Examining Values Through Aphorisms

Many psychologists agree that studying values is an important aspect of understanding human nature (Allport, Rokeach, etc.). In spite of this consensus, there is little collective research on the subject. This is due, in part, to variations in instruments.
Therefore, the purpose of the present research was to (a) assess the underlying structure of responses to a set of aphorisms, (b) to examine potential reasons for differential endorsement and (c) to explore the relationship between a set of aphorisms and traditional psychosocial measure of values as well as personality.
Study 1 included 928 participants, and the objective was to examine the structure underlying responses to a set of aphorisms (Laws of Life; LL). Classic psychometric tests yielded 5 factors: Direction in life, Positivity, Self-Control, Reciprocity and Cognitive Determinism.
Study 2 (n =258) focused on the explanation for differential endorsement rates. Results showed that the best predictor of endorsement rate was how relevant a particular item was to the participant.
Study 3 (n =193) compared the LL to other measures of values in an attempt to assess the extent of the relationship between this set of aphorisms and traditional psychological measures. Results indicated a moderate convergence between the LL factors and measures of values, with Direction in life showing to be the strongest and most extensively related factor.
The purpose of Study 4 (N = 318) was to assess the relationship between the LL factors and relevant measures of personality. The five factors showed a degree of variability among the personality constructs. Again, Direction in life showed to be the factor that showed the most convergence, whereas Cognitive Determinism showed no reliable relation to any of the personality constructs.
This research attempted to examine an existing set of aphorisms and use this set in order to provide insight about the nature of values. Results showed that these aphorisms are related to both measures of values as well as measures of personality.