We examine whether regional sectoral employment structure helps explain cross-regional variation in individualism–collectivism (IC) beyond income. Using a representative CATI survey of more than 18,000 respondents from 60 Russian regions (2019–2020) linked to employment statistics, we estimate OLS models of regional IC with log GRP per capita and controls (inequality, education, life expectancy, latitude, political openness). We find that agricultural employment shares are negatively associated with IC, whereas service/post-industrial shares are positively associated, net of income; industry shows mixed patterns. Conceptually, we distinguish two possible channels from economic structure to values—(i) a material-security channel (income effects) and (ii) an organizational-logic channel (workplace micro-contexts of autonomy, interdependence, and monitoring). Empirically, we focus on the second pathway and treat income as a covariate rather than a mediator. The findings suggest that how work is organized may matter for regional value profiles in addition to prosperity. Results are robust to alternative IC measure.

This paper attempts to model the evolutionary theory of modernization and democratization. The model reflects the key provisions of R. Inglehart and C. Welzel's theory and provides a microfoundation for the adaptation of subjective values to the objective importances of the survival factors and the structure of the labour markets from the perspective of evolutionary theory and rational-emotional choice. We consider an optimization problem of a representative agent allocating their time between production of private goods (participation in the economy), distribution of public goods (participation in politics), and leisure. Thus, the long-term dynamics of the allocation of society's time resources can be explained by technological progress (reduction in the labour intensity of production), social progress (increasing effectiveness of political institutions), and structural changes in the labour markets (altering importances of work, politics, and leisure). In addition, the model developed in the paper reflects the phenomenon of hedonic adaptation and the resulting Easterlin paradox, explains the modern trend towards a higher share of the government in the economy, and illustrates the democratic congruence theory by C. Welzel. The key implications of the model are tested against data from the WVS/EVS and other sources.

The link between economic inequality and individual well-being has been gaining increasing research attention. This study examines this relationship using data from 71 countries with diverse national incomes, addressing three key research gaps: (1) incorporating measures of both perceived and objective economic inequality, (2) extending analysis to multiple components of well-being beyond happiness, including meaning in life, harmony, and spirituality, and (3) assessing levels of both current and ideal well-being. Findings reveal that perceived economic inequality predicts personal well-being more strongly than objective inequality. In addition, perceived inequality is associated with a wider gap between current and ideal levels of happiness, meaning, harmony, and spirituality, although national income moderates the effects of meaning, harmony, and spirituality. We discuss the implications of these results, highlighting the need for more culturally sensitive studies on perceived economic inequality and well-being.

Alongside collectivism–individualism, autonomy–embeddedness, and monumentalism–flexibility, emancipative values (EV) constitute one of the most powerful cultural markers of societal differences in economic  development, demographic change, and levels of liberal democracy. However, the evolutionary emancipation theory's validity relies on the assumption that values crystallize in early adolescence and persist across the lifespan—a premise lacking robust empirical scrutiny. Given EV's significance, this study examines their dynamics in Russia during the COVID-19 pandemic, using three waves (June 2020–December 2021) of the international longitudinal survey ‘Values in Crisis’. Aggregate-level analysis supports the ‘baseline stability theorem’, revealing no substantial decline in EV. However, divergent trends emerge for EV components: choice values undergo a marginal increase, while equality values show a slight decline. At the individual level, pandemic-related experiences, that is, COVID-19 infection, job loss, or health anxiety, exhibit no significant effect on choice values; however, equality values demonstrate a weak positive association with the increase in economic concerns. Latent growth mixture modelling further indicates that considerable EV shifts occurred in only ~2% of the panel sample. These findings provide novel evidence that core values remain stable even amid unprecedented exogenous shocks, reinforcing the ‘baseline stability theorem’ despite severe threats to health and economic security.

Настоящее исследование предлагает новый взгляд на изучение взаимос‑ вязи индивидуальных ценностей и черт личности, используя концепцию темперамента, которая основана на механизмах нейрохимической регуляции. Такой подход позволяет выйти за рамки привычных моделей личности и выявить темпераментные профили, которые располагают к формированию определенных ценностных ориентаций. В эмпирической части исследования приняли участие 1410 человек, которые заполнили методики STQ‑77 (Structure Temperament Questionnaire; Rusalov, Trofimova, 2007) и PVQ-RR (Portrait value questionnaire revised, Шварц и др., 2012). Для исследования взаимосвязей между конструктами была применена процедура моделирования структурными уравнениями. Результаты продемонстрировали, что для каждой группы индивидуальных ценностей характерен уникальный набор темпераментных черт, что подтверждает значимость биологических аспектов в изучении ценностных ориентаций человека.