Document Type
Journal Article
Publication Title
European Journal of Personality
Publisher
Sage
School
School of Education
Funders
Israel Science Foundation (212/17) / University Research Priority Program Social Networks of the University of Zurich / Foundation for Science and Technology / The University of Haifa / Jacobs Foundation / European Research Council Starting Grant (240994) / Israel Science Foundation Grant (31/06, 1670/13) / Swiss National Science Foundation (100019M_189365)
Abstract
We test the theory that personality incoherence may instigate personality change in the context of personal values. Values’ near-universal organization makes value incoherence assessment straightforward. The study included 13 longitudinal samples from seven cultures (Australia, Israel Palestinian citizens, Israel Jewish majority, Italy, Poland, Portugal, and Switzerland), total N = 7,126, and T1 Mage ranging between 6 and 18. Each participant reported values between two- and six-times. Using unfolding analysis, we calculated the fit of the internal value structure of each participant at the first time point to the value structure in their sample (normative structure) and to the theoretical structure of values. We estimated value change using Growth Curve Modeling (when at least three measurement times were available) and the difference between T1 and T2 in each sample. We correlated value incoherence with value change and estimated the effect across samples using a meta-analysis. Incoherence with the structure of values predicted greater value change. The associations were stronger when participant’s value structures were compared to the normative value structure at T1 than when they were compared to the theoretical structure. A meta-regression analysis indicated that effects were not moderated by age. We discuss possible underlying processes and implications for personality development.
DOI
10.1177/0890207024128996
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Comments
Daniel, E., Bardi, A., Lee, J. A., Scholz-Kuhn, R., Elizarov, E., Cieciuch, J., ... & Twito-Weingarten, L. (2024). Value incoherence precedes value change: Evidence from value development in childhood and adolescence across cultures. European Journal of Personality. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/0890207024128996