Worries and Values
Shalom H. Schwartz
Lilach Sagiv
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Klaus Boehnke
Chemnitz University of Technology
ABSTRACT Relations of individuals’ value priorities to their worries are
investigated in seven samples from four cultural groups (N = 1,441). A social-
cognitive analysis suggests that value priorities influence worries by increasing
attention to and perception of threats to valued goals. On this basis, we generate
hypotheses relating two types of worries, micro (about self and its extensions)
and macro (about society and world), to 10 types of values. As predicted, giving
priority to self-transcendence values (universalism and benevolence) is associ-
ated with low micro and high macro worry, whereas giving priority to self-
enhancement values (power, hedonism, and—to a lesser degree—achievement)
is associated with high micro and low macro worry. Meaningful associations
are also found for other values. Values account for substantially more variance
in macro than in micro worries.
Journal of Personality 68:2, April 2000.
Copyright © 2000 by Blackwell Publishers, 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148,
USA, and 108 Cowley Road, Oxford, OX4 1JF, UK.
This research was supported by the Israel Science Foundation founded by the Academy
of Sciences and Humanities and by the Leon and Clara Sznajderman Chair of Psychology
to the first author, by Grant #I-241-065 from the German-Israeli Foundation for Scientific
Research and Development to the first and third authors, and by a grant from the Recanati
Fund of the School of Business Administration at the Hebrew University to the second
author. We thank Claudia Stromberg and Gila Melech for their help in carrying out the
research and Anat Bardi, Arielle Lehmann, Ariel Knafo, Olga Mazo, Gila Melech, Leah
Pilovsky, Sonia Roccas, Naomi Struch, and Noga Sverdlik for their comments on drafts
of the manuscript.