Between‐ and within‐person structures of value traits and value states: Four different structures, four different interpretations

Abstract

Objective The circular structure of values has been verified mostly at a between‐person level and on measures of general value preferences. In this manuscript, we argue that it is a simplification that neglected significant aspects of the value structures and distinguish four different types of structures: (a) between‐person structure of value traits, (b) within‐person structure of value traits, (c) between‐person structure of value states, and (d) within‐person structure of value states. We argue that the within‐person structure of value states addresses the circular structure of values most accurately. Method To compare all four structures, we collected three partially dependent samples (N1 = 449, N2 = 293, N3 = 218) of adults (age 17–57, M = 24). At three time points, separated by 5–7 weeks, respondents completed a questionnaire measure (Portrait Values Questionnaire‐Revised [PVQ‐RR]) of value preferences (value traits) and reported the importance of values in their everyday actions (value states) for 1 week in an experience sampling study. Results The four types of value structures were stable over time. All four were also consistent with Schwartz's value model to some degree, but at the same time, there were some deviations. Conclusions It is important to distinguish four types of value structures and be aware of their different interpretations that we outlined in this paper.

Preference for modernization is universal, but expected modernization trajectories are culturally diversified: A nine‐country study of folk theories of societal development

“…It seems plausible that Schwartz's values model, which contrasts conservation with self-transcendence, could help improve understanding of the relative endorsement of the conventional versus modernizing aims in our models. Schwartz's conservation values emphasize safety and tradition, similar to the aims we identified as conventional; self-transcendence highlights tolerance and protection for the welfare of all people and for nature, which resonates with modernizing aims (Schwartz & Cieciuch, 2021;Skimina et al, 2021).…”

Opportunities and Challenges of Extracting Values in Autobiographical Narratives

“…A good example is the importance of self-enhancement values of achievement within work or academic settings, but the importance of self-transcendence values of benevolence in family settings. In line with the reasoning, Skimina et al ( 2021 ) reported that Power and Hedonism values are positively correlated when examining individual differences across situations as predicted by the theory, but within specific situations, the two value types are not simultaneously activated, leading to an orthogonal relationship between these two value types in situ . As we are focusing on narratives, it becomes relevant to ask whether descriptions of specific events may result in different structures.…”

“…In particular, values along the self-transcendence vs. self-enhancement dimension emerged more closely to each other than what would be expected theoretically and values within the conservatism value cluster often emerged at opposing ends of the twodimensional representation. As autobiographical narratives (and stories produced in response to ambiguous stimuli) are situationspecific, it is well plausible that these scores are more aligned with value states, which have received recent attention (Skimina et al, 2018(Skimina et al, , 2021. It is plausible that within specific situations, self-transcendence and self-enhancement values may not be compatible, with either one or the other value being salient within a situation.…”

“…To what extent are values organized in the same circular space based on motivational compatibilities and conflicts as has been described by Schwartz? Recent studies examining values as situational states (instead of more stable trait-like structures as is common in value research) have suggested that values may be organized differently when considered in the context of specific situations compared to values as relevant to life in general (Skimina et al, 2021 ). Narratives or stories are often about the descriptions of specific events; hence, they may be more like states than traits.…”

“…Predictions based on the theory have so far mostly been tested with data that focus on differences between individuals. On the other hand, a recent set of studies focusing on values as motivational goals within specific situations, that is, value states instead of more trans-situationally stable value traits, has suggested that values expressed within specific situations may relate to other values differently when compared to their relationship across situations and between individuals (Skimina et al, 2021 ). In other words, previous research has focused on value importance ratings and compared these across individuals, effectively generalizing across situations.…”