Scale Overview
The Personal Value Scales – Short Version (PVS) was developed by William A. Scott (1965). It is designed to measure Personal Values. The scale is intended for use with Adults and college students.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 45 items organized into 12 factors/subscales: Intellectualism, Kindness, Social Skills, Loyalty, Academic Achievement, Physical Development, Status, Honesty, Religiousness, Self-control, Creativity, Independence.
| Factor / Subscale |
Items |
N |
| Intellectualism |
1,2,3,4,5 |
5 |
| Kindness |
6,7,8,9 |
4 |
| Social Skills |
10,11,12,13,14,15 |
6 |
| Loyalty |
16,17,18 |
3 |
| Academic Achievement |
19,20,21,22 |
4 |
| Physical Development |
23,24,25 |
3 |
| Status |
26,27,28 |
3 |
| Honesty |
29,30 |
2 |
| Religiousness |
31,32,33,34,35 |
5 |
| Self-control |
36,37,38,39 |
4 |
| Creativity |
40,41,42 |
3 |
| Independence |
43,44,45 |
3 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Always Dislike, 2 = Depends on circumstances, 3 = Always Admire.
The scale includes 1 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 1 to 3. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Value Endorsement: 1 – 1
- Moderate Value Endorsement: 1 – 2
- High Value Endorsement: 2 – 3
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Varies by subscale (typically 0.70 – 0.85).
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.