Are Dimensions of Gender Inequality Uniformly Associated With Human Values?

Abstract

A previous work of Schwartz and Rubel-Lifschitz (2009, https://doi.org/10.1037/a0015546) highlighted the association between human values and gender equality. However, gender equality is not a monolith. Indeed, it is a multidimensional phenomenon. We started from this multidimensionality to understand how the relative importance of human values varies through the different dimensions of Gender Equality Index (GEI)—namely work, money, knowledge, time, power, and health. We have designed a cross-national study based on secondary data analysis from international databases (i.e., European Social Survey [ESS] and GEI). Through the Bayesian correlational analysis of 18 European countries, findings revealed that 1) universalism, benevolence and self-direction are strongly and positively correlated to gender equality; 2) security, power and achievement are strongly and negatively correlated to equality while 3) conformity, tradition, stimulation, and hedonism have weak/non-significant correlation coefficients with gender equality. Relevance to cultural values and ideologies that support social equality are discussed. Furthermore, we find that some values are related to certain specific gender equality dimensions. Our results provide a more fine-grained analysis compared to previous findings, by outlining a more complex scenario.