Value Isomorphism in the European Social Survey

The similarity of value structures at an individual and country level has long been debated. Previous research has shown a less than perfect match but has not been able to explain why any meaning shift might occur. In this study, the 21 Portrait Value Survey items included in the European Social Survey were analyzed. Data from representative samples from countries included in the 2002, 2004, and 2006 waves were analyzed using multidimensional scaling and generalized procrustean rotation. Values shifts were small but highly stable across time. The findings indicate that values toward the self-enhancement pole shift toward more social (conservation) and less power-oriented (self-transcendence) positions when aggregated. These shifts provide some initial support for cultural evolution arguments. The authors discusses implications of these data for relevant social evolutionary theories and for value measurement.