Are Gender Differences in Basic Human Values a Generational Phenomenon?

Abstract

The Schwartz Value Survey (SVS) was administered to 979 Canadian knowledge workers to determine whether differences in value priorities between men and women differed significantly between members of the Baby Boomer generation and members of Generation X. Multivariate analysis of covariance controlling for education, income, and scale use revealed a significant gender-by-generation interaction, which signifies that the patterns of differences between men's and women's value priorities were different for Baby Boomers and Generation Xers. Four of the 10 SVS value types (i.e., power, tradition, universalism, and achievement) were associated with both gender and generation. A number of other value types were associated solely with generation. The findings suggest that both gender and generation are important variables in the study of values and should not be considered in isolation of each other.

Understanding how millennial hospitality employees deal with emotional labour

“…Therefore, it is of great importance for managers to understand the work values of a new generation, in this case the millennials, to create human resource policies that satisfy their needs (Lyons et al, 2005). Even though many different labels have been assigned to the term "work values", they can be considered as a subset of the general value system (Wuthnow, 2008).…”

The Effects of Cultural Adaptation in Fundraising Letters: The Case of Help-Self and Help-Others Appeals in a Feminine Culture

“…A basic tenet in the field of persuasion is to adapt messages to receiver characteristics, such as level of sensation-seeking (Stephenson andSouthwell, 2006), self-construal (Van Baaren andRuivenkamp, 2007), or cultural values (Aaker and Schmitt, 2001). Given the abundant research evidence for gender differences in the preference for values relating to help-others appeals and to help-self appeals (e. g., Cross and Madson, 1997;Ford and Lowery, 1986;Gilligan, 1982;Guimond, 2008;Lyons, Duxbury, and Higgins, 2005), readers' gender appears to be an appropriate basis for adaptation. Men typically take on an instrumental, agentic role, which can be characterized as being self-focussed and task-oriented, and as emphasizing instrumental self-protection, self-assertion, isolation, and repression of emotion (Lyons et al, 2005).…”

“…Given the abundant research evidence for gender differences in the preference for values relating to help-others appeals and to help-self appeals (e. g., Cross and Madson, 1997;Ford and Lowery, 1986;Gilligan, 1982;Guimond, 2008;Lyons, Duxbury, and Higgins, 2005), readers' gender appears to be an appropriate basis for adaptation. Men typically take on an instrumental, agentic role, which can be characterized as being self-focussed and task-oriented, and as emphasizing instrumental self-protection, self-assertion, isolation, and repression of emotion (Lyons et al, 2005). People with a male gender role generally value what is of concern to themselves.…”

“…Women more typically fulfil an expressive, communal role, which can be characterized as expressive, open, and person-oriented. People with a communal role generally value what is of interest to or might be beneficial to themselves and others (Lyons et al, 2005). Gender differences in value preferences have also been referred to as a difference in world-view: men have a justice-oriented world-view, whereas women have a care-oriented worldview (Gilligan, 1982).…”

“…Although differences in gender roles have been attested by numerous scholars (for overviews, see Guimond, 2008;Lyons et al, 2005), these differences do not appear to be universal across different cultures. In fact, gender roles depend on the important values in a given culture (e. g., Wood, 1994;Rokeach, 1973).…”