Types of values. The concept and types of human values. The main human values

Life values ​​are categories of moral and material aspects that are leading in the choice of life strategy, ways of achieving and orientation in the semantic space. In many ways, it is values ​​that determine a person’s ability to make decisions, and also incline his activity in a certain direction.

The presence of stress factors, problematic situations and other troubles can force a person to change their positions or begin to make efforts to defend their point of view. It can be said that all the difficulties encountered on the way test a person for strength in their own convictions, make it possible to prove that the chosen categories represent precisely the life values ​​​​of a person, and not momentary needs.

What it is

The life values ​​of a person are fate-transforming and fate-realizing factors and directly affect the adoption of all life decisions. They affect all spheres of life, including the highest purpose of the personality and soul, relationships with close and superficially familiar people, and the attitude to material wealth.

The diversity of the space of life values ​​is unique to the same extent that each individual is unique. It is the interweaving of the importance of attitudes towards a particular category that allows us to see an individual pattern of semantic and value space. Most people use momentary impulses to build a life concept, without a deep awareness of their priorities, which work on a subconscious level.

Frequent painful reflections, the inability to make a choice, to do the right thing, or subsequent reproaches of oneself for a mistake made are the usual consequences of the absence of a clear position. If you increase the level of awareness, understand thoroughly your gradation of values, then you can avoid a significant amount of doubt and the difficulty of choosing.

The road is made easier by the fact that the path has already been chosen, even if for the sake of a long-term perspective, temporary comforts have to be sacrificed. So, a person who puts the family in the first place will not hesitate for a long time how to respond to the proposal of the authorities for a six-month business trip to another country, and who does not understand what is a priority for him in the context of his whole life, he may not decide on drastic changes or make error.

The determination of the most significant values ​​is influenced by many factors, both the internal structure of the human psyche and external events in the surrounding space. At first, the foundation is laid by the characteristics of the individual and the system of education - many values ​​have a biological basis (the need for an active or passive lifestyle, the number of contacts, medical care), and are also internalized from the immediate environment at a very early age.

As they grow older, the core values ​​form the life experience gained, personal emotional experiences from some situations that add up the general attitude to life. As a result, a peculiar construction appears, separating important things and events from minor ones.

When a person builds his life based on deep true values, he feels filled with energy and happy. The reverse law also operates - the more life moves away from internal needs, the less happiness it has, and dissatisfaction begins to prevail in the emotional background of the individual. It is necessary to decide on your primary priorities, while not forgetting that the most harmonious life is in which all spheres are developed. Even if a person determines for himself the importance of two or three values, it is necessary to maintain all the others at the proper level in order to avoid imbalance and disharmony of the personality.

Basic values ​​of human life

Basic values ​​are understood as categories of universal human values ​​that are of undeniable importance for all people, on a planetary scale and on an individual level. What is important is the value of one's own life, love for any of its manifestations. From this follows care for physical and spiritual health, the ability to prioritize and, first of all, ensure one's survival. In many ways, this most important item is regulated, but only at the physical level, psychological sacrifice is increasingly manifested among people and adversely affects the life and state of the psyche.

As a social being, it is human nature to value relationships highly, as well as their quality. The need to be accepted and appreciated contributes to survival and better fulfillment in the living space. Next after the importance of social relationships, or instead of them, we can consider the value of family relationships, including the parental family and building one's own.

Intimate relationships, romantic manifestations can also be attributed to this item. Developing this category, the value of love for children and the need for their presence appear. Here, several additional points can be realized at once, for example, the realization of one's social function, purpose, ability to transfer knowledge, and so on.

The importance of native places, those where a person was born, grew up, spent most of his life, can border on patriotism. In the global sense, the place of our birth and upbringing directly forms the personality - it is there that you can feel accepted and understood. At home and among people with the same mentality, it is easier to adapt and breathe easier, there is an opportunity to show all your abilities brighter and more multifaceted. Many cultures have preserved the traditions of maintaining contact with their native land, from an intuitive understanding of the importance of the amount of energy received by a person from the familiar space.

Professional and social activities, the realization of oneself as a specialist or the achievement of new results in one's hobbies is becoming an almost necessary factor in the modern world. This touches upon, which will come without material support and the desire for development and recognition, as the main driving mechanisms of human activity. Such strong factors eventually force many to prioritize work, resulting in a serious bias in one direction.

Inseparable from the value of work is the value of rest, which allows you to restore resources, switch. During the rest, a person can discover a new vision of the past situation, feel the taste of life, realize impractical, but spiritually significant desires. All this eventually allows you to harmonize the rest of your life.

Real life examples

To understand more clearly how values ​​manifest themselves, it makes sense to consider a few examples of each of them. So the value of family and relationships is manifested by caring, the ability to come to help and provide it even when it is not directly asked for. A person who allocates time to all the important people in his life clearly appreciates this category. This also includes the ability to always respectfully address people, to be responsive, tolerant and tolerant. The absence of these manifestations can soon destroy any relationship and the person is left alone. Of course, he can sacrifice this, directing his energy not to an attentive attitude towards others, but to the development of his own career or skills, but then completely different ideals are written in the priorities of a person.

When a person's main value is material well-being, this manifests itself in constant self-development in one's professional field, the search for new opportunities and positions.
A prime example is skipping a family dinner or dinner together because of an important meeting or the need to finish overtime. In the pursuit of financial wealth, people may take on extra jobs, freelance outside of their core business, sacrifice work relationships by substituting employees to take a privileged position.

When health is shaken, it is this category that comes to the fore among the entire list of values, because otherwise a person cannot function normally, and perhaps even say goodbye to life. In many situations, the need to take care of the physical condition arises precisely against the backdrop of problems, but there are people who have set this value as one of the highest, striving to maintain constant good health. This is manifested in regular examinations, adherence to a suitable diet and physical activity, and the passage of periodic rehabilitation and restorative procedures.

The value of self-development and spirituality may seem like a choice instead of a pilgrimage beach or an esoteric festival, psychological training is preferred instead of new shoes. Everything that is important for a person requires time and attention, therefore only awareness will help to plan time in such a way that other areas of life do not suffer.

Personal values ​​are a reflection of our needs, desires, and all that we especially value in life. Values ​​are a huge driving force that can be seen as the guide by which we create our essence. Determining your values ​​will help you figure out what to strive for and what to avoid. This will allow you to navigate through life with a strong inner compass. And finally, in the most difficult situations, personal values ​​can serve as a reminder of what you really value. Thus, identifying them will help you stay true to yourself in any circumstance.

Steps

Tracking Emerging Values

Clear space for "your" time. Since defining your personal values ​​requires so-called soul-searching, make your own space for it. Turn off your phone, listen to soothing music, or do something that helps you relax and focus on the present.

Write down the moments of your greatest happiness and deepest sadness. Remember all your ups and downs, while highlighting the details and feelings associated with each memory. List only things that have had the greatest impact on your life and how you feel, not things that have earned you praise or recognition from others.

• For example, you might remember the night you met your best friend. This may not have been the greatest achievement of your life, but on that day you may have learned a lot about your personality and how to start making friends and sharing experiences with other people.
• Identify the themes that run through your most vivid memories, good and bad. They may also be backed up by your spiritual or political passions. Chances are you will identify several things that make you feel unfair, sad, angry, or all of the above. Try to do the same with happy moments.

1. Consider the common values ​​of humanity. We all have relatively similar, very basic needs that come from the constitutions and evolution of human culture. The things we value ultimately stem from our needs - that's why we're so passionate about and committed to our values! Studying human needs will give you a powerful boost to understanding your own values. More or less universal needs include:

   • Physical well-being (food, rest, safety)
   • Autonomy (freedom of choice, self-expression)
   • Peace (hope, tranquility)
   • Feelings (praise, participation, understanding)
   • Communication (warmth, respect, attention)
   • Entertainment (adventure, humor, joy)

2. Sketch out an initial list of personal values. Include in it the items you cannot imagine your life without. In it, you can connect personal experience with your culture of values, as well as universal human needs.

3. Record how you select these values. They may vary depending on the strategy you have used. Often the strategy comes from the religion of the family in which you grew up. By knowing this, you will have a better understanding of the values ​​that allow you to do things that you can be proud of.

   • For example, you have a value - a high position in society. But how will you follow it - will you wear designer clothes or become a human rights activist? If you value a deep sense of peace and order, would you set up a homemade essential oil factory in your home? Or maybe you are used to resolving conflicts that arise in your family? See the connection between values ​​and your daily life.

   Checking and balancing personal values

   1. Determine what drives you in life. One way to test your values ​​is to spend a whole day observing and identifying what drives you through life. If you have a certain primary value, and you find yourself in a situation in which it is threatened, you will feel anxious, defenseless, or even angry. What you hear or see on the news can also change the course of your life.

      • For example, your boss might tell you that your knit vest is not the most appropriate work outfit. Instead of just being a little upset, you might feel angry or even annoyed. In this case, you can say that your values ​​are making your own decisions and autonomy.

   2. Take a look at decisions that are influenced by your values. This can be done using both real and fictional situations. For example, you value independence and are considering moving in with a new roommate. What will you do if you consider your value? If you value peace and spontaneity, but your work takes 70 hours a week from you, how can you avoid stress and internal conflict? In situations like this, understanding your values ​​can really help you make creative decisions that reflect your own self.

      • Keep in mind that you will only see your value most clearly when you make a real decision. Sometimes we're so enamored with a certain value that we think it's bound to trigger the best decisions (although it doesn't have to be).

   3. Decide how you will defend it. If you're in a difficult situation and you're having a hard time standing up for your value, consider whether or not to speak up. Are you unable to live up to your worth because everything in the world is changing? What value is at stake, and why?

      • Let's say you're in a relationship with someone who doesn't appreciate your work, and you've made it your goal to get recognition for your efforts. Can this problem be solved by talking? Will you enjoy it if your partner starts expressing gratitude to you?
      • Another way to check is the following. Speak up about an issue in front of the community. Perhaps you are worried about cuts in public school funding - would you like to know more about it, or have you been hurt by it in some way? Depending on the answer, your value can be either caring for future generations or a call to action.
      If you look at your list of values ​​and connect those that could potentially conflict, you will gain an understanding of what creates creative tension in your life.
      • For example, you can value having your own space and at the same time support relationships unconditionally. In this case, you need to organize your communication with family and friends in such a way that you have time for yourself, but at the same time you should not forget about loved ones. Balancing between these potentially conflicting values ​​can be tricky, but being aware of this issue will help you make more informed decisions.

Value is the significance, importance, usefulness, and usefulness of something. Outwardly, it acts as one of the properties of objects or phenomena. But their usefulness and significance are not inherent in them due to their internal structure, that is, they are not given by nature, they are nothing more than subjective assessments of specific properties involved in the public domain, they are interested in and need them. The Constitution of the Russian Federation says that the highest value is the person himself, his freedom and rights.

The use of the concept of value in various sciences

Depending on what kind of science is studying this phenomenon in society, there are several approaches to its use. So, for example, philosophy considers the concept of value as follows: it is the socio-cultural, personal significance of specific objects. In psychology, value is understood as all those objects of the society surrounding the individual that are of value to him. This term in this case is closely related to motivation. But in sociology, values ​​are understood as those concepts that are called sets of goals, states, phenomena worthy of people striving for them. As you can see, in this case, there is a connection with motivation. In addition, from the point of view of these social sciences, there are the following types and spiritual ones. The latter are also called eternal values. They are not tangible, but sometimes they are much more important for society than all material objects put together. Of course, they have nothing to do with economics. In this science, the concept of value is considered as the cost of objects. At the same time, two types of it are distinguished: consumer and the former represent one or another value for consumers, depending on the degree of usefulness of the product or its ability to satisfy human needs, and the latter are valuable because they are suitable for exchange, and the degree of their significance is determined by the ratio that is obtained with an equivalent exchange. That is, the more a person is aware of his dependence on a given object, the higher its value. People living in cities are completely dependent on money, because they need it to purchase the most necessary goods, namely food. For rural residents, monetary dependence is not as great as in the first case, since they can get the products necessary for life regardless of the availability of money, for example, from their own garden.

Various definitions of values

The simplest definition of this concept is the statement that values ​​are all those objects and phenomena that can satisfy human needs. They can be material, that is, tangible, or they can be abstract, like love, happiness, etc. By the way, the totality of values ​​that are inherent in a particular person or group are called Without it, any culture would be meaningless. And here is another definition of value: it is the objective significance of the variety of components (properties and features of an object or phenomenon) of reality, which are determined by the interests and needs of people. The main thing is that they are necessary for a person. However, value and significance are not always equivalent. After all, the first is not only positive, but also negative, but the value is always positive. What satisfies cannot be negative, although here everything is relative...

Representatives of the Austrian school believe that core values ​​are a specific amount of goods or goods that are necessary to satisfy. The more a person realizes his dependence on the presence of a given object, the higher its value. In a word, the relationship between quantity and need is important here. According to this theory, goods that exist in unlimited quantities, such as water, air, etc., are of little importance because they are non-economic. But the goods, the quantity of which does not satisfy the needs, that is, there are less of them than necessary, are of real value. This view has both many supporters and opponents who fundamentally disagree with this opinion.

Changeability of values

This philosophical category has a social nature, since it is formed in the process of practice. As a result, values ​​tend to change over time. What was significant for this society may not be so for future generations. And we see this from our own experience. If we look back into the past, we can see that the values ​​of the generations of our parents and ours differ in many ways from each other.

Main types of values

As noted above, the main types of values ​​are material (contributing to life) and spiritual. The latter give a person moral satisfaction. The main types of material values ​​are the simplest goods (housing, food, household items, clothing, etc.) and goods of a higher order (means of production). However, both of them contribute to the life of society, as well as improving the quality of life of its members. And people need spiritual values ​​for the formation and further development of their worldviews, as well as worldview. They contribute to the spiritual enrichment of the individual.

The role of values ​​in society

This category, in addition to being of some importance to society, also plays a certain role. For example, the development of different values ​​by a person contributes to the acquisition of social experience, as a result of which he joins the culture, and this, in turn, affects the formation of his personality. Another important role of values ​​in society is that a person strives to create new goods, while maintaining the old, already existing ones. In addition, the value of thoughts, actions, various things is expressed in how important they are for the process of social development, that is, the progress of society. And at the personal level - the development and self-improvement of a person.

Classification

There are several classifications. For example, according to it, material and spiritual values ​​are distinguished. But according to their significance, the latter are false and true. Classification is also carried out by areas of activity, depending on their carrier, and by the time of action. According to the first, economic, religious and aesthetic values ​​are distinguished, the second - universal, group and personality values, and the third - eternal, long-term, short-term and momentary. In principle, there are other classifications, but they are too narrow.

Material and spiritual values

Regarding the first, we have already managed to tell above, everything is clear with them. These are all the material goods that surround us that make our life possible. As for the spiritual, they are components of the inner world of people. And the initial categories here are good and evil. The first contribute to happiness, and the second - everything that leads to destruction and is the cause of discontent and unhappiness. Spiritual - these are the true values. However, to be so, they must coincide with significance.

Religious and aesthetic values

Religion is based on unconditional faith in God, and it does not require any proof. Values ​​in this area are guidelines in the life of believers, which are determined by the norms and motives of their actions and behavior in general. Aesthetic values ​​are all that gives a person pleasure. They are directly related to the concept of "beauty". They are associated with creativity, with art. The beautiful is the main category of aesthetic value. Creative people dedicate their lives to creating beauty, not only for themselves, but also for others, wanting to bring true joy, delight, and admiration to those around them.

Personal values

Each person has their own personal orientations. And they can differ from person to person. What is important in the eyes of one may not be valuable to another. For example, classical music, which brings lovers of this genre into a state of ecstasy, may seem boring and uninteresting to someone. Personal values ​​are greatly influenced by factors such as upbringing, education, social circle, environment, etc. Of course, the family has the strongest influence on a person. This is the environment in which a person begins his primary development. He gets his first idea of ​​values ​​in his family (group values), but with age he may accept some of them and reject others.

Personal values ​​include the following types of values:

• those that are components of the meaning of human life;
• the most general semantic formations, which are based on reflexes;
• beliefs that have to do with desired behavior or completing something;
• objects and phenomena to which the individual has a weakness or is simply not indifferent;
• what is important for each person of a person, and what he considers his property.

These are the types of personal values.

A new approach to defining values

Values ​​are opinions (beliefs). Some scientists think so. According to them, these are biased and cold ideas. But when they begin to activate, they mix with feelings, while getting a certain color. Others believe that the main values ​​are the goals that people strive for - equality, freedom, well-being. It is also a way of behavior that contributes to the achievement of these goals: mercy, empathy, honesty, etc. According to the same theory, true values ​​should act as some kind of standards that guide the assessment or choice of people, actions and events.

Life values ​​are an integral part of the human worldview, confirmed by his consciousness, upbringing, life experience, personal experiences. They are revealed by limiting the most significant and important from the secondary. The accumulated baggage of certain values ​​modifies the consciousness of a person, regulates and motivates his activity, and ensures the formation of a strong personality.

Each person sets priorities in his own way, individually, he determines the importance and significance of certain phenomena. In the list of generally accepted values, traditional material values. These include jewelry, fashionable branded clothing, paintings, modern technology, cars, real estate and much more. In addition to material, it should be noted spiritual, religious, moral and aesthetic values ​​(holiness, kindness, compassion, decency, cleanliness, etc.). Values ​​are a separate category. social, such as position in society, social security, power, career, family, freedom and others.

Let us dwell in more detail on some universal human values.

family and friendship

Family well-being, children, parents, friends - for most people this is the greatest value. It is our sacred duty and privilege to love our family, our parents and children, to take care of them. Always with respect, sincerity and love to treat your friends and just people around us, always be responsive and tolerant - this is a huge work that needs to be paid for the value of human relations. What do these relationships give us? They are a source of mutual support and empathy, common goals and interests, understanding and emotional attachments.

Wealth and career

There is no person in the world who would not want to stand firmly and confidently on his feet, not need anything, to ensure the well-being of his family. However, not everyone puts material wealth in first place in the conditional rating of life values. Often a person faces a dilemma: to work in a friendly team with loyal bosses, getting moral satisfaction from work, or to make a choice in favor of large fees, putting their personal life and health at stake. The ideal option is when the work allows you to embody the most incredible ideas, gives a lot of useful acquaintances, brings both money and pleasure. But most often, something still has to be sacrificed, and the main thing here is not to make a mistake in choosing.

Health

Health for many people, especially in adulthood, is on the first steps of the pedestal of values. At the same time, for some people in the first place - the house, money, cars and vacations in expensive resorts. And these some sometimes do not understand very well that nothing matters to a sick person except health, he is ready to give all material goods in exchange for recovery, but this is far from always possible. You need to take better care of your physical condition., do not kill yourself with bad habits and excessive diligence, give unloading to your body and allocate sufficient time for rest and sleep. It is extremely important to realize that health is the most valuable thing in the life of any person, because it is health that is necessary for everyone without exception.

Self-development

Personal development is very valuable. A person matures, becomes wiser, acquires useful life experience, makes correct, conscious and balanced conclusions and, accordingly, makes the right decisions in any life and professional issues. He owns his emotions, is cultured in communication, develops his horizons, becomes the right guide for the younger generation. A comprehensively developed person pays attention to his health, physical fitness and appearance, is neat in everything, clean both in thoughts and in relationships. A person who makes maximum efforts for personal growth and self-improvement strives to change his attitude to life, to realize his role in the world, to improve relations with people around him.

Creation

The value of creativity lies in the unique opportunity to realize your ideas. Creativity gives complete freedom of self-expression to the author, allows, by creating the final product, to bring to life his most daring thoughts, emotions, images. Creative people are people with a fine mental organization, these are artists, musicians, sculptors, designers, fashion designers and many other people of art. They try to realize themselves in creativity, combining their vocation, their talent with daily activities and household duties. Muse is the most important value in their development. The process of creating another masterpiece becomes the meaning of life, and inspiration makes this process incredibly easy and enjoyable.

Spirituality

Spiritually oriented people live according to their canons. Their life values ​​are closely intertwined with the main religious commandments: do not kill, do not steal, honor your parents, do not commit adultery, etc. They try to follow exactly the correct, already pre-written truths, and not acquire them on the basis of personal bitter experience. A spiritually developed person lives happily, and not only for himself, loves life in all its manifestations, appreciates every minute spent with relatives and friends, rejoices in the beauty of the earth (natural and created by people), enjoys music and thanks the higher powers for every day lived. Such a person respects himself and others, does not envy, does not sort things out, has inner harmony.

Sometimes there are cases when, when experiencing a certain stress or getting into a difficult extreme situation, a person undergoes a restructuring of consciousness, and he overestimates his life values. What used to be the main meaning of life for him becomes just a boon. So, for example, only in illness does a person begin to appreciate health, only in war does a true awareness of the value of such concepts as courage, loyalty, mutual assistance, compassion occur.

It is very important to understand what exactly plays the leading role at this stage of life, what is now the most valuable. Only by correctly setting priorities, you can confidently build your future.

The most important role not only in the life of each individual person, but also in the whole society as a whole is played by values ​​and value orientations, which primarily perform an integrative function. It is on the basis of values ​​(while focusing on their approval in society) that each person makes his own choice in life. Values, occupying a central position in the structure of personality, have a significant impact on the direction of a person and the content of his social activity, behavior and actions, his social position and his general attitude towards the world, towards himself and other people. Therefore, the loss of the meaning of life by a person is always the result of the destruction and rethinking of the old system of values, and in order to regain this meaning again, he needs to create a new system based on universal human experience and using the forms of behavior and activities accepted in society.

Values ​​are a kind of internal integrator of a person, concentrating around themselves all his needs, interests, ideals, attitudes and beliefs. Thus, the system of values ​​in a person's life takes the form of the inner core of his entire personality, and the same system in society is the core of its culture. Value systems, functioning both at the level of the individual and at the level of society, create a kind of unity. This is due to the fact that the personal value system is always formed based on the values ​​that are dominant in a particular society, and they, in turn, influence the choice of the individual goal of each individual and determine the ways to achieve it.

Values ​​in a person's life are the basis for choosing the goals, methods and conditions of activity, and also help him answer the question, why does he perform this or that activity? In addition, values ​​are the system-forming core of the idea (or program), human activity and his inner spiritual life, because spiritual principles, intentions and humanity no longer relate to activity, but to values ​​and value orientations.

The role of values ​​in human life: theoretical approaches to the problem

Modern human values- the most urgent problem of both theoretical and applied psychology, since they influence the formation and are the integrative basis of the activity of not only a single individual, but also a social group (large or small), a team, an ethnic group, a nation and all of humanity. It is difficult to overestimate the role of values ​​in a person's life, because they illuminate his life, filling it with harmony and simplicity, which determines a person's desire for free will, for the will of creative possibilities.

The problem of human values ​​in life is studied by the science of axiology ( in lane from Greek axia / axio - value, logos / logos - a reasonable word, teaching, study), more precisely, a separate branch of scientific knowledge of philosophy, sociology, psychology and pedagogy. In psychology, values ​​are usually understood as something significant for the person himself, something that gives an answer to his actual, personal meanings. Values ​​are also seen as a concept that denotes objects, phenomena, their properties and abstract ideas that reflect social ideals and therefore are the standard of due.

It should be noted that the special importance and significance of values ​​in a person's life arises only in comparison with the opposite (this is how people strive for good, because evil exists on earth). Values ​​cover the whole life of both a person and the whole of humanity, while they affect absolutely all areas (cognitive, behavioral and emotional-sensory).

The problem of values ​​was of interest to many famous philosophers, sociologists, psychologists and educators, but the beginning of the study of this issue was laid back in ancient times. So, for example, Socrates was one of the first who tried to understand what goodness, virtue and beauty are, and these concepts were separated from things or actions. He believed that the knowledge achieved through the understanding of these concepts is the basis of a person's moral behavior. Here it is also worth referring to the ideas of Protagoras, who believed that each person is already a value as a measure of what exists and what does not exist.

Analyzing the category of “value”, one cannot pass by Aristotle, because it is to him that the term “thymia” (or valued) originated. He believed that values ​​in human life are both the source of things and phenomena and the cause of their diversity. Aristotle identified the following benefits:

• valued (or divine, to which the philosopher attributed the soul and mind);
• praised (impudent praise);
• opportunities (here the philosopher attributed strength, wealth, beauty, power, etc.).

Philosophers of modern times made a significant contribution to the development of questions about the nature of values. Among the most significant figures of that era, it is worth highlighting I. Kant, who called the will the central category that could help in solving the problems of the human value sphere. And the most detailed explanation of the process of formation of values ​​belongs to G. Hegel, who described the changes in values, their connections and structure in the three stages of the existence of activity (they are described in more detail below in the table).

Features of changing values ​​in the process of activity (according to G. Hegel)

The problem of human values ​​in life has been deeply studied by foreign psychologists, among which it is worth noting the works of V. Frankl. He said that the meaning of human life as its basic education finds its manifestation in the system of values. Under the values ​​themselves, he understood the meanings (he called them "universal meanings"), which are characteristic of a greater number of representatives not only of a particular society, but of humanity as a whole throughout the entire path of its development (historical). Viktor Frankl focused on the subjective significance of values, which is accompanied, first of all, by the person taking responsibility for its implementation.

In the second half of the last century, values ​​were often considered by scientists through the prism of the concepts of "value orientations" and "personal values". The greatest attention was paid to the study of the value orientations of the individual, which were understood both as an ideological, political, moral and ethical basis for a person's assessment of the surrounding reality, and as a way of differentiating objects according to their significance for the individual. The main thing that almost all scientists paid attention to was that value orientations are formed only due to the assimilation of social experience by a person, and they find their manifestation in goals, ideals, and other manifestations of personality. In turn, the system of values ​​in human life is the basis of the content side of the orientation of the individual and reflects its internal attitude in the surrounding reality.

Thus, value orientations in psychology were considered as a complex socio-psychological phenomenon that characterized the orientation of the personality and the content side of its activity, which determined the general approach of a person to himself, other people and the world as a whole, and also gave meaning and direction to his personality. behavior and activities.

Forms of existence of values, their signs and features

Throughout its history of development, humanity has developed universal or universal values ​​that have not changed their meaning or diminished their significance for many generations. These are such values ​​as truth, beauty, goodness, freedom, justice and many others. These and many other values ​​in a person's life are associated with the motivational-need sphere and are an important regulatory factor in his life.

Values ​​in psychological understanding can be represented in two meanings:

• in the form of objectively existing ideas, objects, phenomena, actions, properties of products (both material and spiritual);
• as their significance for a person (value system).

Among the forms of existence of values, there are: social, subject and personal (they are presented in more detail in the table).

Forms of existence of values ​​according to O.V. Sukhomlinsky

Of particular importance in the study of values ​​and value orientations were the studies of M. Rokeach. He understood values ​​as positive or negative ideas (and abstract ones), which are in no way connected with any particular object or situation, but are only an expression of human beliefs about types of behavior and prevailing goals. According to the researcher, all values ​​have the following features:

• the total number of values ​​(significant and motivated) is small;
• all values ​​in people are similar (only the steps of their significance are different);
• all values ​​are organized into systems;
• the sources of values ​​are culture, society and social institutions;
• values ​​have an impact on a large number of phenomena that are studied by a variety of sciences.

In addition, M. Rokeach established a direct dependence of a person's value orientations on many factors, such as his income level, gender, age, race, nationality, level of education and upbringing, religious orientation, political beliefs, etc.

Some signs of values ​​were also proposed by S. Schwartz and W. Bilisky, namely:

• values ​​are understood as either a concept or a belief;
• they refer to the desired end states of the individual or to his behavior;
• they have a supra-situational character;
• are guided by the choice, as well as the assessment of human behavior and actions;
• they are ordered by importance.

Classification of values

Today in psychology there is a huge number of very different classifications of values ​​and value orientations. Such diversity appeared due to the fact that values ​​are classified according to various criteria. So they can be combined into certain groups and classes, depending on what types of needs these values ​​satisfy, what role they play in a person's life and in what area they are applied. The table below shows the most generalized classification of values.

Classification of values

From the point of view of the psychological characteristics of human values, the classification proposed by K. Khabibulin is interesting. Their values ​​were divided as follows:

• depending on the subject of activity, values ​​can be individual or act as values ​​of a group, class, society;
• according to the object of activity, the scientist singled out material values ​​in human life (or vital) and sociogenic (or spiritual);
• depending on the type of human activity, values ​​can be cognitive, labor, educational and socio-political;
• the last group consists of values ​​according to the way of performing activities.

There is also a classification based on the allocation of vital (human ideas about good, evil, happiness and sorrow) and universal values. This classification was proposed at the end of the last century by T.V. Butkovskaya. Universal values, according to the scientist, are:

• vital (life, family, health);
• social recognition (values ​​such as social status and ability to work);
• interpersonal recognition (exhibition and honesty);
• democratic (freedom of expression or freedom of speech);
• particular (belonging to a family);
• transcendental (manifestation of faith in God).

It is also worth dwelling separately on the classification of values ​​according to M. Rokeach, the author of the most famous method in the world, the main purpose of which is to determine the hierarchy of a person's value orientations. M. Rokeach divided all human values ​​into two broad categories:

• terminal (or value-goals) - the person's conviction that the ultimate goal is worth all the effort to achieve it;
• instrumental (or value-methods) - a person's conviction that a certain way of behavior and actions is the most successful for achieving the goal.

There are still a huge number of different classifications of values, a summary of which is given in the table below.

Value classifications

Analyzing the presented classification, the question arises, what are the main values ​​in human life? In fact, there are a lot of such values, but the most important are common (or universal) values, which, according to V. Frankl, are based on three main human existentials - spirituality, freedom and responsibility. The psychologist identified the following groups of values ​​("eternal values"):

• creativity that allows people to understand what they can give to a given society;
• experiences, thanks to which a person realizes what he receives from society and society;
• relationships that enable people to realize their place (position) in relation to those factors that somehow limit their lives.

It should also be noted that the most important place is occupied by moral values ​​in human life, because they play a leading role in people's decisions related to morality and moral standards, and this in turn indicates the level of development of their personality and humanistic orientation.

The system of values ​​in human life

The problem of human values ​​in life occupies a leading position in psychological research, because they are the core of the personality and determine its direction. In solving this problem, a significant role belongs to the study of the value system, and here the studies of S. Bubnova, who, based on the works of M. Rokeach, created her own model of the system of value orientations (it is hierarchical and consists of three levels), had a serious impact. The system of values ​​in human life, in her opinion, consists of:

• values-ideals, which are the most general and abstract (this includes spiritual and social values);
• values-properties that are fixed in the process of human life;
• values-modes of activity and behavior.

Any system of values ​​will always combine two categories of values: values-goals (or terminal) and values-methods (or instrumental). Terminal includes the ideals and goals of a person, group and society, and instrumental - ways to achieve goals that are accepted and approved in a given society. Values-goals are more stable than values-methods, therefore they act as a system-forming factor in various social and cultural systems.

To the specific system of values ​​that exists in society, each person shows his own attitude. In psychology, there are five types of human relations in the value system (according to J. Gudechek):

• active, which is expressed in a high degree of internalization of this system;
• comfortable, that is, externally accepted, but at the same time a person does not identify himself with this system of values;
• indifferent, which consists in the manifestation of indifference and complete lack of interest in this system;
• disagreement or rejection, manifested in a critical attitude and condemnation of the value system, with the intention of changing it;
• opposition, which manifests itself both in internal and external contradiction with this system.

It should be noted that the system of values ​​in a person's life is the most important component in the structure of personality, while it occupies a borderline position - on the one hand, it is a system of personal meanings of a person, on the other, its motivational-need sphere. Values ​​and value orientations of a person act as the leading quality of a person, emphasizing its uniqueness and individuality.

Values ​​are the most powerful regulator of human life. They guide a person on the path of his development and determine his behavior and activities. In addition, the focus of a person on certain values ​​and value orientations will certainly have an impact on the process of formation of society as a whole.