Work Value Survey – WVS
Measures the importance of 56 outcomes and modes of behavior across ten basic human value categories.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Work Value Survey – WVS was developed by Schwartz, S. H. (1994). It is designed to measure Human Values. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 56 items organized into 10 factors/subscales: Power, Achievement, Hedonism, Stimulation, Self-direction, Universalism, Benevolence, Tradition, Conformity, Security.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Power | 1,2,3,4,5 | 5 |
| Achievement | 6,7,8,9,10,11 | 6 |
| Hedonism | 12,13 | 2 |
| Stimulation | 14,15,16 | 3 |
| Self-direction | 17,18,19,20,21 | 5 |
| Universalism | 22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30 | 9 |
| Benevolence | 31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39 | 9 |
| Tradition | 40,41,42,43,44,45 | 6 |
| Conformity | 46,47,48,49 | 4 |
| Security | 50,51,52,53,54,55,56 | 7 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: -1 = opposed to my values, 0 = not important, 1 = 1, 2 = 2, 3 = important, 4 = 4, 5 = 5, 6 = very important, 7 = of supreme importance.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from -1 to 7. Interpretation guidelines:
- Opposed / Not Important: -1 – 0
- Low to Moderate Importance: 1 – 3
- High Importance: 4 – 6
- Supreme Importance: 7 – 7
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Alphas: Power (.71), Achievement (.76), Hedonism (.67), Stimulation (.77), Self-direction (.69), Universalism (.80), Benevolence (.76), Tradition (.61), Conformity (.72), Security (.56).
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.