Are values stable throughout adulthood? Evidence from two German long-term panel studies.

ABSTRACT: Previous studies have used cross-sectional or short-term longitudinal data, resulting in a truncated view of a phenomenon unfolding across the lifespan. We find that, contrary to the consensus in the literature, people's values continue developing in adulthood, albeit at a slower pace than in previous developmental stages. We use longitudinal data sources with two measurement instruments. We show their comparability using confirmatory MDS in Study 1 (N = 1,027). We examined value development using latent growth models in a convenience sample of highly educated German peace activists (Study 2, N = 1,209) and corroborated these with evidence from a representative sample from the German population (Study 3, N = 19,566). We find that all values change up to age 40 consistent with theoretical e

SUBMITTER: Smallenbroek O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10688669 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature