Values (Shalom H. Schwartz) – Power

Abstract

Power refers to the degree to which people value the need to achieve social recognition, preserve their public images, and aspire to positions of authority or dominance. This human value was not among the original seven put forth by Schwartz, since previous studies had omitted it, considering that people could be hesitant to admit being motivated merely by power. However, as Schwartz further developed his theory, he added markers that would indicate later that the dimension of power is: (a) a position of authority and significance, (b) self‐determination of one's own direction in life and in the future, and (c) equity – the distribution of rewards fairly based on individual contributions, which indicate the desire for differential treatment, since rewards could be accumulated by those who aspire to status and control.