Self respect is the all American value in that it was elected by the largest number of Americans and it has the least distinctive endorsers. People from all age and income groups selected this value as most important. About 21.1 % of Americans selected it in 1976, 23% in 1986.
Security is a deficit value, endorsed by people who lack economic and psychological security. People who endorse it tend to report anxiety, trouble sleeping, dizziness, and shortness of breath. In terms of media preferences they like 20 / 20 and Love Boat by 20.6% of Americans in 1976, 16.5% in 1986.
Warm relationships with others is an excess value, endorsed by people especially women, who have a lot of friends and who are friendly. Midwesterners rate this value highly. Endorsers include divorced men, Lutherans, frequent churchgoers, housewives and clerical workers. People here experience nightmares but have good social support networks and families. The percentage has risen from 16.2% to 19.9%.
Likewise people who endorse sense of accomplishment have accomplished a lot. These people tend to be successful middle aged man. They often have good jobs and high incomes. They tend to be well educated managers and professionals. They may be Jewish or Methodist, but they often do not go to synagogue or church. These people like conspicuous consumption but dislike any television watching that interferes with accomplishment, especially Love boat and Three’s Company. About 11.4% endorsed this value earlier, but more recently endorsement grew to 15.9%. The percentage is higher in the northeast.
People mostly young urban professionals — who endorse self-fulfillment are relatively well fulfilled economically, educationally, and emotionally. They are healthy and self confident. They resent excessive demands from their families that distract from self fulfillment. They like movies more than television. Overall 9.6% of Americans subscribed to this value earlier, but the rate fell more recently to 6.5%. The percentage is higher in the Pacific states.
Being well respected is selected by the Rodney Danger fields of the world. They are often over 50 and have little occupational prestige, yet they love their jobs. This value is endorsed by farmers, craftsmen, operators, divorced women, and retired people. They have low income and lack formal education. It is interesting to contrast self respect which one can achieve alone, with being well respected which requires the cooperation of others. People who values self respect are much better adjusted, according to our measures. Psychologically people who value being well respected tend to be external depressed unhappy, pessimistic and unhealthy. For fun they like to bowl The 1976 and 1986 percentages are, respectively, 8.8% and 5.9%.
Sense of belonging also requires the help of others. Like warm relationships with others, it is a social value selected by women. However, it is less reciprocal and seems to result in greater dependency. It is a home and family oriented value particularly popular in the mountain states. Endorsers tend to be housewives and clerical workers. Although they tend to have only a high school education they tend to be middle income. They are happy in family roles, although physically they experience dizziness, anxiety, nervousness and headaches. They go to church weekly, usually as Presbyterians, Lutherans, or Catholics. They like to read TV Guide and Reader’s Digest. The endorsement rate was 7.9% and has fallen to 5.1%.
You might think that fun and enjoyment in life would isolate the hedonists in America but the cliché that best describes these people is Stop and smell the roses . Young people who appreciate life especially like this value. They are often unemployed or work in sales or labor, but they are optimistic and well adjusted. They dislike family roles, religion and children however. They do like sports and entertainments and they read Playboy, rolling stone and Cosmopolitan. About 4.5% of Americans endorsed this value in 1976, and the percentage has risen to 7.2%. The rise has been especially dramatic among young males.
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