Phenotypic, genetic, and environmental properties of the portrait values questionnaire

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to examine the 10 value types from the Portrait Values Questionnaire (PVQ; Schwartz et al., 2001) both at the phenotypic (observed) level as well as the genetic and environmental level. Australian twins ( N = 695) completed the PVQ as part of a larger questionnaire battery. Nine of the value types were found to have a genetic component with heritability estimates ranging from 10.8% for power to 38% for conformity. The achievement scale was best explained by environmental factors. The interscale correlations were found to range from -.02 to .70 at the phenotypic level. Of these 45 correlations, 16 were found to be explained by overlapping genetic factors and almost all (41) were found to have significant unique environment correlations.