Theoretical Foundation in the

Study of Values
By꞉ Samuel Margate
Meaning and Nature
Values
Refers to the major priorities that man chooses
to act on, and that creativity enhances his life and
the lives of those with whom he associates with.
Meaning and Nature
Values
Is being itself or the richness of being in as
much as it has the power to attract the cognitive
and appetitive potentials of men.
Carter V. Goodz
-Any characteristics deemed important because of
psychological, social, moral or aesthetic
considerations.
Jung and Piaget
-Refer to the stance that the self takes to the total
environment as expressed through behaviours,
ideas, body and feelings and imagination.
Anthropologists and Sociologists
-Refer to those criteria according to which a
community judges the importance of persons,
patterns, goals, and other sociological aspects of
the community.
Karl Marx
-“Labor Theory of Value” –
Value of a thing is determined by the labor time it
contains.
G.E. Moore
-Is a simple, unanalyzable term
Comparable in respect to “yellow” or any other
term of the kind. The indicator of value is usually
“Price”
Olden times
-Refer to what were “good”
Homans
-Value Proposition Theory:
1.Actor
2.Rewarding Result
3.Repetition
 The Process of Valuing

Choosing Cognitive  Beliefs are freely

chosen.
 Without outside
pressure
 After reflecting and
considering
consequences or
alternatives.

Prizing Affective  Chosen beliefs are

cherished or prized

Acting Behaviour  Chosen beliefs are

affirmed to others,
incorporated into one’s
behaviour and
recognized consistently
in one’s life.
Values Skills and Development
Values originate in person's consciousness-his
meaning system- and are expressed in his
behaviour.
Values are inventories of Skills
1. Instrumental Skills - ability with intelligence and
dexterity that enables him to be professional and
competent.
2. Interpersonal Skills - ability to perceive self and another
accurately in ways that facilitate communication, mutual
understanding and cooperation.
3. Imaginal Skills - ability to imitate new ideas and to take
data beyond qualification and logic to the development of
new concepts or courses of actions.
4. System Skills - ability to see the various parts of a system
as they relate to the whole and to plan for systematic
change.
Characteristics of Values
Max Scheler;
1. Pure valuable essences or qualities.
2. Objective and transcends the sentimental
perceptions to which they appeal.
3. Hierarchically given, dependent and relative
among themselves and with the perceiver.
4. Always given in pairs.
CLASSIFICATION OF VALUES
Intrinsic and Instrumental Values

Intrinsic Values
-Values considered in themselves
Instrumental Values
-Values considered as good because of their worth
to us and to others
 Accidental and Natural Values

Accidental Values
-Values which are subject to variability,
temporality and impermanence
Natural Values
-Values that are permanent in human nature
 Primary and Secondary Values

Primary Values
-Values that are chosen, acted upon and are
necessary for human development
Secondary Values
-Values that hare obligatory in nature e.g, values in
the family are necessary to the children
 Religious Values
-Values enabling us to encounter God whom we
believe to be the absolute good
 Cultural Values
Values which embraces poetry, painting, music,
architecture and literature.
 Social Values
Examples are꞉
Patriotism, Freedom of the Press, Fraternity,
Economic Productivity and Politics
Refers to those qualities of an act performed by
man freely and knowingly.
 Moral Values
Refers to those qualities of an act performed by
man freely and knowingly.