Value Structure and Dimensions: Empirical Evidence from the German World Values Survey

The paper examines the structure and dimensions of four value concepts included in the most recent German World Values Survey (WVS 2006). These value concepts are Inglehart’s postmaterialism concept, a reduced version of the Schwartz Value Inventory (SVI), the concept of value synthesis by Klages & Gensicke, and Inglehart & Welzel’s two-dimensional concept of secular rational and self-expression values. Relating the concepts to each other, we aim at detecting common patterns in individual-level value orientations. We find major similarities: The concepts by Schwartz and Klages & Gensicke form three common factors – two of them overlap with Inglehart’s one-dimensional materialism/ postmaterialism concept. In addition, our results suggest that Inglehart & Welzel’s self-expression values are an underlying factor of Schwartz’s value dimensions, balancing an increasing orientation towards individualism with an altruist orientation.