Exploring the role of ten universal values in using products and services

The aim of this research was to explore the role of Schwartz's ten universal human values in the context of using products and services. Seventy-five participants were asked to qualitatively describe a product or service especially well in line with their values and a product or service in conflict with their values, and to evaluate them on a number of rating scales. The scales included 30 statements (three statements per universal value) probing the presence of each value in user experiences related to products and services and 10 statements studying the perceived importance of each value. The results showed that all the ten universal values were relevant in the evaluations of products and services both in line with the users' values and in conflict with the users' values. In the current sample, hedonism and self-direction were rated as the values most frequently present and most important in the evaluations of products and services in line with values. Power was rated as a moderately important value for products in conflict with values, but significantly less important for products in line with values. Achievement values were frequently reported in the qualitative descriptions, but they were less prominent in the quantitative data. The results suggest that the model of ten universal values is promising in understanding the role of users' value preferences in using products and services, and it seems to have potential for complementing the psychological needs approach in understanding user experience.