VALUES CLARIFICATION

1. Define the following concepts:

a. Values

 Values are individual beliefs that motivate people to act one way or another. They serve as a
guide for human behavior. Generally, people are predisposed to adopt the values that they are
raised with. People also tend to believe that those values are “right” because they are the values
of their particular culture. So, whether values are sacred, have intrinsic worth, or are a means to
an end, values vary among individuals and across cultures and time. However, values are
generally recognized as a driving force in ethical decision-making.

b. Moral thought

 It is intelligible only in the context of morality as a whole. There are those who hold that nothing
is moral or immoral except that which helps or hurts another. Genuine morality, however, is
primarily a matter of the heart, or of the interior of a person. They are what makes us humane
and basically one of the factors of being sane. They are standards that help an individual choose
for himself between right and wrong or good and bad. This understanding of morals is absolutely
necessary for anyone to make honest, credible, and fair decisions and relations in their daily
lives.

c. Moral values

 Moral values are defined as guidelines that assist a person in deciding between right and wrong.
In order to create honest, credible, and fair judgments and relationships in daily life, the
awareness of one’s morals - along with self-awareness - is crucial.

d. Personal ethical behavior

 Personal ethics are ethical principles that a person uses when making decisions and behaving in
both personal and professional settings. These ethics influence various aspects of a person’s life
and help individuals develop their work ethic, personal and professional goals, and values.
Individuals use their ethics to determine between right and wrong and influence how someone
behaves in challenging situations. Each person’s code of ethics varies, but many people share
common ethics such as honesty and respect.

e. Values clarification

 Values clarification is a learning approach that entails reflexive processes that are sociocultural,
intercultural, and personal in nature aimed at identifying the underlying or influential value
 priorities that guide one's interests, choices, actions, and reactions in a variety of interpersonal
and social settings.

f. Integrity

 Integrity means being honest and having strong moral principles. A person with integrity behaves
ethically and does the right thing, even behind closed doors. Integrity is not just an external
virtue, but it is also an inner compass that guides an individual's moral and ethical decisions. It
reflects an individual's self-awareness, self-respect, and self-worth.

g. Self-awareness

 Self-awareness is defined as "conscious knowledge of one's own character, feelings, motives, and
desires," according to Oxford Language. Psychologists Shelley Duval and Robert Wicklund
proposed this definition: "Self-awareness is the ability to focus on yourself and how your actions,
thoughts, or emotions do or don't align with your internal standards. If you're highly self-aware,
you can objectively evaluate yourself, manage your emotions, align your behavior with your
values, and understand correctly how others perceive you."

h. Values conflict

 The simplest way to provide the value conflict definition is disagreement with someone who
doesn't share our viewpoint and has other beliefs and value systems rather than ours. The causes
vary, but they often stem from differences in moral guidelines or lifestyles. When the rules or
culture of the organization go against the core beliefs or identities of individuals, it leads to a
conflict of values. These value conflicts compel people to speak up. If it is not safe for them to
speak up, they will likely choose to disengage from the workplace culture.

i. Moral distress

 Moral distress occurs when: You know the ethically appropriate action to take, but are unable to
act upon it. You act in a manner contrary to your personal and professional values, which
undermines your integrity and authenticity.

2. Identify and briefly discuss the three areas of valuing process as identified by Simon and
colleagues (1995)

 • Chemical are harmful to humans.

 • Nuclear power plants should be banned.
 • Fast foods are not nutritious and should be avoided.
 • Smoking should be banned in public settings.
STS teaching creates an environment in which students are confronted with situations in which
 they must clarify their values on a variety of issues. The nature of today's value-laden issues and
problems is contrary to the neutral or value-free connotation of science. How can students be
helped to clarify their values about science issues?
The question that always arises in discussions of values teaching is what values should be taught,
if they should be taught at all. In a class discussion of abortion, what is the role of the teacher,
and whose value beliefs should guide the direction of a decision. Most educators would claim
that a class activity of value-laden issues should involve a process of valuing as opposed to a
particular value direction.

A process model of values clarification was developed by Raths, Harmin and Simon and is known as the
values clarification approach. They define a value in terms of three key valuing processes: choosing,
prizing and acting.

3. What is the intent of values clarification?

 It helps us clarify their goals, priorities and values, make decisions, and implement changes in
their lives. By clarifying our values, it helps to guide us in our daily activities and helps to align
what we say with what we do.