The RVS consists of two lists, each containing 18 values, presented alphabetically. The respondent is asked to rank them in order of importance from “most important” to “least important.”
: Terminal values are often further divided into personal (e.g., inner harmony) and social (e.g., equality), while instrumental values are split into moral (e.g., helpful) and competence (e.g., logical) categories. Predicting Behavior and Social Change rokeach m 1973 the nature of human values pdf
In his seminal 1973 book, social psychologist Milton Rokeach revolutionized the study of human belief systems. His work moved beyond simple attitudes to identify the foundational "internal reference points" that guide human behavior, decision-making, and social change. Defining Human Values The RVS consists of two lists, each containing
Rokeach identified two types of human values: His work moved beyond simple attitudes to identify
Oddly, physical copies are often cheaper than legal PDFs. As of 2024, used hardcovers can be found for $15–$30. You can then scan the RVS appendix yourself for research.
A common point of confusion that Rokeach clarified: attitudes are specific (e.g., “I dislike socialism”), while values are abstract (e.g., “Equality”). An attitude is an expression of a value. If you value Freedom (terminal), you will likely hold a set of political attitudes that oppose censorship.
Rokeach defined a value as: “An enduring belief that a specific mode of conduct or end-state of existence is personally or socially preferable to an opposite or converse mode of conduct or end-state of existence.”