The PDF of this 438-page volume (published by The Free Press, New York) is organized into three distinct parts. Here is the breakdown:
No classic is without critique. When reading the 1973 PDF, note that:
Before diving into the PDF, it is crucial to understand the author. Milton Rokeach (1918–1988) was a Polish-American social psychologist renowned for his work on dogma, authority, and human beliefs. Unlike many of his contemporaries who focused on attitudes, Rokeach argued that values are the central cognitive structures that determine how people form attitudes and behaviors.
His 1973 publication, The Nature of Human Values, was the culmination of over a decade of empirical research. In this book, he formally defined what a value is, how values organize into systems, and why understanding values predicts social behavior better than situational variables alone.
If you need a specific chapter summary, table of terminal/instrumental value rankings by demographic group, or comparison with Schwartz’s model, let me know and I can provide that in detail.
Milton Rokeach’s 1973 work, The Nature of Human Values, established that underlying "core values" drive human attitudes and behavior, proposing that individuals hold a small, hierarchical set of values. The text introduced the Rokeach Value Survey (RVS), which measures 18 "terminal" (goals) and 18 "instrumental" (modes of conduct) values to predict social and personal actions. For more details, visit UCL Open - ScienceOpen. Rokeach Value Survey (RVS) rokeach m 1973 the nature of human values pdf
The Nature of Human Values
In 1973, Milton Rokeach, a prominent social psychologist, published a seminal work titled "The Nature of Human Values." This book laid the foundation for understanding human values, their structure, and their role in shaping human behavior.
What are Human Values?
According to Rokeach, human values are abstract concepts that represent an individual's preferences, beliefs, and attitudes about what is desirable or undesirable. Values are guiding principles that influence an individual's thoughts, feelings, and actions. They serve as criteria for evaluating people, events, and situations, and help individuals to make decisions about what is right or wrong, good or bad.
The Structure of Human Values
Rokeach proposed that human values have a hierarchical structure, consisting of:
Types of Human Values
Rokeach identified two types of human values:
The Functions of Human Values
Rokeach argued that human values serve several functions: The PDF of this 438-page volume (published by
Implications of Rokeach's Theory
The implications of Rokeach's theory are far-reaching:
Conclusion
Milton Rokeach's work on human values provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the complex and multifaceted nature of human values. His theory highlights the significance of values in shaping human behavior, attitudes, and culture. By recognizing the importance of human values, we can foster greater self-awareness, promote positive relationships, and create a more just and compassionate society.
“A value is an enduring belief that a specific mode of conduct or end-state of existence is personally or socially preferable to an opposite or converse mode of conduct or end-state of existence.” If you need a specific chapter summary ,
Key characteristics:
Rokeach emphasized that people do not hold values in isolation. Instead, they organize them into a hierarchy of importance. For Person A, “Salvation” might be the most important terminal value, while “Pleasure” is last. For Person B, the order is reversed. These hierarchies act as “standards for guiding action.”