ABSTRACT
Although the connection between the economy on the one hand and social values and more specific attitudes on the other is well documented in the social sciences (see, for instance, Inglehart and Welzel, 2005, pp. 99–107), the last economic crisis affecting Europe and North America has provided a new opportunity to trace the effects of economic ups and downs on the values and attitudes shared by the general public. Drawing on a larger amount of empirical data deriving from large-scale surveys carried out before and after the economic crisis, as well as on specific national data sets, the present volume builds upon several aspects. Among these is the validity of measurement scales used to measure general value orientations and their stability over time. Variations in orientation towards certain value profiles and in attitudes towards some specific political objects make up a second line followed by some of the contributions. Other chapters develop further the changes in the nexus between basic value orientation and attitudes regarding various aspects of social life. All in all, the work here aims to shed some light on the changes in value orientations that have occurred as a result of economic scarcity.
