Stimulation, Hedonism, and Tradition and the Bardi and Schwartz behavior scales in 252 undergraduates (58.7%
women; mean age 520.6 years). Positive correlations of the SVS self-report scores with peer-reported scores on
each of the 10 behavior scales ranged from .24 to .45 (mean 5.37).
Location
Original 56-item SVS
Schwartz, S.H. (1992) . Universals in the content and structure of values: Theoretical advances and empirical tests
in 20 countries. In M. Zanna (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology (pp. 1/C065). San Diego, CA: Academic.
Revised 57-item SVS
Schwartz, S.H. (1994) . Are there universal aspects in the structure and contents of human values? Journal of
Social Issues, 50 ,1 9/C045.
Results and Comments
Given the extensive normative, reliability, and validity evidence that has been generated for the SVS, this mea-
sure remains an excellent choice for researchers who seek a broad spectrum measure of individual differences in
value orientations. Its content remains current, and it is distinctive in having been widely used in cross-national
studies on differential value preferences. Evidence supports the two dimensional, quasi-circumplex structural
model that underlies the 10 basic values measured by the SVS, although differences do exist across countries.
The major question concerns the extent to which the SVS items, and the 10 basic values that it measures, suffi-
ciently capture the full range of human values. Some researchers may prefer measures based on behavioral items,
rather than abstract value terms.
Schwartz’s recommended exclusion of 11 items from the scale indices has not been adopted by all users, and
may be a source of some confusion. In addition, the ipsative centering of SVS scores that Schwartz advocates has
not been adopted universally. Not all users are aware that ipsatization guarantees that individual differences in
SVS scores reflect differences in relative importance, not differences in absolute importance. Finally, the asym-
metrical, 7 to 21, response scale necessarily gives responses to the SVS a correspondingly asymmetrical scalar
shape; that is, the scale is stretched at the important end, and it is compressed at the not important end, with no
room for degrees of opposition.
SCHWARTZ VALUE SUR VEY
In this questionnaire you are to ask yourself: ‘What values are important to ME as guiding principles in MY life, and
what values are less important to me?’ There are two lists of values on the following pages. These values come from dif-
ferent cultures. In the parentheses following each value is an explanation that may help you to understand its meaning.
Your task is to rate how important each value is for you as a guiding principle in your life . Use the rating scale
below:
0/C0means the value is not at all important, it is not relevant as a guiding principle for you.
3/C0means the value is important.
6/C0means the value is very important.
The higher the number (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6), the more important the value is as a guiding principle in YOUR life.515 OVERVIEW OF THE MEASURES
V. VICES AND VIRTUES