Autorin: Dr. phil. des. Ricarda Scholz-Kuhn
Gutachtende: Prof. Dr. Elena Makarova, Universität Basel (CH), Prof. Dr. Anat Bardi, Royal Holloway University of London (UK)
Projektdauer: 2020 - 2024

Abstract
Value transmission is widely regarded as a fundamental responsibility of society (Roest et al., 2009; Rohan & Zanna, 1996) and, hence, values education has gained widespread recognition within the global educational landscape (e.g., UNESCO, 2020). Although values, defined as abstract motivational life goals that guide our behavior (Schwartz, 1992; 1994), are key in current primary school education, there remains a gap in our understanding of how values are transmitted in the classroom. By shedding light on the potential effects of individual, contextual and temporal factors on the development of children’s values within the primary school context, the dissertation investigated a key challenge in the field.

To achieve this research goal, four articles were written that build on each other: the first focused on the current state in the classroom (i.e., children’s value structure and priorities and teachers’ value-related educational goals), the second examined individual factors (i.e., cross-sectional relations between children’s values and their value-related behavior), the third explored individual and temporal factors (i.e., longitudinal relations between children’s values and their value-related classroom behavior), and the fourth investigated individual, contextual, and temporal factors (i.e., children’s intra-individual value trajectories and the effects of classroom-related factors on these trajectories over time).

Overall, the results show that already at the beginning of primary school, children’s value structure corresponded to the theory of Schwartz (1992) (Article 1). Furthermore, systematic relations between young children’s values and their teacher-rated classroom behaviors were demonstrated (Article 2), with more indications of behaviors contributing to value trajectories throughout time than vice versa (Article 3). And finally, our findings indicate that value transmission within the classroom occurred when the relationship was symmetrical, i.e., children’s values tended to become more like those of their classmates over time. However, value transmission did not occur when the relationship was asymmetrical, such as in the teachers’ communication of value-related educational goals (Article 4).

To conclude, this dissertation sought to delve into the intricacies of value development and transmission among primary school children. This knowledge is crucial for practitioners who aim to design and implement evidence-based interventions and strategies that promote positive values within classroom settings. Furthermore, this knowledge provides a theoretical framework for understanding and internalizing prosocial behavior, which is closely linked to enhanced social and academic outcomes. By fostering such behavior, educators can contribute to the creation of more harmonious and supportive learning environments.