Below are the findings from the seventh wave of the World Values Survey. My dad is from the US, and my mum is Australian, so I was curious to see how much I have been influenced by what people value in these countries:

Neither Australia nor the USA is the most traditional or secular of all the countries surveyed. The USA is about as close to the middle as possible, showing a slight preference for Secular Values over Traditional Values (about 0.10 standard deviations above the average). Australia is more secular than both the USA and the world average.

Neither are Australia nor the USA the highest in terms of Self-Expression or Survival Values. The USA is just under 1.5 standard deviations higher than the world average regarding Self-Expression Values. Australia also prefers Self-Expression over Survival Values and is about 2.35 standard deviations above the average, putting them in the top 2.5% of all countries endorsing these values.

Traditional vs. Secular Values

For the Y-axis, more traditional countries value the importance of family, religion and deferring to and being respectful of authority. Therefore, they tend to be more hostile toward divorce, abortion, and euthanasia. Countries that are more secular place less emphasis on traditional family values, religion and authority. Divorce, abortion, and euthanasia are more acceptable than in countries with traditional values.

Australia is approximately 0.55 on the Y-axis. It means that it is half a standard deviation more secular than traditional. Australia is more secular than the UK and many countries in the Middle East, Africa and Latin America. Qatar has the most traditional values, but Ghana, Tanzania, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Trinidad and many others are too.

Australia is more traditional than all Scandinavian countries, some Catholic European countries (especially the Czech Republic), and nearly all Confucian countries. Interestingly, Japan and South Korea are two of the highest-ranked countries globally regarding Secular Values and are less traditional than any country in Europe. I was surprised by this finding, as my Sociology lecturers at university often used Asian countries (including Japan) as exemplars of collectivist cultures. People in collectivist cultures put the goals and needs of the group, including what the authorities and their families say, over their individual needs and desires. Yet, their traditional — secular continuum findings do not indicate that for Confucian countries.

Survival vs. Self-Expression Values

Findings on the X-axis are also significant. For example, countries that endorse Survival Values prioritise physical and economic security over self-expression. As a result, they are less trusting and tolerant of outsiders or people who don’t fit in with what the average person does.

Countries that endorse Self-Expression Values, on the other hand, prioritise environmental protection and want more extensive participation in political and economic life decision-making. They also exhibit greater acceptance of differences and equality for anyone previously discriminated against, whether based on country of origin, sexuality or gender.

People from South Korea endorse Survival Values more than Self-Expression Values (approximately -0.50). Australia’s preference for Self-Expression Values (about 2.35) compared to Asian countries might also help explain why Asian countries were referred to in my Sociology lectures as examples of collectivist cultures. However, other countries, especially Egypt and Zimbabwe in Africa, endorse Security Values more than all Asian countries. Both Vietnam and Japan also show a decent preference for Self-Expression over Security Values. Perhaps my university Sociology professors were influenced by inaccurate stereotypes or did not use the best examples.

Based on their answers to the World Values Survey and their positions on the above map, the average Australian is more likely to be happy, accept homosexuality, sign a petition and trust others than the average Japanese person or individual from the USA. Furthermore, the average American or Japanese person is more likely to endorse these four characteristics than the average Egyptian. However, the average individual from nearly every country is less likely to support Self-Expression Values than the average Swede or Norwegian. These Scandinavian countries are the top two globally, just ahead of Iceland, Denmark and New Zealand.

Which Areas of Life are Most Important?

As a dual citizen of Australia and the USA, I will include each country’s results on the following questions to the countries that most and least endorsed each item as very important. Here are six areas of life that the World Values Survey asks people about in terms of how important they are to them:

1. How important is your family in your life?

The country with the highest percentage of people who endorse family as very important: Egypt = 99.7%

USA = 91.0%

Australia = 90.2%

The country with the lowest percentage of respondents who endorse family as very important: Nicaragua = 77.8%

2. How important are friends in your life?

The country with the highest percentage of people who endorse friends as very important: Serbia = 62.6%

Australia = 52.4%

USA = 50.7%

The country with the lowest percentage of respondents who endorse friends as very important: Myanmar = 11.8%

3. How important is leisure time in your life?

The country with the highest percentage of people who endorse leisure time as very important: Nigeria = 67.5%

Australia = 42.8%

USA = 39.5%

The country with the lowest percentage of respondents who endorse leisure time as very important: Vietnam = 12.8%

4. How important is politics in your life?

The country with the highest percentage of people who endorse politics as very important: Nigeria = 34.8%

USA = 14.9%

Australia = 10.3%

The country with the lowest percentage of respondents who endorse politics as very important: Serbia = 4.4%

5. How important is work in your life?

The country with the highest percentage of people who endorse work as very important: Indonesia = 92.9%

USA = 39.4%

Australia = 33.1%

The country with the lowest percentage of respondents who endorse work as very important: New Zealand = 29.1%

6. How important is religion in your life?

The country with the highest percentage of people who endorse religion as very important: Indonesia = 98.1%

USA = 37.1%

Australia = 13.8%

The country with the lowest percentage of respondents who endorse religion as very important: China = 3.3%

Neither Australia nor the USA is the highest or lowest country regarding endorsing any of the six categories as very important in their life. It’s nice to see that family, friends and leisure time are all considered more important in life in the USA and Australia than work, religion and politics. However, I wonder if everyone lives in line with what values they say are most important to them.

Dr Damon Ashworth

Clinical Psychologist