Among the many attempts made to document value patterns in American society, Robin Williams' analysis might be meaningful for investigating dominant values. A major problem with Williams' approach is that it never labels specific values but only describes general areas of conceived preferential behavior in which values might be discovered. Nor does it deal with the relative importance of different values. The purposes of this paper are: (1) to operationalize Williams' value scheme for empirical investigation; (2) to describe the relative priority accorded to various dominant values; and, (3) to differentiate value systems according to several major stratification variables. Data were gathered during the spring of 1973 from 3,115 heads of households in North Carolina, who returned mail questionnaires. The findings indicated that a high degree of similarity existed among the studied segments of society in the relative priority attached to most social and personal dominant values. However, the divergent priorities and intensity of concern between whites and nonwhites (regardless of educational attainment or income level) towards values concerning equality, achievement, and patriotism suggested a possible tension which could indicate potential value conflict. (Author/JM)