Android :: SharedPreference - Defaults Not Set At Startup

I have Listpreferences in my app. They don't appear to be setting to their defaults right after installation - they appear to be null. I'm trying to figure out why my default preferences are not being set right after installation.

In my main code I have:

CODE:......

Right after the above code executes, each variable contains "defValue" instead of the actual values I have assigned in my ListPreference below.

My preference xml file is called, "settings.xml". Here's what one of the ListPreferences there looks like:

CODE:.............

Here's what some of my strings.xml file looks like:

CODE:.................

When I go to menu, and then settings, I can see my defaults checked (radiobuttoned). Then when I go back from the settings menu to my main screen - all is well - for life! ...then each var above is assigned the proper default value.

This only happens when I first install my app on the phone. After I go to the settings screen once and then right out of it, the app is fine and accepts any setting changes.

By the way, as you can see, "List1" is the android:key within a file called settings.xml in my res/xml folder.