Cross-cultural evidence of value structures and priorities in childhood

Anna K. Döring*, Shalom H. Schwartz, Jan Cieciuch, Patrick J.F. Groenen, Valentina Glatzel, Justyna Harasimczuk, Nicole Janowicz, Maya Nyagolova, E. Rebecca Scheefer, Matthias Allritz, Taciano L. Milfont, Wolfgang Bilsky

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

80 Scopus citations

Abstract

We broaden the developmental focus of the theory of universals in basic human values (Schwartz, 1992, Advances in Experimental Social Psychology) by presenting supportive evidence on children's values from six countries: Germany, Italy, Poland, Bulgaria, the United States, and New Zealand. 3,088 7-11-year-old children completed the Picture-Based Value Survey for Children (PBVS-C, Döring et al., 2010, J. Pers. Assess., 92, 439). Grade 5 children also completed the Portrait Values Questionnaire (PVQ, Schwartz, 2003, A proposal for measuring value orientations across nations. Chapter 7 in the Questionnaire Development Package of the European Social Survey). Findings reveal that the broad value structures, sex differences in value priorities and pan-cultural value hierarchies typical of adults have already taken form at this early age. We discuss the conceptual implications of these findings for the new field of children's basic values by embedding them in the recent developmental literature.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)675-699
Number of pages25
JournalBritish Journal of Psychology
Volume106
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2015

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 The British Psychological Society.

Keywords

  • Children's values
  • Middle childhood
  • Value hierarchies
  • Value priorities
  • Value structures

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