Work Value Survey

Abstract

The Work Value Survey (WVS) is a comprehensive psychological scale developed by Shalom H. Schwartz in 1994. It is designed to measure the importance of 56 distinct outcomes and modes of behavior, which are organized into 10 basic, cross-culturally validated value categories. These categories reflect key motivational domains that guide individuals’ work-related attitudes and decisions, drawing heavily from Schwartz’s broader theory of basic human values. The WVS serves as an important measure for assessing fundamental human values as they manifest in professional and organizational settings.

The scale has also been utilized by subsequent researchers, such as Brett and Okumura (1998), to construct specialized measures assessing cultural dimensions like Individualism/Collectivism and Hierarchy/Egalitarianism, confirming its utility beyond the core 10 dimensions.

Keywords

Work values, Schwartz, value survey, Power, Achievement, Hedonism, Stimulation, Self-direction, Universalism, Benevolence, Tradition, Conformity, Security, Individualism/Collectivism, Hierarchy/Egalitarianism, cross-cultural psychology.

Authors

Shalom H. Schwartz, Brett, Okumura, Feather, Norman, Worsley.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Work Value Survey is to quantify the relative importance an individual assigns to 56 specific value items related to work and life outcomes. By rating these items, researchers can determine an individual’s prioritization across 10 established value domains, providing insight into motivational drivers, decision-making processes, and potential conflicts in organizational or cross-cultural contexts.

The resulting profile allows for the empirical testing of Schwartz’s circumplex model of values, which maps the dynamic relations (conflict and congruence) among the 10 basic values. The scale is particularly valuable in cross-cultural and organizational research due to its robust validation across numerous global populations.

Construct

The WVS measures 10 basic motivational value constructs based on Schwartz’s theory of basic human values. These values are defined as desirable, trans-situational goals varying in importance, which serve as guiding principles in the life of a person or social entity. The 56 items are grouped into the following 10 distinct value categories:

• Power: Emphasizes social status, prestige, and control over resources or people.
• Achievement: Focuses on personal success attained through the demonstration of competence.
• Hedonism: Relates to pleasure and sensuous self-gratification.
• Stimulation: Values excitement, novelty, and life challenge.
• Self-direction: Prioritizes independence in thought and action, including exploring.
• Universalism: Concerns understanding, tolerance, and protection of the welfare of all people and nature.
• Benevolence: Focuses on the preservation and enhancement of the well-being of family, friends, and close associates.
• Tradition: Involves respect for and acceptance of established culture and religious customs.
• Conformity: Values restraint in actions and impulses that might upset or harm others or violate social norms.
• Security: Includes values related to safety, harmony, and the stability of society and relationships.

Validity

The Work Value Survey demonstrates strong evidence of cross-cultural validity. Schwartz (1994) conducted an extensive examination of the replication of the 10 value categories across 97 samples spanning 44 countries. This analysis revealed that all 10 categories were either distinct or logically overlapped with an adjacent value category in 84% of the cases, confirming the near-universal structure of these values. Eight of the categories were found to be distinct in 98% of the studies, indicating remarkable consistency in the structural organization of human values globally.

In terms of item consistency, 47 of the 56 items demonstrated consistent meaning across at least 83% of the studies, supporting the equivalence of the measure across diverse cultural backgrounds. The value items that showed the least cross-cultural consistency were ‘healthy,’ ‘self-respect,’ and ‘detachment.’ Additionally, Brett and Okumura (1998) established criterion-related validity by showing expected correlations between derived constructs and negotiation behaviors. Specifically, individualism correlated positively with the importance of hierarchy and self-interest, and negatively correlated with distributive tactics in negotiation.

Reliability

Internal consistency reliability for the 10 value categories was assessed using Coefficient alpha (Feather, Norman, & Worsley, 1998). The results generally indicated acceptable to strong internal consistency across most domains. The specific alpha values reported were:

• Universalism: .80
• Stimulation: .77
• Achievement: .76
• Benevolence: .76
• Conformity: .72
• Power: .71
• Self-direction: .69
• Hedonism: .67
• Tradition: .61
• Security: .56

For the derived constructs utilized in organizational research, Brett and Okumura (1998) reported high internal consistency: the Coefficient alpha for the Individualism/Collectivism measure was .80, and for the Hierarchy/Egalitarianism measure, it was .77.

Factor Analysis

While the source content does not detail a specific exploratory or confirmatory factor analysis run (e.g., specific rotation method), the primary validation effort by Schwartz (1994) functions as the structural confirmation of the scale. The finding that the 10 motivational value categories are consistently distinct or adjacently related across 97 international samples serves as robust evidence for the hypothesized underlying factor structure. This cross-cultural replication confirms the theoretical circumplex model inherent in Schwartz’s values theory, supporting the clustering of the 56 items into the 10 defined factors.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report Psychological scale.

Format: 56 items rated individually using a multi-point scale.

Language Available: Widely translated due to extensive cross-cultural validation efforts (validated across 44 countries).

Population Group: General population (Adults/Working professionals).

Age Group: Typically adults (18+).

Population Details: Originally validated across a highly diverse international sample base (97 samples from 44 countries).

Test Methodology: Respondents rate the importance of 56 values using a 9-point Likert-type scale where -1 = opposed to my values, 0 = not important, 3 = important, 6 = very important, and 7 = of supreme importance.

Keywords

Schwartz values, cross-cultural assessment, motivational goals, organizational psychology, value structure, reliability, Likert scale, human motivation.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not Provided

Affiliation Email addresses: Not Provided

Correspondence Address: Not Provided

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The scale was first published and validated in 1994 based on the work of Shalom H. Schwartz. Permissions for academic use are typically governed by standard guidelines for psychological instruments developed by Schwartz and his colleagues, often requiring citation of the original source publication.

Reference’s

Schwartz, S. H. (1994). Are there universal aspects in the structure and contents of human values? Journal of Social Issues, 50, 19-45. Items were taken from Table 3, p. 33. © Blackwell Science. Reprinted with permission.

Brett, J., & Okumura, T. (1998). Inter- and intracultural negotiation: U.S. and Japanese negotiators. Academy of Management Journal, 41(5), 495-510.

Feather, N. T., Norman, T. R., & Worsley, J. (1998). Changes in the importance of values during early adulthood: A comparison of university students and other young adults. Australian Journal of Psychology, 50(3), 159-166.

Items of the Work Value Survey

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

Responses are obtained using a 9-point Likert-type scale where -1 = opposed to my values, 0 = not important, 3 = important, 6 = very important, and 7 = of supreme importance.

Power items:

1. Social power
2. Authority
3. Wealth
4. Preserving my public image
5. Social recognition

Achievement items:

1. Successful
2. Capable
3. Ambitious
4. Influential
5. Intelligent
6. Self-respect

Hedonism items:

1. Pleasure
2. Enjoying life

Stimulation items:

1. Daring
2. A varied life
3. An exciting life

Self-direction items:

1. Creativity
2. Curious
3. Freedom
4. Choosing own goals
5. Independent

Universalism items:

1. Protecting the environment
2. A world of beauty
3. Unity with nature
4. Broad-minded
5. Social justice
6. Wisdom
7. Equality
8. A world at peace
9. Inner harmony

Benevolence items:

1. Helpful
2. Honest
3. Forgiving
4. Loyal
5. Responsible
6. True friendship
7. A spiritual life
8. Mature love
9. Meaning in life

Tradition items:

1. Devout
2. Accepting portion in life
3. Humble
4. Moderate
5. Respect for tradition
6. Detachment

Conformity items:

1. Politeness
2. Honoring parents and elders
3. Obedient
4. Self-discipline

Security items:

1. Clean
2. National security
3. Social order
4. Family security
5. Reciprocation of favors
6. Healthy
7. Sense of belonging