Democratic Values Scale
Democratic Norms and Values Assessment Scale · Also known as: DVS, Democratic Attitudes Scale
The Democratic Values Scale measures commitment to core principles of democratic governance including free speech, rule of law, fair elections, protection of minorities, and transparent institutions. Rather than measuring support for democracy as a system (which is nearly universal in principle), it captures depth of commitment to democratic norms, tolerance for dissent, and willingness to protect rights of political opponents. Developed by comparative political scientists including Dalton, Klingemann, and Welzel, it reveals psychological foundations of democratic stability.
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When to use it
Democratic values are measured in comparative democratization research, studies of democratic consolidation in transitioning countries, public opinion research tracking support for democratic institutions, and educational effectiveness research (does civics education increase democratic values?). Essential for identifying populations at risk of supporting antidemocratic movements and for monitoring whether institutional crises erode democratic commitment.
Strengths & limitations
- Directly measures normative commitment to democratic principles rather than system support alone, revealing psychological foundations of democracy
- Predictive validity: Democratic values predict tolerance for dissent, support for rule of law, and opposition to authoritarian alternatives
- Sensitive to education: civics education and political socialization meaningfully increase democratic values, supporting intervention logic
- Multi-dimensional structure clarifies which democratic principles citizens prioritize and which are vulnerable to compromise
- Comparable across countries and time periods; enables longitudinal and comparative analysis of democratic resilience
- Social desirability bias: in most cultural contexts, professing democratic values is normatively desirable, leading to response inflation
- Question interpretation variation: 'free speech,' 'rule of law,' and 'minority rights' are culturally constructed; identical items may mean different things across contexts
- Gap between values and behavior: citizens may endorse democratic principles in surveys while supporting exclusionary policies or candidate behavior in elections
- Context dependency: values expressed in peaceful, stable democracies may differ from those in countries experiencing instability or conflict
Frequently asked
Do most people support democratic values?
Superficially, yes—nearly everyone endorses democracy 'in principle' in surveys. However, deeper commitment varies: many support democracy for their own group while opposing rights for out-groups. Willingness to tolerate dissent, especially from political opponents, is substantially lower than general democratic support.
Can democratic values be taught, or are they innate?
Evidence supports both socialization and innate factors. Civics education shows modest positive effects on democratic values; family political discussion and school climate also influence values. However, personality factors (openness, tolerance of ambiguity) and life experience (exposure to diversity, threat perception) also matter.
What is the relationship between democratic values and democratic behavior?
Moderate. Citizens with strong democratic values are more likely to protect minority rights, accept electoral losses, and oppose authoritarianism. However, the values-behavior gap is substantial: many endorse democratic principles while voting for authoritarian candidates or supporting restrictions on unpopular groups.
Are democratic values universal or culturally relative?
Both. Core principles (freedom from arbitrary authority, fair procedures, equal standing) resonate across cultures. However, how those principles are understood and balanced against other values (collective welfare, social harmony, religious principles) varies. Measurement requires cultural adaptation.
Sources
- Dalton, R. J. (2004). Democratic challenges, democratic choices: The erosion of political support in advanced industrial democracies. Oxford University Press. link ↗
- Klingemann, H. D. (1999). Mapping political support in the 1990s: A global analysis. In P. Norris (Ed.), Critical citizens: Global support for democratic government (pp. 31-56). Oxford University Press. link ↗
- Welzel, C., & Inglehart, R. (2015). Banyan model of egalitarianism and hierarchy: The cultural evolution of political values. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 46(1), 83-112. link ↗
How to cite this page
ScholarGate. (2026, June 3). Democratic Norms and Values Assessment Scale. ScholarGate. https://scholargate.app/en/political-sociology/democratic-values-scale
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