Values are fundamental beliefs that guide behavior and decision-making, playing a crucial role in shaping cultural identity. They differ across cultures and can include moral, social, and aesthetic aspects. Understanding how values influence cultural identity helps us appreciate the diversity and complexity of human societies.
Values and Cultural Norms
Values are more global and intellectual than norms, which provide rules for behavior in specific situations. While norms are standards,
patterns, rules, and guides of expected behavior, values are abstract concepts of what is important and worthwhile. For example, flying the national flag on a holiday is a norm, but it reflects the value of patriotism. Similarly, wearing dark clothing and appearing solemn are normative behaviors to manifest respect at a funeral. Different cultures represent values differently and to different levels of emphasis, highlighting the diversity in cultural identity.
Values are generally received through cultural means, especially diffusion and transmission or socialization from parents to children. Parents in different cultures have different values, which they pass on to their children. For instance, parents in a hunter-gatherer society value practical survival skills from a young age, while Italian parents value social and emotional abilities and having an even temperament. These cultural differences in values contribute to the unique identity of each society.
The Impact of Values on Social Behavior
Values influence attitudes and behavior, affecting how individuals interact within their cultural context. They can be defined as broad preferences concerning appropriate courses of actions or outcomes, reflecting a person's sense of right and wrong or what "ought" to be. Values such as "equal rights for all," "excellence deserves admiration," and "people should be treated with respect and dignity" are examples of how values guide social behavior.
The intensity of philosophic value is the degree it is generated or carried out, and may be regarded as the prevalence of the good, the object having the value. This intensity can vary, influencing the degree to which values are expressed in social behavior. For instance, the value of independence may be more intensely expressed in cultures that prioritize individualism, while collectivist cultures may emphasize values related to community and social harmony.
Values and Cultural Change
Over time, values can change, affecting cultural identity and social norms. For example, traditional-age college students have shown an increased interest in personal well-being and a decreased interest in the welfare of others over the last three decades. This shift in values reflects broader cultural changes and influences the beliefs and attitudes of individuals within the society.
Cultural values can also be expressed at a global level through institutions participating in the global economy. Values important to global governance, such as leadership, legitimacy, and efficiency, are reflected in international organizations and policies. These global values influence cultural identity by shaping the interactions between different societies and promoting a shared understanding of what is important and worthwhile.
