Values, Sociology of

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Abstract

The first section of this article presents core elements in the object- or concept-focused definition of values, including some of the functions ascribed to them: guiding and coordinating actions, marking personal and collective identities. The next section introduces some additional analytical dimensions: the substantive, temporal, and social generalization of values; their position in means–ends relationships; conceptual distinctions with regard to needs, attitudes, and norms. The third section addresses some issues regarding the development of values on the personal and macrosocial level, concentrating on the cognitive developmental approach. The final section presents a brief outline of two prominent approaches (initiated by Inglehart and Schwartz) in studying the development and spread of values on the basis of data collected in a long-term series of cross-national surveys conducted in an increasing number of countries worldwide.

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