Rokeach M. -1973-. The Nature Of Human Values. New York Free !!hot!! Press May 2026

In his seminal 1973 work, The Nature of Human Values , social psychologist Milton Rokeach redefined how we understand human belief systems

. He argued that values, rather than attitudes, are the central, most dynamic force in social psychology because they determine both our attitudes and our behaviors. APA PsycNET Core Definitions Rokeach defines a human value

as 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". These values are organized into a value system

—a hierarchy where beliefs are ranked by relative importance. www.emerald.com The Rokeach Value Typology

Rokeach divided values into two distinct categories, which he measured using the Rokeach Value Survey (RVS)

Understanding Human Values: Insights from Milton Rokeach

In 1973, psychologist Milton Rokeach published his seminal work, "The Nature of Human Values," with The Free Press in New York. This influential book explores the concept of human values, their structure, and their role in shaping human behavior.

Who is Milton Rokeach?

Milton Rokeach (1917-1988) was an American social psychologist known for his work on human values, prejudice, and social psychology. He received his Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Chicago and went on to have a distinguished career, publishing numerous papers and books on social psychology.

The Nature of Human Values

In "The Nature of Human Values," Rokeach proposes that human values are: In his seminal 1973 work, The Nature of

1. Desirable and transsituational: Values are abstract, desirable, and enduring, serving as guiding principles for behavior across various situations.
2. Cognitive and affective: Values are rooted in both cognitive (thinking) and affective (feeling) components, influencing an individual's attitudes, opinions, and actions.

Rokeach identifies two types of values:

1. Terminal values: These are end-states or outcomes that people strive for, such as happiness, freedom, or salvation.
2. Instrumental values: These are the means or behaviors that help individuals achieve their terminal values, such as honesty, responsibility, or self-discipline.

The Rokeach Value Survey

To measure human values, Rokeach developed the Rokeach Value Survey (RVS), a widely used instrument that assesses both terminal and instrumental values. The RVS presents participants with two lists of values:

1. Terminal values list: Participants rank 18 terminal values in order of importance.
2. Instrumental values list: Participants rank 18 instrumental values in order of importance.

Implications and Applications

Rokeach's work on human values has significant implications for various fields, including:

1. Social psychology: Understanding human values helps researchers and practitioners address social issues, such as prejudice, stereotyping, and intergroup conflict.
2. Marketing and consumer behavior: Recognizing the values that drive consumer behavior enables marketers to develop more effective advertising strategies and products that align with customers' values.
3. Education and personal growth: By understanding human values, educators and therapists can help individuals identify and prioritize their values, fostering personal growth and well-being.

Legacy

Milton Rokeach's work on human values continues to influence research and practice in social psychology, marketing, education, and other fields. His book, "The Nature of Human Values," remains a foundational text in the study of human values, offering valuable insights into the complex and multifaceted nature of human values.

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Milton Rokeach's 1973 work, The Nature of Human Values, argues that values are enduring, hierarchical beliefs that act as the foundation for attitudes. The text introduces the Rokeach Value Survey (RVS), dividing values into 18 terminal (end-state) and 18 instrumental (behavioral) values to map human belief systems and analyze ideological structures.

Milton Rokeach's " The Nature of Human Values " (1973), published by the Free Press, is a seminal psychological text that defines a value as an enduring belief that a specific "mode of conduct" or "end-state of existence" is personally or socially preferable to an opposite one. Rokeach identifies two types of values:

The book introduced the Rokeach Value Survey (RVS), a widely used tool for assessing human priorities by asking individuals to rank 36 values. These are divided into two distinct categories: 1. Terminal Values (End-States)

These represent the ultimate goals or "ends" an individual hopes to achieve during their lifetime.

Examples: A comfortable life, an exciting life, a sense of accomplishment, a world at peace, a world of beauty, equality, family security, freedom, happiness, inner harmony, mature love, national security, pleasure, salvation, self-respect, social recognition, true friendship, and wisdom. 2. Instrumental Values (Modes of Conduct)

These represent the "means" or preferred behaviors used to achieve terminal goals.

Examples: Ambitious, broad-minded, capable, cheerful, clean, courageous, forgiving, helpful, honest, imaginative, independent, intellectual, logical, loving, obedient, polite, responsible, and self-controlled. Key Themes & Contributions Employees | Springer Nature Link

3. Definitional Framework

Rokeach defines value as:

“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.”

From this, he distinguishes:

| Type | Definition | Example | |------|------------|---------| | Terminal values | Desirable end-states of existence (goals worth achieving) | World peace, freedom, salvation, self-respect | | Instrumental values | Desirable modes of conduct (means to achieve terminal values) | Honest, ambitious, courageous, logical |

Each value has both personal and social preference dimensions. The total set of values is small (Rokeach identified 18 terminal + 18 instrumental values in his survey instrument). is the engine of intra-psychic conflict.

The Political Prediction That Came True

Here is where Rokeach becomes spooky. He studied how different groups ranked "Freedom" versus "Equality."

• Left-leaning individuals tended to rank Equality just as high as Freedom.
• Right-leaning individuals ranked Freedom very high, but Equality much lower.

Rokeach noted that a society that values Freedom without Equality becomes a brutal meritocracy. A society that values Equality without Freedom becomes a totalitarian state.

He warned that when two values are negatively correlated in a population (one goes up, the other goes down), you no longer have a "debate"—you have an incommensurable divide. Sound familiar? Fifty years later, our culture wars are just a slow-motion replay of Rokeach’s terminal value rankings.

6.3. Cross-Cultural Comparisons (limited but suggestive)

• Rokeach found similarities across Western industrialized nations, but substantial differences between U.S. and e.g., Middle Eastern samples (e.g., higher obedience, lower freedom).

Legacy and Criticism

While the RVS became a standard tool in sociology, marketing, and organizational behavior, it has faced criticism. Some scholars argued that the list of 18 values was culturally bound to mid-20th century America and lacked universal applicability. Others noted that forcing a strict ranking (ipsative scaling) makes statistical analysis more difficult than rating scales (like Likert scales used in later models, such as Schwartz’s Theory of Basic Values).

However, these critiques do not diminish the work's importance. Shalom H. Schwartz, who later developed the widely used "Theory of Basic Human Values," built directly upon the foundation laid by Rokeach.

2. Core Thesis and Intellectual Context

Milton Rokeach (1918–1988) sought to provide a unified, empirically testable theory of human values, differentiating them from attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. Published in the aftermath of the 1960s social upheavals, the book aims to explain how values organize cognition, guide action, and underpin ideological conflicts. Rokeach bridges psychology, sociology, and philosophy, arguing that values are relatively few, centrally organized, and measurable.

Key claim:
A person’s values form a stable but not immutable value system – a hierarchical organization of rank-ordered terminal and instrumental values that serves as a standard for guiding behavior, judgment, and self-evaluation.

The Rokeach Value Survey (RVS)

The legacy of this book is the Rokeach Value Survey, a test that asks participants to rank the 18 Terminal and 18 Instrumental values in order of importance to them.

This tool tells a story about the individual. For example:

• A person who ranks Salvation #1 and Ambitious #1 tells a story of religious devotion and other-worldly focus.
• A person who ranks A Comfortable Life #1 and Cleanliness #1 tells a story of conventionality and material focus.

Instrumental Values (The "Means")

These are the preferred modes of behavior—the vehicles we use to get to our terminals. They are moral or competence-based traits. The 18 instrumental values include:

• Ambitious (hard-working, aspiring)
• Capable (competent, effective)
• Cheerful (lighthearted, joyful)
• Clean (neat, tidy)
• Honest (sincere, truthful)
• Intellectual (intelligent, reflective)
• Loving (affectionate, tender)

The relationship is key: we use instrumental values to achieve terminal values. For example, you might value Honesty (instrumental) because you believe it leads to True Friendship (terminal).

But Rokeach observed a dangerous trap: the means can become ends. A person who values "Ambitious" above all else may achieve a "Sense of Accomplishment" but lose "Family Security" or "Happiness." This clash, Rokeach notes, is the engine of intra-psychic conflict.