14 Most Important Types of Human Values: Concept And Importance
The types of human values are a series of qualities with common characteristics, which drive us to act in a concrete way, to differentiate between what is right or wrong and even to estimate a situation as positive or negative.
There are some shared values, such as social, family, or cultural values, that respond to a social, cultural, or religious order. Others are particular, such as ethical, moral, or personal values.
What Are The Types Of Human Values?
Below are the types of human values most important to people and their personal relationships.
1. Moral values
Moral values are composed of a set of norms and customs that are socially transmitted to individuals, in order to maintain behavior in balance and for people to differentiate between good and bad, as well as fair and unfair.
Examples of moral values are honesty, respect or responsibility.
2. Ethical values
Ethical values are related to moral values. They form behavioral guides to regulate the social behavior of individuals. They are especially relevant in the professional field.
Among ethical values, integrity, justice or equity can be mentioned.
3. Universal values
Universal values are qualities and principles shared in all societies and are considered correct by all people. These values are transversal in society and are not limited by cultural differences.
Values such as freedom or equality contribute to a harmonious, respectful, tolerant and inclusive coexistence for all individuals.
4. Human values
Human values are those values that establish the principles of people, in order to achieve a healthy coexistence. They are not limited by any culture or religion, since their purpose is to generate well-being.
Some examples of human values are love, solidarity or empathy, among others.
5. Cultural values
They are cultural values, the beliefs, customs, languages and shared traditions that identify a certain group of people.
Cultural values establish the cultural identity of individuals, the sense of belonging that a person has with respect to their community, town, city and country.
6. Social values
Social values are the set of values recognized in a society and that determine the behavior of the people who make up a community.
Values are part of our principles as individuals, they characterize us and, in the same way, they relate us to the people around us, with whom we share many similarities.
Social values aim to strengthen human relationships and achieve balance and social well-being through qualities such as respect, justice, tolerance, among others.
7. Religious values
Religious values are made up of those behaviors established as correct according to the religion or dogmas that each individual follows.
These values are not imposed by society, however, they share qualities and virtues that are considered appropriate in society, such as, for example, charity, solidarity, love, or faith, among others.
8. Family values
Family values are a series of principles, beliefs and customs that are taught at home and transmitted from generation to generation. We learn in our families, for example, what love, respect and gratitude are.
In the family, unity is taught, the sense of belonging and family ties, among others. They are values of great importance because they constitute the basis of every society.
9. Personal values
Personal values are those that each person considers important to meet their needs and achieve well-being. Personal values are adopted by each individual and, for this reason, they define their personality, lifestyle, behavior, objectives, among other things.
These values are variable over time according to experiences or needs, and are based on the idea of acting correctly and positively. Self-esteem and independence are some examples of personal values.
Each person has their own scale of values established in which they determine what positions they should adopt according to their principles or the situation in which they find themselves.
10. Civic values
Civic values are those behaviors related to the rights and duties of citizens, which are considered fundamental for the proper development of society.
Values such as respect or collaboration are recognized by various social groups and transmitted from one generation to another, therefore, they are also part of the social cultural legacy.
11. Values of democracy
The values of democracy are those that seek to establish social order and progress of individuals. They are composed of ethical and social values such as equality, justice and freedom.
Its objective is to promote the principles of democracy, political understanding, freedom of thought and equal rights, among others.
12. Business values
Business values are called all those values that define the ethical principles and organizational culture that identifies a company. These values are intended to generate greater performance, a sense of belonging and promote organizational culture.
Some examples are responsibility, commitment and honesty.
13. Professional values
Professional values are the values that are based on the knowledge and experience of individuals, all of which allows them to make decisions in various work situations.
These values are related to ethical, moral and business values, such as responsibility and honesty.
14. Anti-values
As we integrate into society, we know and learn different types of values such as human, social, cultural or ethical values, which complement our list of personal values, virtues and qualities.
But there is also a series of anti-values, or negative values , on which many people establish their behaviors and actions. They are behaviors that go against values and against the common good, since they generate situations of inequality and injustice.
Intolerance, selfishness, discrimination, violence or corruption are some examples of anti-values.
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