Define values. Explain its sources and functions.
Values
Value is a framework of personal philosophy which governs and influences the individual’s reactions and responses to any situations. In other words, value refers to the worth or excellence or the degree of worth ascribed to an object. Values represent basic convictions of an individual as to what is right, good or desirable. They imply enduring conviction and carry moral flavour. There may be set of values which form a value system. This system represents an order of priority of individual values in relation to their relative significance. It can be ascertained by assessing the relative significance assigned by an individual to varied objects such as freedom, pleasure, self-respect, honesty, obedience and equality. Culture is a source of values. It contains as well as reinforces them. People learn to include values from their parents, teachers, friends, media and all those whom they respect and thus imitate them.
Sources of Values
Ever wondered where do our values come from? There is no particular answer in regard to the sources of values. However, many studies have pointed that major portion of values comes from gene; with the minor portion coming from a number of factors like friends, teachers, society, national culture and similar environmental influences.
One recent study conducted amongst twins pointed out that more than 40 percent of the value you inherit is explained by genetics. Having said that, environmental factors are also the critical sources of value.
Function of Values
The primary functions of values are listed below:
- Values provide goals or objectives to an individual which they aim to fulfill.
- Values are extremely crucial in creating sense of belongingness as they are shared in common. Values, thus, provide stabilities and uniformities in group interaction.
- A number of rules are accepted and followed as they represent the values accepted by majority of people. In this regard, value bring legitimacy to the rules that govern specific activities.
- Majority of people try to achieve same goals in different field of their life. It is entirely possible that they seek to modify these rules as per their convenience. In this scenario, value helps to bring adjustment between different set of rules.
- Values help to differentiate between what is desirable and undesirable as well as what is right and wrong.
