valuesschwartzcompatibility
Schwartz refined values: 19-value structure
From coarse 6-bucket to the contemporary 19-value model. Why finer distinctions matter for dating compatibility.
Citation
Schwartz, Cieciuch, Vecchione, et al. (2012). Journal of Personality and Social Psychology — DOI 10.1037/a0026953
Read methodology4 min · Updated 2026-08-27
Educational context only, not a diagnosis or clinical assessment. Product-authored items are labeled where validated instruments do not apply.
§ 01 — Findings
What the study found
- The refined theory distinguishes 19 values (e.g., self-direction-thought vs. -action, benevolence-care vs. -dependability).
- Dating compatibility often hinges on these finer distinctions (stimulation vs. hedonism vs. conservation).
- We map items to the 19-value labels while preserving a coarse 6-key map for backward compatibility with early cohort scoring.
§ 02 — Encoding
How we encode it
- Why two people who both value "freedom" can still clash if one means creative autonomy and the other means lifestyle independence.