Values 

 

Are basic and fundamental beliefs that guide and motivate attitudes or actions. They help us to determine what is important to us. Values are the ones that are good, desirable, or worthwhile. Values are the motive behind purposeful action. They are the ends to which we act and come in many forms.

 

 

Values are individual beliefs that motivate people to act one way or another. They work as a guide for human behavior.

Usually, people are disposed to adopt the values that they are raised with. People also tend to believe that those values are “right” because they are the values of their particular culture.

Ethical decision making often involves weighing values against each other and choosing which values to use. Conflicts can happen when people have different values, they lead to a clash of preferences and priorities.

Some values have intrinsic worth, such as love, truth, and freedom. Other values, such as ambition, responsibility, and courage, describe traits or behaviors that are instrumental as means to an end.

Still other values are considered sacred for those who believe in them. Sacred values will be compromised because they are perceived as duties rather than as factors to be weighed in decision making. For example, for some people, their nation’s flag may represent a sacred value. But for others, the flag can just be a piece of fabric.

So, whether values are sacred, have intrinsic worth, or are a means to an end, values vary among individuals and across cultures and time. However, values are universally recognized as a driving force in ethical decision-making.