The World Values Survey: People in 80 countries give preference to certain values, beliefs and attitudes

The World Values Survey has released its findings, offering insights into how people in 80 countries prioritize values, beliefs, and attitudes. King’s College in London condensed the survey’s results and compared data from 24 countries, encompassing a mix of nations from various continents, including both developed and developing countries.

The results are intriguing. The comparison conducted by King’s College revealed that the UK ranked in the top 10 countries when it came to valuing the instillation of unselfishness, good manners, and imagination in children.

The data revealed that among the surveyed countries, France placed first for the importance of instilling unselfishness, South Korea led in valuing the cultivation of imagination in children, and Egyptian respondents attached the highest importance to instilling good manners in youngsters.

Interestingly, the UK ranked in the bottom two of the 24 countries when it came to instilling a sense of responsibility in children, with South Korea leading in this aspect as well. In terms of obedience, saving money, and religious faith, the UK ranked in the bottom five, while Nigeria, Russia, and Egypt took the top spots in these respective parameters.

Professor Bobby Duffy, director of the Policy Institute at King’s College, offered insights into these findings: “As more of our basic needs are met, we can focus more on being ourselves and be more open to new ideas. This has gone hand in hand with the decline of some key norms that have traditionally placed more value on obedience, such as attachment to organized religions, and is mirrored in our hugely increased acceptance of a wide range of lifestyles and characteristics, whether that’s on sexuality, ethnicity, or religion.”

The study drew conclusions both by considering individual countries and by examining generational differences. It was observed that all generations valued obedience less than in the past. However, it was found that Gen Z, those born between 1997 and 2013, placed less importance on good manners and unselfishness compared to previous generations like Millennials and Generation X.

For further details, the complete survey results are available on the World Values Survey website.