Worldviews and Values as Bases for Political Orientations

Abstract

This study used structural equation modelling to test how political orientations (self-reported placement on socially liberal-conservative and economically left-right continuums) could be predicted from basic worldviews (a generally humanistic vs. normativistic orientation) and basic personal values (concepts pertaining to desirable end states or behaviors) in conjunction with core political values (normative principles about functioning of society) in a population sample from Sweden. In general, political orientation was much more strongly predicted by social-focus values (conservation and self-transcendence), and only weakly predicted by personal-focus values (self-enhancement and openness to change). The results also showed that basic personal values in conjunction with core political values mediated the relationship between basic worldviews and political orientation.

Keywords

• political orientation
• basic personal values
• political values
• worldviews
• ideology
• structural equation modelling