This study analyzed responses to members of different outgroups or persons of another nationality, race, religion, culture, and social class in formerly West and East Germany and in the United States. These analyses support the position that a person's general values, specifically materialism or postmaterialsim, and general beliefs concerning control issues are related to the degree of prejudice shown. Cross-cultural research contributes to understanding of the underlying dynamics of prejudice. In the first step of this analysis, the psychological significance of the postmaterialism dimension is explored by demonstrating its relationship with Rokeach's Terminal Value survey and with general control beliefs. In the second step, the relationship between postmaterialism, control beliefs, and prejudiced reactions towards out group members is investigated. The role of cross-cultural research in studies of prejudiced responses is discussed. The study tries to make the case for considering the postmaterialistic value dimension in social psychological research. Postmaterialism is related to other values and general beliefs, and as such is quite relevant when understanding how a certain worldview shapes a person's outlook on life and reactions. Postmaterialism seems a worthwhile variable when considering prejudiced reactions. Not only does it relate to the level of prejudice, but it also opens a new avenue for studying prejudice by considering the relevance of the context in which it occurs. This study advocates opening up research on prejudiced reactions to include different targets of prejudice and to consider how different cultures relate to members of the same outgroup. (DK)