ABSTRACT
While technical facts have often been brought to bear, more wide-ranging issues such as lifestyles and the need for energy independence have also entered into debates in the field of energy. This has led to the recognition that different value positions may be the reason for divergent energy beliefs and attitudes. The relationship between human values, as defined by Rokeach, and energy beliefs and attitudes is examined using the results of a four-wave mail-out survey conducted in Washington in 1977. It is concluded that underlying value patterns are only slightly related to beliefs about future energy shorages. However, human values are more strongly related to beliefs about conservation and are most strongly related to beliefs and attitudes about specific energy technologies. Values regarding a comfortable life, national security, family security, and a world of beauty seem to be most important in this regard.
