The meaning and importance of values: Research with the rokeach value survey

Abstract

This study was designed to examine the affecti ve meaning of the 36 values from the Rokeach Value Survey (RVS) by using the semantic differential procedure. Subjects were 106 tertiary students of whom half rated the 18 terminal values from the RVS on 9 bipolar adjective scales selected to sample evaluation, potency, and activity dimensions and half rated the 18 instrumental values from the RVS on the same scales. All subjects then completed Form G of the RVS. Factor analysis of the intercorrelations between the scales across subjects and values provided an evaluation factor and a potency/activity factor and enabled the construction of subscales corresponding to these two factors. The relative importance of values was positively related to scores on the evaluation subscale both within and across subjects but not to scores on the potency/activity subscale, though values differed on the latter dimension. These findings were related to theoretical analyses of the value concept and the meaning of importance.