Perceiving Value Similarity With Ingroup Others: Effects on Social Connectedness, Well-being, and Pro-Environmental Engagement

Abstract

This thesis proposes the Shared Values Model of social connection. This model suggests that global perceptions of shared values with ingroup others can serve as an important component of feeling socially connected, pro-socially engaged, and positive about people in general and the future. Furthermore, increased feelings of social connection should lead to greater well-being. The model is tested in four studies, using measures of perceived global value similarity (self-report questions about value similarity) and estimated domain-specific value similarity (using ratings of own values and others’ values in polynomial regression and response surface analysis). Cross-sectional analyses in Studies 1 to 3 revealed significant associations between perceived global value similarity, social connectedness, and well-being, as well as associations between perceived global value similarity and prosocial engagement (Study 2 and 3). In addition, evidence for a causal role of perceived global value similarity on social connection is obtained within-people via cross-lag effects in a daily diary study (Study 3) and between-people through interventions designed to highlight shared values (Study 4). Estimated domain-specific value similarity effects fail to consistently emerge alongside effects of perceived global value similarity, nor elucidate consistent effects of similarity for specific higher-order value types. However, robust misperceptions of the value types are observed across target groups: people tend to view themselves as placing greater importance on self-transcendence values and less importance on self-enhancement values than they view ingroup others. Future research should aim to investigate these estimated value similarity effects in more depth, including a closer look at the causal relations between shared values and well-being. Overall, these findings provide initial support for the role of perceived global value similarity in promoting social connectedness as proposed by the Shared Values Model as well as increased prosocial engagement, while indicating that there may be important practical implications of highlighting shared values for well-being.

Date of Award	8 Oct 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Bath
Sponsors	Economic and Social Research Council
Supervisor	Gregory Maio (Supervisor), Paul Bain (Supervisor), Richard Harris (Supervisor) & Lukas Wolf (Supervisor)