The Psychology of What We Value
What people value shapes how they live, connect, and cope. This research explored how educational background and perceived social status influence whether individuals prioritize self-focused values such as power and achievement or other-focused values such as family and compassion.
The project was presented during the 2025 SPARK! Graduate Poster Exhibition. Conducted by Xuanzhou Du while completing the Master of Arts in Psychological Sciences at Rutgers University–Camden, this work now informs her continued scholarship as a doctoral student in the Ph.D. program in Prevention Science. The abstract below introduces her study examining how socioeconomic background shapes the way individuals rank and describe their core values.
Abstract: Characterizing Individual Values Across Diverse Educational Backgrounds and Socioeconomic Statuses
Research suggests that individuals’ values, or what people consider important and meaningful in life, vary by socioeconomic status (SES; Cohen & Sherman, 2014). People from lower-status backgrounds tend to be more relationship-focused, whereas higher-status individuals prioritize individual achievement (Stephens et al., 2012; Covarrubias & Fryberg, 2015). However, less is known about how subjective and objective status relate to individual values and qualitative expressions of values assessed by text analysis. Understanding more specific differences in how individual values differ across SES can inform value-based interventions, such as value affirmation interventions, and help at-risk individuals cope with resource scarcity (Hooker et al., 2018).
This study examined how subjective (perceived social status) and objective (educational background) SES relate to the degree to which individuals pursue self-related versus other-related values. We also explored whether participants across different education levels expressed different kinds of values using rich text data.
A community sample of 220 individuals (mean age = 33.75 years, SD = 11.62; 144 females; 96 Black, 86 White, 16 Asian, 9 Hispanic, and 13 Other) ranked self-related values (power/status, wealth, fame) and other-related values (compassion/kindness, family/friends, spirituality), rated their importance on a 0 to 10 scale, and reported their perceived social status and educational background. A subset (n = 80) wrote about their highest-ranked value (Kang et al., 2018). Participants were categorized into three groups based on their education and their parents’ education: no-college-degree (n = 63), first-generation (n = 74), and continuing-generation (n = 83). Participants indicated their perceived social status using the 10-point MacArthur Scale (Adler et al., 2007).
We tested differences in self- and other-related values across educational backgrounds by regressing the mean scores of self- and other-related values on perceived social status. Using the text data, we generated word clouds to explore linguistic characteristics across educational backgrounds.
We found a significant relationship between education status and other-related values, F(2, 217) = 6.45, p = 0.002. The continuing-generation group placed less importance on other-related values than the no-college and first-generation groups, who did not significantly differ. Education was not related to self-related values. Higher perceived social status was associated with greater importance placed on self-related values (β = 0.25, t = 3.55, p < 0.001). Perceived status did not significantly relate to other-related values. Among the 80 participants who described their highest-ranked value, 78 chose other-related values. “Family” was the most common word across all groups but appeared less frequently in the continuing-generation group.
Findings support that personal values vary by socioeconomic background. Lower-education individuals emphasized other-related values, especially family, while higher-education individuals endorsed a broader range of other-related values. Higher perceived social status was linked to prioritizing self-related values. These findings align with research showing that lower SES individuals emphasize interpersonal values and interdependence (Carey & Markus, 2017; Snibbe & Markus, 2005). Building on these findings, we are currently testing whether individuals’ daily value alignment, the degree to which their actions reflect the values they cherish, relates to health outcomes using experience sampling and text data.
Graduate Poster Exhibition at SPARK!
The Graduate Poster Exhibition celebrates the research and creative work of the graduate community, showcasing everything from prose and code to original research and artistic expression. As part of SPARK! (Showcase of Projects, Art, Research, and Knowledge), a reimagining of Research Week, the exhibition highlights the depth, range, and impact of graduate scholarship and invites the campus community to engage with ideas taking shape across disciplines.
Understanding the Mind: The Psychological Sciences Program
The Psychological Sciences program at Rutgers–Camden offers a comprehensive curriculum that prepares students for advanced research and practice in various psychological disciplines. The program provides a foundation in research design and data analysis, with opportunities for individually supervised research apprenticeships. Students can choose between a thesis track, ideal for those aiming for doctoral studies, and a content track, suited for careers in non-academic research settings. The curriculum emphasizes scientific research methods applicable to real-world problems, equipping graduates with critical thinking and analytical skills essential for diverse career paths in psychology.
Advancing Community Well-Being: Prevention Science Graduate Programs at Rutgers–Camden
The Rutgers–Camden M.S. and Ph.D. programs in Prevention Science offer an interdisciplinary approach to tackling complex challenges affecting both communities and individuals. Emphasizing intervention strategies, causal analysis, and advanced statistical methods, these programs equip students with the skills necessary for high-quality research in fields such as international development, education reform, and healthcare. The Master of Science program requires 34 credits, while the Doctor of Philosophy program entails 61 credits, with both options available for full-time or part-time enrollment. Graduates are prepared to address pressing social issues and contribute to positive change across various sectors.
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