SocialValues

SocialValues is a psychographic product that measures the propensity to hold underlying beliefs, motivations and personal mindsets that influence consumer and community behavior.

It is developed by Environics Research and integrated with the Claritas PRIZM^® Premier segmentation system. Since 1983, Environics Research has conducted a national survey to measure motivations, beliefs and social attitudes of Americans, including measures across 70 values.

SocialValues help organizations in all industries understand what matters most to their customers and how those values influence consumer and community behavior. It enables more relevant targeting, stronger messaging and more effective marketing strategies.

What’s new?

The 2026 release introduces thirteen new variables including:

Anomie/Aimlessness: Feeling you have no purpose in life. A sense of meaninglessness about life in general. Feeling useless in every way. Feeling that there is little to tie people to society, that you have little connection with what's going on. Weak connection with society's shared values. Low sense of social integration.

Confidence in Small Business: Confidence in the commitment of small business-owners to the provision of quality goods and services. Belief that small business owners are not just profit-driven.

Conformity to Norms: A desire to conform to existing social norms. People strongest on this trend express concern about what others might think of them and make efforts to avoid standing out from others. (Inverse: Need for Uniqueness).

Crude Materialism: Placing great importance on the accumulation of material possessions. Feeling a need to constantly buy new products and services.

Deconsumption: The willingness to adopt a lifestyle in which consumption plays a less dominant role. This attitude is expressed in a desire to limit or reduce one’s consumption of goods and to spend less than before.

Discount Consumerism: Preferring to buy discount or private label brands, often from wholesalers, discount outlet stores or the sale displays at national retailers (Inverse: Upscale Consumerism).

Enthusiasm for Consumption: Fascination with the possibilities offered by modern technology. Seeks information about the latest products and innovations. Excitement about the ways technology can better their lives.

Enthusiasm for New Technology: Fascination with the possibilities offered by modern technology. Seeks information about the latest products and innovations. Excitement about the ways technology can better their lives.

Entrepreneurialism: Taking steps to fulfil the ideal dream of being self-employed, rather than a member of the standard employee routine, since owning one’s own business is deemed more rewarding than working for someone else.

Need for Uniqueness: A desire to be individualistic and stand out in the crowd. People strongest on this trend do not worry about what others might about them but tailor their appearance, behavior and activities to be different. (Inverse: Conformity to Norms).

Protection of Privacy: Great concern about the fact that in databases, among other ways, government and business are amassing increasingly large banks of information about people’s private lives.

Strategic Consumption: An attitude adopted by consumers to get the best price for whatever they buy. The methods vary and can include, for example, making a better assessment of their needs in order to be more selective in their purchases, hunting for special promotions, discounts, bargains or other forms of price reduction, switching to cheaper brands, or postponing purchases.

Upscale Consumerism: Preferring to buy mostly exclusive or prestigious brands that are more expensive and often only available from higher-end stores and boutiques (Inverse: Discount Consumerism).

Definitions for all 70 values are found in the SocialValues Glossary 2026 (US).