The role of values has received limited empirical attention relative to its potential significance, especially within a causal modeling approach. A series of multivariate and structural equation analyses supported the hypotheses that values have internal and external dimensions that influence attitudes. In turn, attitudes were found to influence behaviors, as the final phase in the value-attitude-behavior hierarchy. These analyses were performed on data derived from a survey about natural food shopping. As hypothesized, we found that people who have more internally oriented and less externally oriented value structures like natural foods more than other people, and these attitudes then lead to behaviors appropriate to the structure. Theoretical implications are discussed.The authors gratefully acknowledge helpful comments from Robert M. O'Brien.
Two methods of measuring consumer values, the List of Values and the Rokeach Value Survey, are compared. Both involve some social desirability responding but both have convergent, discriminant, and empirical validity for consumer research. The List of Values may be preferable for some types of research because it detects more daily influence in people's lives and because it is simpler to administer.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.