Studies of Circumplex Value Structures
Abstract: The present thesis investigates different structures of values. In Study 1 231 undergraduates were asked to rate measures of value salience (No access – Access, Self - Others, Imagination – Reality, No comparison - Comparison, Not important – Important, False – True, and Negative – Positive) of 12 values, and the attainment of 3 goals. An analysis of variance revealed significant differences between different values and between different measures of value salience as well as a significant interaction between values and measures of value salience. Correlations between mean measures of value salience ratings for each value indicated moderate support for a proposed circumplex structure. Regression analyses showed that rated attainment of the goals Happiness, Meaningfulness and Energy were related to the values. In Study 2, 8 contrastive values, and 8 non-contrastive values were rated on 5 measures of value salience. The results for 144 and 143 undergraduates confirmed the proposed circumplex structure of contrastive values for both between-groups data and within-groups data. The non-contrastive values were localized in the middle of the structure. The thesis increases the understanding of why contrastive values form a circumplex structure. The model of values can also be used in other fields of research, such as decision making and emotions.
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