Value hierarchies across cultures - Taking a similarities perspective

Beyond the striking differences in the value priorities of groups is a surp risingly widespread consensus regarding the hierarchical order of values. A verage value hierarchies of representative and near representative samples from 13 nations exhibit a similar pattern that replicates with school teach ers in 56 nations and college students in 54 nations. Benevolence, self-dir ection. and universalism values are consistently most important; power, tra dition, and stimulation values are least important; and security, conformit y, achievement, and hedonism are in between. Value hierarchies of 83% of sa mples correlate at least .80 with this pan-cultural hierarchy. To explain t he pan-cultural hierarchy, the authors discuss its adaptive functions in me eting the requirements of successful societal functioning. The authors demo nstrate, with data from Singapore and the United States, that correctly int erpreting the value hierarchies of groups requires comparison with the pan- cultural normative baseline.