Values and well-being change amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland

COVID-19 caused a global change in the lifestyles of people around the world. In doing so, it provided a unique opportunity to examine how external circumstances impact two crucial aspects of functioning relating to “who I am” (values) and “how I feel” (well-being). Participants (N = 150) reported their values, as well as subjective and eudaimonic well-being nine months before lockdown in Poland, two weeks and four weeks into lockdown. We observed significant changes in values: an increase in self-direction, achievement, security, conformity, humility, benevolence and universalism, and a decrease in hedonism. All well-being indices showed a decrease in well-being with one specific difference between men and women: women experienced a more significant increase of negative affect compared to men. Finally, we identified that Openness to change values predict lower negative affect and higher eudaimonic well-being two weeks into lockdown. This study is unique in that it shows that well-being and individually held values are flexible and adaptive systems that react to external circumstances such as global critical events.