Human values: change, expression, and variations in the European Union and Portugal (2002-2018)

Authors

  • José Luís Casanova Iscte — Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, Centro de Investigação e Estudos de Sociologia (CIES-Iscte), Lisboa, Portugal

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7458/SPP202510836001

Keywords:

Human values, value change, European Union, Portugal, social class, age, social orientations

Abstract

In this work we study values in 13 countries of the EU highlighting the case of Portugal. We use the indicators of “human values” (S. H. Schwartz), “country”, “age”, “education”, and “socio-professional category” from the European Social Survey. Non-responses to the questions on human values exist and are more probable among those individuals in a situation of social exclusion. There is a change at the top of the values’ hierarchy in the EU from a configuration in which solidarity with friends, equality, and freedom stand out to one in which solidarity with friends remains at the top but equality declines being replaced by caring for nature, and the valuing of freedom is exceeded by caring for nature and for the well-being of those around you. Differences in values between countries, age groups and social classes are confirmed. Social class introduces variations in more values than age, and variations with social class show higher associations than with country and age in the top values.

 

 

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Published

2025-07-09

Issue

No. 108 (2025)

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2025 José Luís Casanova

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