A social-value analysis of postmaterialism.

Area of Science:

• Social Psychology
• Political Science
• Sociology

Background:

• R. Inglehart's theory posits Materialism and Postmaterialism as value dimensions driven by security/survival needs versus transcendent concerns.
• Previous research on Postmaterialism's social value correlates may have been limited in scope.
• Understanding the relationship between social values and Postmaterialism is crucial for social and political analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between R. Inglehart's Postmaterialism concept and politically nonspecific social values.
• To determine how Postmaterialism aligns with various social value motivations.
• To expand the understanding of Postmaterialism beyond previously studied value dimensions.

Main Methods:

• 161 New Zealand university undergraduates participated.
• Participants completed P. R. Abramson and R. Inglehart's Postmaterialism scale (1995).
• The Social Values Inventory (S. H. Schwartz, 1992) was also administered to assess social values.

Main Results:

• Postmaterialism scores were positively associated with Self-Direction and Universalism value motivations.
• Postmaterialism scores showed a negative association with Security value motivations.
• Analyses confirmed the hypothesis regarding the relationship between Postmaterialism and specific social value motivations.

Conclusions:

• Postmaterialism, as measured by the scale, is significantly related to specific social value orientations.
• The findings suggest that Postmaterialism encompasses values beyond those typically examined in prior research.
• This study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the social value underpinnings of Postmaterialism.