NATIONAL SERVICE TRAINING PROGRAM

Civic Welfare Training Service

Module 03

VALUES DEVELOPMENT

At the end of this topic you should be able to:

1. Interpret different values and their application to individual life experiences

2. Recognize personal values and their importance
3. Discuss the basic needs of a person according to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

Introduction:

Values are the personal perception of one’s future, relatively of the family, works,
friendship, group, community, and the nation as a whole. They converge in one culture and form
sets of attitudes and behaviors observed among members. Traditionally, these are practices that
have become part and parcel of our culture.

I. MEANING OF VALUES

A. What is Values?

 Qualities, characteristics, or ideas about which we feel strongly.

 Our values affect our decisions, goals, and behavior.

 A belief or feeling that someone or something is worthwhile.

 Values define what is of worth, what is beneficial, and what is harmful

 Values are standards to guide your action, judgments, and attitudes.

Direction:

Values Goals Behavior self value

 Values give direction and consistency to behavior.

 Values help you know what to and not to make time for.
  Values establish a relationship between you and the world.
 Values set the direction for one’s life.

B. Where do we get values?

 our homes,
 school,
 society,
 friends,
 TV,
 church,
 music,
 books,
 families
 Culture

Your age will greatly influence your values. Different people and things influence you at
different ages:

 Ages 1-7 --- parents

 Ages 8-13 --- teachers, heroes (sports, rocks, TV)

 Ages 14-20 --- peers (values because of peers or peers because of values?)

 Ages 21+ your values are established, but you may test your values from time to time.
  No one is born with values. Your values are the result of your
experiences, observations, knowledge, and the influences of those
around you.
 You learn values as you interact with those in your surroundings.
 VALUES ARE CONSISTENT WITH ACTIONS

II. TYPES OF VALUES

Generally, value has been taken to mean moral ideas, general conceptions, or orientations
towards the world or sometimes simply interests, attitudes, preferences, needs, sentiments, and
dispositions. But sociologists use this term in a more precise sense to mean “the generalized end
which has the connotations of rightness, goodness or inherent desirability”.

 However, to understand them better, it is useful to classify values

according to the following criteria:
 A. Values classification according to criteria

1. FAMILY VALUES

These are valued in a family and are considered either good or

bad. These derive from the fundamental beliefs of the parents, who use
them to educate their children. 

2. SOCIO-CULTURAL VALUES

These are the prevailing values of our society, which change with
time, and either coincide or not with our family or personal values. 

3. PERSONAL VALUES

These are considered essential principles on which we build our

life and guide us to relate with other people. They are usually a blend of
family values and social-cultural values, together with our own individual
ones, according to our experiences.

4. MATERIAL VALUES

These values allow us to survive, and are related to our basic

needs as human beings, such as food and clothing and protection from the
environment.

5. SPIRITUAL VALUES

They refer to the importance we give to non-material aspects of our lives. They are part
of our human needs and allow us to feel fulfilled.

6. MORAL VALUES

The attitudes and behaviors that society considers essential for coexistence, order, and
general well being
III. IMPORTANCE AND FUNCTIONS OF VALUE

 Values are general principles to regulate our day-to-day behavior.

 They not only give direction to our behavior but are also ideals and objectives in
themselves
 Values deal not so much with what is, but with what ought to be; in other words, they
express moral imperatives

Main Functions of Values

1. Values play an important role in the integration and fulfillment of man.

2. They build up societies, integrate social relations.

4. They mold the ideal dimensions of personality and range and depth of culture.

5. They influence people’s behavior and serve as criteria for evaluating the actions of others.

6. They have a great role to play in the conduct of social life.

7. They help in creating norms to guide day-to-day behavior

TYPES OF VALUES

 Cognitive Values are shared common value ideals with others: honesty, integrity,
kindness, being others-oriented. These values are not pursued as our priorities nor it takes
shape as part of our distinguishing characteristics.

 Active Values are the values that determine our priorities in the decisions that we make
and the actions that we choose repeatedly and consistently. These direct our choices and
are evident in our day-to-day life.

 Ultimate Values
There have always been people through the ages who have paused, pondered, and asked
questions like: what is life all about? What are we here for? Are we here for our own
sake? What is human life meant to be? People who seek to answer such questions move
on to the ultimate matters of life. They are concerned with ultimate values. They
recognize foundation needs are means to an end.

The Living Values

1. Cooperation – one who cooperates receives cooperation. The method to give
cooperation is to use the energy of the mind to create vibrations of good wishes and pure
feelings for others and the tasks.

2. Freedom – full freedom functions only when rights are balanced with responsibilities
and choice is balanced with a conscience. Freedom is a precious gift that promises an
experience of liberation and a feeling of no limits as if the earth, the skies, and the seas
are at one’s service.

3. Happiness – through the power of truth there is wealth, and through the power of
peace, there is health. Together they give happiness. Happiness is earned by those whose
actions; attitudes and attributes are pure and selfless.

4. Honesty – is a clear conscience: before myself and before my fellow human beings”.
Honesty is an awareness of what is right and appropriate in one’s behavior, and one
relationship. With honesty, there is no hypocrisy or artificiality which creates confusion
and mistrust in the minds and lives of others.

5. Humility – is found in a vast ocean of still waters that run very deep. At the bottom
lies self-esteem. At first, going within the ocean is like journeying into an unknown area
of immerses darkness. But, just as exploration can lead to buried treasures, one who is
searching his or her inner world can find jewels buried in the depths. The jewel buried
deepest which shines the brightest and gives the most light is humility.

6. Love – is not simply a desire, a passion, an intense feeling for one person or object, but
a consciousness that is simultaneously selfless and self-fulfilling. Love can be for one’s
country, for a cherished aim, for truth, for justice, for ethics, for people, for nature, for
service, or God. Love flows from the truth, that is, wisdom.

7. Peace – the challenge of peace normally presents itself in the question “Are human
beings by nature violent or non-violent? If the answer is violent, then the concept of
peace becomes nonexistent. Peace has become so elusive that people have begun to
question its existence.

8. Respect – begins within the individual. The original state of respect is based on
awareness of the self as a unique entity, a life force within a spiritual being, a soul. The
elevated question of “who I am” arises from the authentic place of pure worth, with such
insight, there is faith in the self and wholeness and completeness within. With self-
realization, one experiences the self-respect.
  The value of respect
To whom and how do we show respect?
 Respect to our parents and relatives
- the use of “po” and “opo”
- the gesture of kissing the hand of elders to show respect.
 Respect towards women, elders and superiors
- there are still some men who offer their seats
to women, elderly in transport.
- the use of Ate, Kuya, Nanay, Tatay, Manong, Manang among others.
- show respect to our superiors by addressing
them usingMister, Miss and Mrs.
 Respect for your neighbors
- this refers to the kind of respect we give our fellowmen in general.
- it entails sensibility and sensitivity to the feelings of others.
- it is important that you consider that you are not alone in this world, and your
actions may directly or indirectly affect your fellowmen.
Respect for people in authority – despite the negative issues that we hear about some
officials in our government, we must not lose our respect for them since they have been
entrusted by the people to ensure the welfare of the country. After all, we cannot
generalize that all government officials are irresponsible since there are still some
officials who sincerely serve the people.

9. Responsibility – a responsible person fulfills the assigned duty by staying true to the
aim. Duties are carried out with circumstances, necessity, and choice of people in
particular situations and roles. Moral responsibility means accepting what is required, to
honor the role which has been entrusted, and to perform conscientiously and to the best of
one’s ability.

10. Unity – is harmony within and among individuals in the group. unity is sustained by
concentration, energy, and focusing thought, by accepting and appreciating the value of
the rich array of participants and the unique contribution each can make,

 No one is born with values. Your values are the result of your experiences,
observations, knowledge, and the influences of those around you.

 You learn values as you interact with those in your surroundings.

IV. Priorities and Behaviours

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

1. Physiological or Biological Needs

 Primary needs like food, water, rest, sleep, and other biologic requirements to keep the
body healthy and fit

2. Psychological/ Safety needs

 A broad concern for safety and stability in the world.

 Security from environmental hazards.

 Having a good job with tenure.

 Retirement and other privileges.

3. Love and Belongingness needs

 Being in mutual relationship with affection

 Caring

4. Esteem Needs

 Self Respect

 Achievement and respect from others

 The feeling of self-confidence

 Affirmation of being useful in the world.

5. Self-actualization

 The person is satisfied with all his/her needs.