Summary
Highlights
This unit introduces fundamental cultural models and dimensions used to measure cultural differences. It focuses on the World Values Survey, conducted by an international network of scientists including Ronald Inglehart and Christian Welzel, which explores the change of cultural values in relation to economic and political development. Two dimensions are highlighted: traditional versus secular-rational values and survival versus self-expression values.
The World Values Survey is the broadest academic study of cultural groups, with 400,000 respondents in almost 100 countries. It provides critical information on changes in people's beliefs, valuable for professionals in psychology, sociology, anthropology, economics, banking, journalism, and government policymakers to analyze social phenomena and trends.
The video revisits Maslow's hierarchy of needs, explaining how motivation changes as basic needs are met, driving individuals towards higher needs. It illustrates that when deficiency needs are not satisfied, people are less likely to strive for democracy and freedom. Conversely, when survival is not threatened, self-expression and democratic values are more likely to increase.
Social change, globalization, and technological advancement influence our worldview. Ronald Inglehart points out a shift from traditional cultural values to more secular-rational values, driven by the Industrial Revolution's centralized authority. This was followed by post-industrial development, characterized by a trend towards self-expression and freedom. The traditional versus secular-rational dimension differentiates agrarian traditional societies from industrialized, rational, non-religious ones. The survival versus self-expression dimension highlights the shift from physical and economic security to personal well-being and growth needs.