The 1999 Balkan War: Changes in Ratings of Values and Prowar Attitudes among French Students

Abstract

This study investigated the association of Kosovo's 1999 war with a value rating of 56 female French students and links between values evaluated at two times (before and during the war) and attitudes towards the Balkan war. Subjects completed a survey of 15 values by means of a 9-point Likert-type scale one month before the beginning of the Balkan war (Time 1) and during the war, 3 mo. later (Time 2). Attitude towards the war was also measured by means of a 4-item scale completed at Time 2. Analysis indicated two slight unpredicted shifts: Universalism and Stimulation value-types were rated higher at Time 2 than at Time 1. Moreover, two value-types were consistently correlated both at Times 1 and 2 with prowar attitudes: conformity ( r = .29 and .27) and universalism ( r = –.29 and –.43). This latter result, consistent with our hypothesis, suggested that individuals' values represent modest but significant correlates of prowar attitudes.