This study examined the adequacy of the functional theory of human values in the Brazilian state of Paraiba, focusing on the content and structure hypotheses derived from the theory. The first predicts the saturation of three value-items in each of the six theorized value subfunctions. The second predicts a duplex structure for the spatial representation of values based on two specific dimensions, type of orientation (personal, central and social) and type of motivator (materialist and idealist). Participants were 12,706 individuals from the general population with a mean age of 20 years, and in their majority female (58.5%), single (38.3%) and with a high school qualification (41.8%). Confirmatory factor analysis tested the content hypothesis, assuming that six value subfunctions would account for the variance among the 18 value-items (predicted model), compared to alternative factor structures with one, two, three or five factors. As expected, the proposed model had good fit to the data (AGFI = 0.94, CFI = 0.88, and RMSEA = 0.05) and was better fitting than alternative models. The structure hypothesis was tested by means of confirmatory multidimensional scaling (Proxscal), using the Tucker Phi (φ) as an indicator of model fit. This fit indicator was above the recommended cut-off (φ = 0.94), indicating that values can be represented in a 3 (type of orientation: personal, central, or social) x 2 (type of motivator: materialist or idealist) bi-dimensional space. Even with limitations, such as the use of a convenience sample instead of a probability sample, it can be concluded that the results support the adequacy of this theory in the studied Brazilian context.
Values; Functions; Theory; Structure; Content
