Summary
Highlights
Survival values are focused on fundamental needs like good income and saving money for survival. In societies prioritizing these values, making money and having a good job are crucial, while self-expression and political opinions are less important.
The cultural map, widely available online, shows traditional societies at the bottom, predominantly in Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America, where religion and tradition are highly valued. At the top are secular-rational societies like Protestant Europe, where religion plays a minimal role.
The other axis represents self-expression versus survival values. English-speaking countries on one side prioritize pleasure and self-expression, while Eastern Europe, Africa, and the Middle East on the other side focus on hard work and saving for survival. This distinction correlates with economic development, as richer countries worry less about basic survival.
A significant implication is the correlation between these values and life satisfaction. People in self-expression-oriented and wealthy countries, particularly Scandinavian nations, report higher life satisfaction. Conversely, those in survival-oriented regions like Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa are generally less satisfied, reflecting a mix of cultural values and economic development.