Wisdom and value orientations: Just a projection of our own beliefs?

Abstract

Objectives: This paper investigated which value orientations (1) people associate with wisdom and (2) are actually correlated with measures of wisdom. Conceptions of wisdom suggest benevolence and universalism as likely candidates. Method: In Study 1, 160 university students reported their political orientation and completed a value survey for themselves and a very wise person; Study 2 used the same approach with a more diverse sample (N = 187). In Study 3, 170 participants completed a value survey and six measures of wisdom. In Study 4, 356 participants completed a wisdom measure and filled out a value survey for themselves and a very wise person. Results: People consistently believed that wise individuals value benevolence, universalism, and self-direction most; they also imagined wise individuals to be more universalistic but also more respectful of tradition than themselves. Several wisdom measures were uncorrelated with values; the positive correlations that were found were with benevolence, universalism, self-direction, and respect for traditions. Conclusions: Most people believe that wise individuals are concerned about the well-being of others, have respect for cultural, religious, and individual differences and traditions, and care deeply about self-direction, fairness, and equality as fundamentals of human society. Whether these relationships are also found empirically depends on which measure of wisdom is used.