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Value-Availability Ratio Scale3

Value-Availability Ratio Scale Test

Understand where your values clash with real-life access and resources in about 25 minutes. Get a clear view of conflict intensity, value priorities, and motivation gaps for focused coaching or therapy.

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Questions: 13225 minutes

08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

23,259 views

1,538 completions

1,296 likes

Verified by Daniel Hall

Psychologist with 25 years of experience

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

43/100

Neutral Zone (NZ)

Measures how balanced your life areas are by indicating where the difference between what you value and what is realistically accessible is minimal.

Low neutral zone

Moderate neutral zone

High neutral zone

0 – 33: Low neutral zone | 34 – 66: Moderate neutral zone | 67 – 100: High neutral zone

A score of 43 indicates a moderate neutral zone, suggesting several life areas feel relatively balanced while others may still show noticeable value–accessibility gaps.

example score

76/100

Internal Vacuum (IV)

Measures the degree to which perceived availability exceeds personal value (A > V), reflecting a sense of redundancy or under-meaning in life domains.

Low

Moderate

High

0 – 33: Low | 34 – 66: Moderate | 67 – 100: High

A score of 76 falls in the High range, suggesting a pronounced pattern where what is available outweighs what feels personally valuable, which may be experienced as emptiness or dissatisfaction in certain areas.

example score

49/100

Internal Conflict (IC)

Measures how strongly a person’s important values exceed their perceived availability, indicating the intensity of unmet needs and inner contradictions.

Low conflict

Moderate conflict

High conflict

0 – 33: Low conflict | 34 – 66: Moderate conflict | 67 – 100: High conflict

A score of 49 falls in the Moderate conflict range, suggesting noticeable gaps where valued areas feel less available, creating manageable but persistent internal tension.

example score

51/72

Value-Availability Discrepancy Index (VADI)

Measures the size of the gap between how important life values are to a person and how accessible those values feel in their current reality.

Low discrepancy

Moderate discrepancy

High discrepancy

0 – 36: Low discrepancy | 37 – 50: Moderate discrepancy | 51 – 72: High discrepancy

A score of 51 falls in the High discrepancy range, suggesting a pronounced mismatch between desired values and perceived availability across life areas, which may be associated with stronger internal tension.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Stuck and torn inside

41%OF USERS

People feeling ongoing tension between what matters to them and what their current life realistically allows, looking to pinpoint the main conflict areas.

In therapy or coaching

33%OF USERS

Clients already working on goals, motivation, or life balance who want a clear map of mismatched values and resources to guide sessions.

Psychologists and coaches

26%OF USERS

Practitioners who need a structured, time-efficient assessment to identify and prioritize clients’ value conflicts and their intensity.

BASED ON AGGREGATED, ANONYMIZED DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FREUDLY USERS.

Benchmarking

See How You Compare

Once you complete the test, your results are compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of how scores are typically distributed across each scale.

Neutral Zone (NZ)

Average

28.5

Normal range

13.5 — 43.4

min.

max.

100

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Inner Vacuum (IV)

Average

Normal range

39.5 — 70.5

min.

max.

100

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Internal Conflict (IC)

Average

46.4

Normal range

28.8 — 64

min.

max.

100

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Value-Accessibility Discrepancy Index (VDI)

Average

23.7

Normal range

10.2 — 37.2

min.

max.

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

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SAMPLE QUESTIONS

Example Questions From the Test

You are presented with a list of twelve concepts, each representing a universal human value: 1. An active, engaged life 2. Health (physical and mental health) 3. Interesting work 4. The beauty of nature and art 5. Love (spiritual and physical closeness with a loved one) 6. Material security (absence of financial hardship) 7. Having good and loyal friends 8. Self-confidence (freedom from inner conflict and doubt) 9. Knowledge (opportunities to broaden one’s education, outlook, and general culture, as well as intellectual development) 10. Freedom as independence in one’s actions and behavior 11. A happy family life 12. Creativity (opportunities for creative activity) You will compare all of these value concepts in pairs using two criteria. In the first part of the questionnaire (66 items), comparisons are based on the assumption that the values listed differ in their importance and attractiveness for you. For each pair, select the value that seems more important within that pair. Respond as quickly as possible, based on your first impression. In the second part of the questionnaire, comparisons are based on the assumption that some of the listed values are more accessible and easier to attain in life than others. For each pair, select the value that is easier for you to attain.

- An active, engaged life
- Health (physical and mental)
- An active, engaged life
- Interesting work
- An active, engaged life
- The beauty of nature and art

These are 3 of the 132 real questions — the rest appear in the test. No sign-up needed to start.

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WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Value-to-Accessibility Ratio Level, VARL Test

Value-Availability Ratio Scale Test - Symptoms and Signs

values

internal conflict

This measure is used to evaluate perceived discrepancies between what an individual considers important and what feels attainable across life domains. The Value-Availability Ratio Scale provides a structured approach to identifying areas of value-reality mismatch that may be associated with subjective tension or internal conflict.

Respondents rate the importance and perceived accessibility of a set of life aspects, yielding indices of concordance and discrepancy that can inform clinical case formulation and treatment planning. In typical administration, it includes 132 items and takes about 25 minutes to complete.

As described by Shalom H. Schwartz, the Value-Availability Ratio Scale is intended for use in psychological assessment settings to clarify value priorities and the extent of perceived barriers to valued goals, with results interpreted in the context of other clinical information.

Author: Shalom H. Schwartz

Literature: Higgins, E. T. Knowledge activation: Accessibility, applicability, and salience. In E. T. Higgins & A. W. Kruglanski (Eds.), Social psychology: Handbook of basic principles. Guilford Press. 1996.