We recommend a re-conceptualization of Schwartz’s culture-level value theory to an orthogonal two-dimensional structure, namely as Alteration vs. Using data from two rounds of the European Social Survey, we show how frequencies of specific individual value priorities in a culture can be used toward the description of culture-level value preferences. We propose an approach based on the distribution of values of individuals in a given culture–the distribution approach. We argue that the averaging approach is an insufficiently accurate methodology in capturing the compatibilities-incompatibilities between values of individuals within cultures. However, from a theory of measurement standpoint such an approach seems inadequate. 4Center for Sociocultural Research, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, RussiaĮmpirical tests of Schwartz’s theory of culture-level value priorities have predominantly been performed using an averaging approach–as values of the average individual in a culture.3Institute for Gerontology, University of Vechta, Vechta, Germany.2Psychology and Methods, Jacobs University Bremen, Bremen, Germany.1Institute of Psychology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.Witte 1, Adrian Stanciu 2,3* and Klaus Boehnke 2,4

Robert schwartz third point