Development and Formation of Values

This research examines the development and formation of values by individuals. Additionally, consideration is given in this research to the implications of individual value development and formation for educational leadership.

THE DEVELOPMENT AND FORMATION OF VALUES

The concept of value has several distinct meanings. To many, a value seems to be synonymous with attitude; an attitude being a predisposition to act in a certain way. An attitude is a mental and neural state of readiness, organized through the process of experience, exerting a directive or dynamic influence upon an individual's response to all objects and situations with which he or she is related. Perhaps more basic than an attitude, or even underlying attitude, a value is a type of belief, centrally located within one's total belief system, about how one ought or ought not to behave, or about some endstate of existence worth or not worth attaining. Thus, a value may be viewed both as a predisposition to act (attitude), and as an estimation of worth of an action.

Value is an important construct in nearly every branch of social science. It is also used in philosophy, theology, and education. The many and varied uses of the construct make definition difficult. Value is a more abstract construct than attitude. Values may express either personal or social preference, and they may serve either as ends or as means to ends.