Experts believe there are universal values which all people adhere to, no matter their gender, race or culture. The problem of course is finding universal agreement on what goes in the list.
Of all the lists of universal values, I keep returning to the list below, given to me by former colleagues of Wirthlin International (now part of Harris Interactive). It’s singular benefit to me is its conciseness, organised and sorted into 22 values.
You can download a PDF of this list here.
1. Accomplishment – Achievements, meeting goals, competence that shows results
2. Belonging and Acceptance – Feeling accepted, fitting in with a group, being a part of something, not feeling different, social recognition
3. Concern for Others – Concern for fellow human beings, altruism, compassion, empathy
4. Control – Having power, being able to make the decisions
5. Enjoyment – Having fun, enjoying life, taking pleasure
6. Equality and Brotherhood – Equal opportunity for all, egalitarian
7. Family (Taking Care of) – Responsibility, safeguarding, carrying out familiar obligations
8. Freedom – Being free to make choices, independence, autonomy
9. Future of Planet / Preserve the Earth – Saving the environment, protecting nature, believing natural resources should be preserved
10. National Security – Patriotism, loyalty to country, behaving as a good citizen
11. Peace of Mind – Being tranquil, calm, having inner harmony, living in a state of peace with the world
12. Personal Contentment / Gratification – Having a sense of personal satisfaction, happiness or self-fulfillment, a sense of well-being, living comfortably
13. Respect for Life – Belief in sanctity of all forms of life
14. Salvation / Eternal Life – Belief in life after death, reward / punishment in after life
15. Security – Job security, financial security, having a good livelihood
16. Self-Esteem – Self-respect, self-worth, pride, feeling good about self, self-confidence
17. Self-Preservation – Staying alive, living a long life, not dying
18. True Friendship – Closeness, companionship
19. Trust – Integrity, character, honesty
20. Well-Being of Future / Generations – Loving children, investing in children, striving so that future generations will be better off
21. Wisdom and Understanding – Being mature, having insight, a broad perspective, self-knowledge and knowledge of others
22. World at Peace – Avoiding bloodshed, war, varied people living in cooperation with one another
If it’s helpful, this is the last in a series of articles on Defining the Target Audience, starting here with .
2 Comments
I REALLY appreciate all the loving care you put into assembling this free resource to the public community, Andy – thank you!
However number 14 is NOT a Universal Value, sorry.
14. Salvation / Eternal Life – Belief in life after death, reward / punishment in after life
Thanks for posting your comment. We had a good email exchange over this topic. Much of the issue with this value specifically – not just from Professor Loewy, but others too – depends upon how religious you are. (Not to say either of us are or are not.) For people who do believe in a higher power, they might use the value of Eternal Life to help them make a decision. For example, someone in a recent workshop said they had tapped into this value as they were writing their will. My wonderful 91-year-old mother uses the value to make important decisions in her life as well. You may or may not use the value for yourself, but the point of the list is that it simply maps out all of the potential values a consumer might use to make an important decision. And, like all values and all audiences, you never assume. Let the audience tell you. When they do, don’t JAB them – judge, assume or use bias against them. It’s their choice.