VALS Survey

I just took the VALS Survey that we discussed in class today. The survey consisted of 40 questions that asked about your curiosity, desire to make things yourself instead of buying them, being a leader, and fashion sense. The survey ends with several demographic questions to put your previous answers in a context.

The results of my survey concluded that my primary VALS type is an Innovator and my secondary type is Achiever. Innovators are successful, sophisticated, take-charge people with high self-esteem. Because they have such abundant resources, they exhibit all three primary motivations in varying degrees. They are change leaders and are the most receptive to new ideas and technologies. Innovators are very active consumers, and their purchases reflect cultivated tastes for upscale, niche products and services.

Motivated by the desire for achievement, Achievers have goal-oriented lifestyles and a deep commitment to career and family. Their social lives reflect this focus and are structured around family, their place of worship, and work. Achievers live conventional lives, are politically conservative, and respect authority and the status quo. They value consensus, predictability, and stability over risk, intimacy, and self-discovery.

I feel that the survey was accurate in its analysis. I feel that I exhibit the characteristics of an achiever the most, but agree that I exhibit characteristics from the other types as well. I have learned about the VALS survey in other classes but this is the first time I've taken it myself. It was interesting to see the questions they ask and how they relate to the output. I didn't consider myself to be on the innovative side of the spectrum but based on the criteria they use, it appears I am.