A
personal and cultural value is a
relative ethic value, an assumption upon which implementation can be extrapolated. A
value system is a set of consistent
values and measures. A
principle value is a foundation upon which other values and measures of
integrity are based. Values are considered
subjective, vary across people and cultures and are in many ways aligned with
belief and belief systems. Types of values include
ethical/
moral values,
doctrinal/
ideological (religious, political) values,
social values, and
aesthetic values. It is debated whether some values are
intrinsic.
Personal values developed very early in life may be resistant to change. They may be derived from those of particular groups or systems, such as culture, religion, and political party associations. However, personal values are not universal; one's family, nation, generation and historical environment help determine one's personal values. "We carry with us values that influence our thoughts, feelings, and actions."[1] This is not to say that the value concepts themselves are not universal, merely that each individual posesses a unique conception of them, i.e., a personal knowledge of the appropriate values for their own genes, feelings and experience. "Research on values has found that adolescents who are involved in groups that connect them to others in school, their communities, or religious institutions report higher levels of social trust, altruism, commitments to the common good of people, and endorsements of the rights of immigrants for full inclusion in society. Adolescents who were uninvolved in such groups were more likely to endorse self-interest and materialistic values."[1]
Groups, societies, or cultures have values that are largely shared by their members. The values identify those objects, conditions or characteristics that members of the society consider important; that is, valuable. In the United States, for example, values might include material comfort, wealth, competition, individualism or religiosity and sex, drugs and rock and roll. The values of a society can often be identified by noting which people receive honor or respect. In the US, for example, professional athletes are honored (in the form of monetary payment) more than college professors, in part because the society respects personal values such as physical activity, fitness, and competitiveness more than mental activity and education. This may also be the case because the society takes its education for granted and repays its teachers with non-tangible honors of relatively equal value with that of the athlete. Surveys show that voters in the United States would be reluctant to elect an atheist as a president, suggesting that belief in God is a value. There is a difference between values clarification and cognitive moral education. Values clarification is, "helping people clarify what their lives are for and what is worth working for. Students are encouraged to define their own values and understand others' values."[1] Cognitive moral education is based on the belief that students should learn to value things like democracy and justice as their moral reasoning develops."[1]
Values are related to the norms of a culture, but they are more general and abstract than norms. Norms are rules for behavior in specific situations, while values identify what should be judged as good or evil. Flying the national flag on a holiday is a norm, but it reflects the value of patriotism. Wearing dark clothing and appearing solemn are normative behaviors at a funeral. They reflect the values of respect and support of friends and family. Different cultures reflect different values. "Over the last three decades, traditional-age college students have shown an increased interest in personal well-being and a decreased interest in the welfare of others."[1] Values seemed to have changed, affecting the beliefs, and attitudes of college students.
