The World Value Surveys (WVS) utilize data from six survey waves between 1981 and 2014 to create a global map of societies. This map is based on two key dimensions: the vertical axis represents the shift from traditional to secular-rational values. Traditional values emphasize religion, family, respect for authority, national pride, and ethnocentric views, while disapproving of divorce, abortion, and suicide. Conversely, secular-rational values reflect opposing preferences in these areas.

The horizontal axis of the WVS map illustrates the change from survival to self-expression values. As societies transition from agrarian to industrial, and then to knowledge-based societies, survival becomes more secure. This security elevates the importance of quality of life and self-expression, leading to concerns for environmental protection, gender equality, tolerance, personal initiative, and social responsibility. This shift also influences child-rearing, promoting attitudes of trust, tolerance, individual freedom, and active social orientation.

The video provides examples of countries based on their positions within the WVS map. Zimbabwe, Morocco, Jordan, and Bangladesh show high scores in traditional and survival values. The US and most Latin American countries score high in traditional and self-expression values. Russia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, and Estonia exhibit high scores in secular-rational and survival values. Lastly, Sweden, Norway, Japan, Germany, France, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, and some English-speaking countries demonstrate high scores in secular-rational and self-expression values.

Welzel and Inglehart discuss human empowerment as a consequence of democratic freedoms, self-expression values, and action resources. Democratic freedom is tied to human rights and active social participation. Self-expression relates to individual motivation to control one's life. Action resources refer to the development of skills and abilities to organize personal lives. Human development is linked to economic growth and the establishment of democratic institutions, which are results of increased self-expression values in both democratic and autocratic societies.