Origin
This assessment draws on Shalom Schwartz's theory of basic human values (Schwartz, 1992), one of the most cross-culturally validated frameworks in values research. Schwartz proposed a set of broad, motivationally distinct values present across cultures, organised in a circular structure where adjacent values are compatible and opposing values conflict.
Structure
The original model identified ten basic values (e g , Self-Direction, Stimulation, Hedonism, Achievement, Power, Security, Conformity, Tradition, Benevolence, Universalism), later refined into a more fine-grained 19-value model (Schwartz et al
, 2012). These organise along two higher-order axes: Openness to Change versus Conservation, and Self-Enhancement versus Self-Transcendence. The values are commonly measured with the Portrait Values Questionnaire (PVQ; Schwartz et al
, 2001), which asks respondents how much they resemble short verbal portraits of people pursuing each value. A "mini" form uses a reduced item set to estimate the same value priorities quickly.
Psychometric standing
The theory's circular value structure has been replicated across a very large number of countries and samples, making it one of the best-supported models in cross-cultural psychology (Schwartz, 1992; Schwartz et al , 2012).
Brief PVQ-style forms trade some precision for speed; they estimate the rank-ordering of a person's value priorities rather than providing fine facet-level measurement.