The RVS has been instrumental in cross-cultural psychology, allowing researchers to compare value hierarchies across nations. Studies have applied the RVS to investigate value orientations among students in Austria and Ukraine, to analyze the perception of honesty in former Soviet republics, and to link values to social behavior and attitudes in various cultural contexts. This cross-cultural application has consistently shown that while there is a universal structure to human values, the specific priorities (the rankings) vary significantly across cultures.
The consequences of human values will manifest in virtually all social phenomena. The Rokeach Value Survey (RVS)
Why should a marketer, a therapist, or a parent read Rokeach’s 1973 book today?
: These are desirable "end-states of existence"—the ultimate goals a person hopes to achieve in their lifetime (e.g., happiness, world peace, freedom). The RVS has been instrumental in cross-cultural psychology,
While the RVS became a standard tool in sociology, marketing, and organizational behavior, it has faced criticism. Some scholars argued that the list of 18 values was culturally bound to mid-20th century America and lacked universal applicability. Others noted that forcing a strict ranking (ipsative scaling) makes statistical analysis more difficult than rating scales (like Likert scales used in later models, such as Schwartz’s Theory of Basic Values).
Milton Rokeach’s 1973 book, is a foundational text in social psychology. While the book itself is a rigorous academic analysis of value systems, it tells a "deep story" about the structure of human motivation and the hidden architecture of our moral lives.
Trying to keep every value at #1 is not virtue; it is paralysis. The consequences of human values will manifest in
Thesis and Core Concepts Rokeach’s central thesis is that values are enduring beliefs that a specific end-state of existence or mode of conduct is personally or socially preferable to an opposite or converse end-state. Values differ from attitudes and opinions in abstraction, centrality, and motivational power: while attitudes are evaluations of objects or situations, values are broad principles that transcend specific contexts and organize attitudes into consistent, value-driven action. Rokeach distinguishes between terminal values—desired end-states such as “a comfortable life” or “world peace”—and instrumental values—preferred interpersonal modes of behavior such as “honesty” or “ambition.” This terminal/instrumental dichotomy is foundational to his theoretical framework and measurement approach.
Rokeach used the RVS to analyze broad demographic and political cross-sections of American society in the early 1970s. His findings revealed that while values are universally understood, their hierarchical arrangement varies predictably across different groups. Socioeconomic Status and Race
Systems that prioritize state-enforced economic equality and collective wealth over individual civil liberties and personal freedom. While the RVS became a standard tool in
Terminal values represent the ultimate goals that a person would like to achieve during their lifetime. They are the "destinations" of human existence. A comfortable life (a prosperous life) An exciting life (a stimulating, active life) A sense of accomplishment (lasting contribution) A world at peace (free of war and conflict) A world of beauty (beauty of nature and the arts) Equality (brotherhood, equal opportunity for all) Family security (taking care of loved ones) Freedom (independence, free choice) Happiness (contentedness) Inner harmony (freedom from inner conflict) Mature love (sexual and spiritual intimacy) National security (protection from attack) Pleasure (an enjoyable, leisurely life) Salvation (saved, eternal life) Self-respect (self-esteem) Social recognition (respect, admiration) True friendship (close companionship) Wisdom (a mature understanding of life) 2. Instrumental Values (Modes of Conduct)
These are the preferred modes of behavior—the vehicles we use to get to our terminals. They are moral or competence-based traits. The 18 instrumental values include:
Drawing heavily on Leon Festinger’s theory of cognitive dissonance, Rokeach demonstrated that if individuals are gently confronted with contradictions within their own value systems—or contradictions between their stated values and actual behaviors—they experience psychological discomfort. To alleviate this discomfort, individuals will often undergo long-term, stable shifts in their value priorities.
| Terminal Values (End-States) | Instrumental Values (Modes of Conduct) | | :--- | :--- | | A World at Peace | Honest | | Family Security | Responsible | | Freedom | Ambitious | | Equality | Independent | | Self-Respect | Forgiving | | A Sense of Accomplishment | Helpful | | True Friendship | Loving | | Wisdom | Intellectual |