ANNETTE M. C. ROEST Radboud University Nijmegen JUDITH SEMON DUBAS Utrecht University* JAN R. M. GERRIS AND RUTGER C. M. E. ENGELS Radboud University Nijmegen Disentangling Value Similarities and Transmissions in Established Marriages: A Cross-Lagged Longitudinal Study This study examined spousal value similarity and transmission across a 5-year period on four value orientations: traditional family val- ues, self-determination, social criticism, and hedonism. Participants were 685 Dutch couples in established marriages. Structural equation modeling results indicated that spouses were moderately similar on all value orientations. Over time, spousal similarity remained for tra- ditional family values, self-determination, and social criticism and decreased for hedonism. Direct spousal transmission occurred on social criticism and hedonism with wives influencing their husbands. Multiple group analyses re- vealed that wives’ value transmission to hus- bands occurred only within couples with similar social positions (in education and reli- gion) and with higher degrees of marital satis- faction. Findings confirm that experiences in one’s family of destination contribute to midlife value development. Values have a pervasive role in individuals’ lives. They are used as guiding principles and are called on to select and justify actions and to evaluate other people and life events (Rokeach, 1973; Schwartz 1992). The values individuals hold are influenced by persons and institutions from their past and the current social environment. An important institution in individuals’ lives is mar- riage. A great deal of research on value similarity and transmission has focused on how parents pass on their values to their children (e.g., Glass, Bengtson, & Dunham, 1986; Grusec & Goodnow, 1994; Rohan & Zanna, 1996). Most individuals, however, become members of a new family later in life by marrying or cohabiting, and little is known about the similarity and transmission between marital partners. The present study inves- tigates spousal value similarity and transmission across time among Dutch couples in established marriages. Spouses may be very important in determining each other’s values given that they have chosen each other to share their lives, includ- ing running a household together, having children, and sharing other environments, experiences, and responsibilities. In general, individuals maintain close relation- ships with whom they share the same ideals and viewpoints in life (Byrne, 1971). Following Byrne’s (1971) similarity-attraction thesis, similar others are attractive because one’s views will be Department of Family and Child Care Studies, Behavioural Sci- ence Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9104, 6500 HE Nijmegen, The Netherlands (a.roest@pwo.ru.nl). *Department of Developmental Psychology, Utrecht Uni- versity, P.O. Box 80140, 3508 TC Utrecht, The Nether- lands. Key Words: hedonism, self-determination, social criticism, spousal value similarity, spousal value transmission, tradi- tional family values. 1132 Journal of Marriage and Family 68 (December 2006): 1132–1146