Understanding Values

What are Values? Values are the objects and ideas that are important to you! Your personal values affect what you do, how you act, and the choices you make. There are 2 types of values; Tangible Values and Intangible Values.

Tangible Values Tangible Values are objects that you can see or touch, such as clothes or money.

Intangible Values Intangible values cannot be seen or touched. They are ideas such as love or trust.

Tangible vs. Intangible Tangible Values Intangible Values CarClothesMoneyLoveTrustHonesty Friends & Family JewelryIpodRespectEducationSecurity HouseTVPetsReligionPatriotismHumor

Where do Values Come From? Your values change as you change. Your early values were learned from the people around you, mostly your parents and family members. Your values develop further as you make friends, go through school, and start developing your own ideas about the world.

Universal Values There are 5 basic universal values. These are the 5 things that people all over the world value no matter their race, location, religion or gender. TrustCareResponsibilityRespectFamily

Universal Values By making these values a part of your everyday life, you display the traits most admired in people. Behavior that displays these values reflects good character. Having good character means adopting these universal values as your CORE values.

Core Values The values a person considers most important to him/her are that person’s core values Core values are mostly INTANGIBLE, meaning they cannot be seen or touched. Everyone has a different set of core values.

Determining Your Core Values

Value Conflicts When 2 or more of your values create a dilemma for you, a VALUE CONFLICT occurs. The conflicting values demand opposite actions in the same situation, forcing you to make a choice.

Value Conflicts Example: Suppose friendship and honesty are 2 of your values If a friend asked you to shoplift, you are forced to make a choice. Your friends are important to you, and you want to keep your friendship, but you also value honesty. Hopefully honesty will win over friendship. Values guide all of your actions and decisions.

Good vs. Bad Values A Virtue is a good value that leads to good behavior. This builds good character. A Vice is the opposite of a virtue. A vice is a bad value that leads to poor behavior. --valuing things like alcohol and drugs are vices, which lead to bad choices, and bad character.

Works Cited Content adopted from “Changes and Choices” by Ruth Bragg, G-W Publisher. Videos provided by youtube.com