Assimilating Unidimensional and Multidimensional Models of Political Values

Abstract

Michael Babula is an Assistant Professor in Psychology in the Department of Humanities & Social Sciences at Khalifa University. He holds a Ph.D. in Politics and Psychology (dual degree) from Goldsmiths, University of London. Glenn Muschert is Professor of Sociology in the Department of Humanities & Social Sciences at Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi. He holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Colorado. In his influential book The Silent Revolution, Inglehart (1977) used Maslow’s (1987) hierarchy of needs to classify associated political values according to a two tiered, unidimensional model. Since then, the debate has continued as social scientists studied the presence of materialist, survival-oriented values and postmaterialist values more concerned with freedom of expression and individuality. Among the dominant materialist values are protecting the economy, promoting a strong police force, and fighting crime, which Inglehart described as concerns with lower-order needs such as physical safety and the need for security. Among postmaterialist values are freedom of say at work, beautification of cities, and having a say in government, which Inglehart associated with intermediate- and higher-order needs on Maslow’s hierarchy, such as self-esteem, social recognition, and self-actualization. Eventually, Inglehart (1977) conceptualized the existence of materialist and postmaterialist values along a unidimensional continuum and departed from Maslow (1987) who did not view the needs hierarchy as unidimensional, but rather additive in that people satisfy lower-level needs prior to moving toward the satisfaction of intermediate- and higher-order needs. Since the first iteration of the World Values Survey (WVS) in 1981, political values measuring materialist versus postmaterialist concerns have been measured in a rankings-type variable in which the prioritization of one value necessitates the sublimation of another variable, and therefore measures values in a unidimensional scheme [see e.g., the latest iteration in Inglehart et al. (2014)].