Description

The Rokeach Value Survey (RVS) is a psychological instrument developed by social psychologist Milton Rokeach to assess individual differences in personal values. The instrument distinguishes between two major categories of values: terminal values, which refer to desirable end-states of existence, and instrumental values, which refer to preferred modes of behavior used to achieve those end-states.

The RVS includes 18 terminal values and 18 instrumental values, for a total of 36 values. Examples of terminal values include happiness, wisdom, and security, whereas instrumental values include honesty, ambition, and politeness.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the RVS is to identify and describe the value priorities that guide human behavior, decision-making, and personal choices. By examining how individuals rank different values, the instrument provides insight into the beliefs and principles that shape their attitudes and actions.

Values are treated as fundamental guiding principles that influence everyday behavior and broader patterns of social interaction.

Research Applications

The Rokeach Value Survey can be used in a variety of research fields, including social psychology, organizational behavior, cultural analysis, and the study of attitudes and beliefs. It may help researchers understand differences in value systems across individuals, groups, and cultural contexts.

It can also be applied in studies examining relationships between personal values and variables such as social attitudes, professional behavior, cultural orientation, political beliefs, and decision-making.

Structure of the Instrument

The RVS consists of two separate sets of 18 values. The first set contains terminal values, representing desirable life goals or final states of existence, while the second set contains instrumental values, representing preferred behavioral characteristics or means of achieving those goals.

This distinction allows researchers to study both what individuals ultimately consider important in life and the behavioral principles they believe are important for achieving those goals.

Scoring and Interpretation

Scoring is based on a ranking procedure. Participants rank the values in each category according to their perceived importance, using a scale from 1 to 18, where 1 represents the most important value and 18 the least important. The ranking is completed separately for terminal and instrumental values.

The resulting rankings make it possible to identify each participant’s main value priorities and to compare value hierarchies across individuals, groups, populations, or cultures.

References

Rokeach, M. (1968). Beliefs, Attitudes, and Values. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Rokeach, M. (1973). The Nature of Human Values. New York, NY: Free Press.

Hofstede, G., & Bond, M. H. (1984). Hofstede’s culture dimensions: An independent validation using Rokeach’s Value Survey. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 15(4), 417–433.

Braithwaite, V. (1985). The structure of human values: Testing the adequacy of the Rokeach Value Survey. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 49(1), 250–263.