# Exploring the Manifestation of Schwartz’s Basic Human Values in Large Language Models

> Source: <https://aclanthology.org/2026.nlpaics-1.21/>
> Published: 2026-07-31 00:00:00+00:00

##### Abstract

This study investigates the manifestation of Schwartz’s Theory of Basic Human Values (STBV) within a pre-trained Large Language Model (LLM) by evaluating how persona prompting influences the model’s responses. Specifically, we use prompt-based persona induction to represent Schwartz’s ten broad value types e.g., Universalism, Achievement) and measure their effects using the model’s responses to the Portrait Values Questionnaire Revised (PVQ-RR). A neutral persona and human baseline serve as control conditions to assess the influence of persona prompting. Prompting strategies are also compared. Results show that value-based persona prompts systematically shift the model’s PVQ-RR response profiles, indicating that LLM questionnaire responses can be steered along Schwartz value dimensions under controlled prompting conditions. These findings suggest that value-based persona prompts may be useful for studying and configuring the expressed response profiles of LLM-based agents. Using Schwartz’s values as a structured measurement framework provides a way to evaluate how LLM responses change under persona prompting and offers a basis for future studies of value-conditioned agent behaviour.- Anthology ID:
- 2026.nlpaics-1.21
- Volume:
[Proceedings of the Second International Conference on Natural Language Processing and Artificial Intelligence for Cyber Security](/volumes/2026.nlpaics-1/)- Month:
- June
- Year:
- 2026
- Address:
- Alicante, Spain
- Editors:
[Ruslan Mitkov](/people/ruslan-mitkov/),[Rafael Muñoz](/people/rafael-munoz/),[Elena Lloret](/people/elena-lloret/unverified/),[Tharindu Ranasinghe](/people/tharindu-ranasinghe/),[Ernesto L. Estevanell-Valladares](/people/ernesto-luis-estevanell-valladares/),[Salima Lamsiyah](/people/salima-lamsiyah/unverified/),[Andrés Montoyo](/people/andres-montoyo/),[Saad Ezzini](/people/saad-ezzini/)- Venue:
[NLPAICS](/venues/nlpaics/)- SIG:
- Publisher:
- Department of Languages and Information Systems, University of Alicante
- Note:
- Pages:
- 189–203
- Language:
- URL:
[https://aclanthology.org/2026.nlpaics-1.21/](https://aclanthology.org/2026.nlpaics-1.21/)- DOI:
- Cite (ACL):
- Ryan Hyland, Lewis Newsham, and Daniel Prince. 2026.
[Exploring the Manifestation of Schwartz’s Basic Human Values in Large Language Models](https://aclanthology.org/2026.nlpaics-1.21/). In*Proceedings of the Second International Conference on Natural Language Processing and Artificial Intelligence for Cyber Security*, pages 189–203, Alicante, Spain. Department of Languages and Information Systems, University of Alicante. - Cite (Informal):
[Exploring the Manifestation of Schwartz’s Basic Human Values in Large Language Models](https://aclanthology.org/2026.nlpaics-1.21/)(Hyland et al., NLPAICS 2026)- PDF:
[https://aclanthology.org/2026.nlpaics-1.21.pdf](https://aclanthology.org/2026.nlpaics-1.21.pdf)