In the mid-20th century, American psychologist Milton Rokich developed a unique concept of personality's value orientations. Until now, it is considered to be in demand and most methodologically justified by modern specialists. One of its main concepts is terminal values. What is it, we learn from this article.
General Provisions
The core of Milton Rokic’s concept is the idea that all values are a firm belief in the preference of something concrete. It can be a worldview, lifestyle, human goals, etc. Rokich divided all these beliefs into two types: instrumental and terminal.
The former are called values-means. They are associated with the way a person acts, his personal qualities. Terminal values include beliefs regarding questions about why each person lives, what he aspires to. A happy family life or world peace is the ultimate goal for each person. Both types of values are interconnected. The former are the means to the latter.
List
Each type of value has its own list. This is a list of beliefs united by a common nature. In this article, we focus on terminal values, therefore, we present stimulus material of this type. It includes:
- Active life. This includes travel, sports, emotional richness, etc.
- Health - implies good health, the absence of pathologies for the implementation of vigorous activity.
- Fascinating work is a business that causes positive emotions, interest, and the desire for personal growth.
- Art and nature are an experience of the beautiful.
- Happiness in personal life.
- Love is spiritual and physical.
- Financial wealth.
- Having loyal friends.
- Respect and recognition of other people - in other words, it can be called social success.
- Opportunity to study - this point is due to financial, physical freedom for higher education.
- The ability to live productively - to use prospects, opportunities.
- Independence and freedom - concerns the personal and financial sphere.
- The happiness of other people.
- Self-control - self-discipline, restraint.
The list shows the priorities of the existence of personality. Not all values can belong to one person. As a rule, a standard set consists of: health, happiness in personal life and financial wealth. Depending on the age, gender, social status, personal qualities of a person (instrumental values), this arsenal of targeted beliefs is changing, expanding.
Concept specifics
Rokic’s technique is universal. It affects, perhaps, all spheres of human activity. In addition to dividing into terminal and instrumental values, it involves the classification of beliefs relating to personal, business, social, financial, spiritual and other spheres. So, for example, a clear correlation can be made between financial wealth and hard work, productivity, responsibility. And happiness in personal life depends on such qualities as tolerance, sensitivity and caring.
Test
Like any psychological concept, Rokic’s methodology on value orientations is based on research. There are two authoring tests that allow you to determine the beliefs of an individual by importance. Each item in the list has your serial number from 1 to 5:
- The unit indicates values that do not matter much in human life.
- A deuce is an assessment of beliefs that may be paramount to some people.
- A triple defines values with a specific meaning.
- Four and five marked beliefs that are truly central to the existence of each person.
The test also involves the study of changes in value orientations over time. To do this, there are questions regarding the priorities of a particular person in the past, present and in the possible future.
The test is necessary in order to understand the meaning of actions, actions of a particular individual. The evaluation criterion is the “confidence” scale. It helps to find out how much a person wants his actions to be marked by others positively or negatively. And the higher the result, the closer the subject is to the "approved" image.
results
It is very important that the test is conducted by a specialist psychologist. Usually this is an individual study, less often a group study. The study of human values in the framework of such a test allows for inaccurate data. The subject can intentionally distort the facts in order to achieve a high result. Therefore, Rokic determined a critical mark - 42 points. Results above this indicator indicate incorrect data.
So, for example, for adolescents, priority terminal values are friends, love. The following positions may be occupied by family and health. This is a standard set that can be observed in most emerging personalities. People aged 25 to 35 put family, work, and financial income first. If altruistic beliefs fall into the leaders of values, then it can be assumed that the psychologist is either a complex person with a high spiritual organization, or there is a deliberate distortion of the data.
Conclusion
- Terminal values are one of the key concepts in the Milton Rokich methodology. They represent the meaning of a person’s existence, his goals and the priorities by which he is guided. The higher the needs of the individual, the wider the list of such beliefs.
- Rokic's terminal values depend on another type - instrumental beliefs. That is, qualities that help a person achieve those very goals of life.
- Rokic offered two standard value lists. However, the flexibility of the method allows psychologists, depending on modern realities and personality traits, to propose and expand stimulus material. So in the list of terminal values appeared points of self-realization, wisdom, rationalism, the ability to engage in creativity.
It is important to understand that value orientations are the basis of human existence that contributes to its harmonious development and success. Correction of beliefs on the basis of testing allows you to solve many psychological, personal, professional and everyday problems of the individual.