The European Values Study (EVS) is a large-scale, cross-national, repeated cross-sectional survey research programme on basic human values. It provides insights into the ideas, beliefs, preferences, attitudes, values and opinions of citizens all over Europe.
The European Values Study covers a wide range of human values. The main topics concern family, work, environment, perceptions of life, politics and society, religion and morality, national identity.
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Methodology, Data, Documentation
EVS covers a period spanning from 1981 to 2020 with a core questionnaire repeated over time surveyed on representative samples of the resident adult population in each country. Over time, the EVS methodology has been strengthened to bring the data quality to high level. Each national survey conforms to guidelines designed to ensure quality and consistency.
EVS data and documentation are available free of charge. They are stored at GESIS – Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences in Cologne, Germany.
Publications, Dissemination, Education
EVS data are used as empirical source for a large number of publications in academic journals and books in several fields of research. Alongside the development of up-to-date publications on the study of values in European societies, The European Values Study disseminates its results through many international and national activities, such as conferences, seminars, and workshops. Furthemore, different tools have been proposed for educational purposes.
Projects and Collaborations
The European Values Study has strong ties with other survey programmes in Europe and beyond. In particular, a frutiful cooperation with the World Values Survey has been formalized for the fifth wave of EVS and renewed in 2023 in the context of the sixth wave of EVS. In 2024, the EVS also formalized its cooperation with the European Social Survey. Furthermore, the EVS has been a key partner in several Horizon projects as well as in Erasmus+/KA201 projects.