The present study investigated the sex and age differences of the work values in Japanese adults, by using The Values Scale (VS) developed by Super, & Nevill (1986). We also compared the VS scores of Japanese adults with those of adults in U.S.A. and Canada. The procedures were (1) to make the Japanese version of VS, and (2) to administer it to 648 male and 102 female adult subjects. The main results were follows. (1) The internal consistency of each scale was from .63 to .86 in male subjects, and from .64 to .87 in female subjects. (2) We found the sex differences in the scores of VS. Especially, the scores in the scales of Authority, Advancement, Creativity, and Altruism in males were significantly higher than those in females. (3) We examined the age differences of work values in male adults. As the results, it was suggested that the work values in male adults changed mainly from 20s to 30s. According to aging, the scores in the scales of the Ability Utilization, Creativity, Life Style, Personal Development, Risk, Social Interaction, Social Relations, and Variety decreased, on the contrary, that of the Economic Security only increased. (4) As the results of factor analysis in VS, we found four factors in male : Personal Growth, Activity, Social Status, and Working Conditions. And in female, five factors were found : Personal Growth, Social Activity, Economic Status, Helping to Others, and Orientation for Change. (5) Comparing the work values of adults in Japan with those in U.S.A. and Canada, main differences were found in females rather than in males. Generally, the work values recognized by Japanese females were not so high. However, females in U.S.A. and Canada emphasized several work values (for example, Aesthetics or Altruism) that males didn't.
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