ERIC Number: EJ905036
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2010-Dec
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0734-2829
EISSN: N/A
Assessing Children's Values: An Exploratory Study
Doring, Anna K.
Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, v28 n6 p564-577 Dec 2010
Currently, much attention is devoted to children's values and their development in an educational context. Recent research revealed that children hold a solid concept of their values and may provide accurate and unique information by themselves. Schwartz's (1994) theory established a comprehensive framework of universal human values, and Schwartz's Portrait Values Questionnaire (PVQ, a self-report instrument) provided access to adults' and adolescents' values. However, it is unexplored to what extent the two would be suitable for children. In an exploratory study, the PVQ was employed in a sample of 8- to 11-year-old children (N = 191). Observations during the process of instrument completion indicated that the PVQ imposed high demands on children's language skills, cognitive capacities, and ability for abstract thinking. Nonetheless, Multidimensional Scaling analyses revealed highly differentiated value structures. The discussion focuses on the validity of Schwartz's theory in childhood, promising alternative assessment strategies, and implications for practitioners. (Contains 4 tables, 5 figures, and 10 notes.)
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Children, Values, Educational Environment, Context Effect, Values Education, Measures (Individuals), Validity, Alternative Assessment, Multidimensional Scaling, Cognitive Ability
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Germany
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A