Understanding ecosystem service preferences through human values

Social valuation research identifies ecosystem service preferences effectively, but is less well equipped to explain why those preferences form and vary across people and groups. Explanatory efforts have typically relied on socio-demographic and place-based variables despite inconsistent predictive power. Drawing on Schwartz’s Theory of Basic Human Values, we test whether higher-order value orientations help to explain ecosystem service preferences. Using a US survey sample of adults (N = 790), we combined a social assessment of preferences for 17 ecosystem services with the Portrait Values Questionnaire. Results show that value orientations, particularly self-transcendence and openness to change, explain meaningful variation in ecosystem service preferences and show greater explanatory power than socio-demographic and broad landscape variables. Self-transcendence was the strongest and most consistent predictor across service categories, while openness to change was positively associated with provisioning and cultural services. These findings highlight human values as a useful framework for interpreting ecosystem service preferences.