The Values of Australian Student Activists

Abstract

Relevant literature on student activism was reviewed so as to discover leads for predictions about differences between activists and non-activists in the way they might be expected to rank the terminal and instrumental values from Rokeach's Value Survey. A study was reported in which Form E of the Value Survey was completed by 92 left-wing student activists from three different populations and by 119 non-activists enrolled at Flinders University in 1970. Results showed that the activists ranked the following values higher in relative importance than the non-activists: a world at peace, a world of beauty, equality, freedom, courageous, helpful, imaginative, and loving. They ranked the following values lower in relative importance than the non-activists: a comfortable life, family security, happiness, national security, salvation, ambitious, capable, cheerful, clean, obedient, polite, and responsible. Results were discussed in terms of Rokeach's law of political activism and Merton's theory of anomie and opportunity structures.