Postmaterialist Values and Adult Political Learning. Intracohort Value Change in Western Europe

Abstract

Research on value change and stability tends to underline the importance
of generational effects, Inglehart’s theory of post-materialism being an
example of this. According to his theory, formative experiences shape the
values of each age-cohort, and social change takes place progressively
due to the force of generational replacement. This article analyzes survey
data covering a wider period of observations than the one Inglehart used
to draw his conclusions. By applying time series techniques, I fi nd
signifi cant changes within each generation over time.
I show how an important adult learning process in the fi eld of post-materialist
values has taken place, which has been neglected by the empirical
literature. Contrary to Inglehart’s point of view, I conclude that period
effects are not just minor short-term infl uences affecting the «normal»
change due to generational replacement, but a systematic intracohort
trend linked to the European economic prosperity of recent decades.