Identifying Core Values with a Hierarchical, Ipsative, Preference Assessment

Abstract

Listen

Translate article

Values provide a foundation for decision making, behavior, and emotional reaction; they are often used by practitioners to design effective interventions for self-awareness and personal growth. This report describes a novel, user-friendly method that identifies core values with a hierarchical ipsatization procedure (HIP) that is transparent and efficient. Response bias, validity, and user satisfaction were examined in a study in which 602 respondents completed a survey asking them to rate 80 values and use HIP to identify their 4 most inspiring and motivating values. HIP enabled selecting these 4 core values from 80 candidates in 5–7 min, with minimal evidence of response bias. The selections made during HIP were consistent with the rating data, providing evidence for HIP’s concurrent validity. 88% of the respondents felt the 4 values identified by HIP inspired and motivated them more than any other values they could think of. These findings suggest HIP is a useful tool for identifying core values, especially in applied settings.