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Topic 1: Values and Systems

Introduction

The Learning Outcomes of this unit:

On successful completion of this topic you will be able to:

1. Identify your personal values
2. Explain how personal and societal values interact
3. Reflect on values and social power
4. Explain how social values contribute to social cohesion and stability

To help you achieve the above outcomes, you will investigate the following in this topic…

1. What is Humanities about?

2. What are personal values, and where do they come from?
2a. Identifying and understanding your personal values
2b. How far would you go? What would you do?
3. Social values and social power
3a. Social values
3b. Values in Australian society
3c. The relationship between Social Values and Social Power
4. Curtin University values

You will also look at the Borton/Driscoll Reflective Model

1. What is Humanities about?

To gain an overview of the sorts of areas associated with the Humanities, visit Curtin’s website:
https://about.curtin.edu.au/learning-teaching/humanities
2. What are personal values and where do they come from?

In order to start identifying our personal values, we need to understand what the term means:

A personal value system is a set of principles or ideals that drive and/or guide your behaviour.
Your personal value system gives you structure and purpose by helping you determine what is
meaningful and important to you. It helps you express who you are and what you stand for. If
you are unaware of, or become disconnected with your values, you end up making choices
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 out of impulse or instant gratification rather than on solid reasoning and responsible
decision-making.
Source: http://www.essentiallifeskills.net/personalvaluesystem.html

There are many different values, and each person has a unique combination of values that are important to them.
Some examples of values are:
 Honesty
 Respect
 Integrity
 Compassion
 Altruism (there are many more).

Values are developed as we grow and learn and can be influenced by many things including our family, our circle
of friends, our religion, and our education. It is important to recognise our values as they affect everything we do,
and they help us to understand what is and is not important to us. Values are not static and may change
throughout our life. Something that is important to you now may not be important in the future. Consider the
following extreme example:

A wealthy entrepreneur has pursued wealth and power throughout their life and has
believed it is acceptable to send others bankrupt in the pursuit of these values. At the age of
60 they are diagnosed with a terminal illness, and suddenly, their priorities in values shift
from wealth and power to friendships and family.

Think of an incident (extreme or otherwise) from your life that has altered your values and belief systems, even in
a small way. Briefly describe the incident and the change that resulted:
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

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 VIDEO
Watch this video.

‘Kid President’ has many videos online. Although his video “20 things we should say more often” is
fun to watch, it also highlights the fact that even the little things we say make a difference. Kid
President suggests 20 things that could support and enhance positive values in society.

View: 20 things we should say more often

URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5yCOSHeYn4
Duration: 3:31

TO DO:
Choose a couple of the “20 things we should say more often” from Kid President’s video, and spend
time each day saying them to family, friends, and even strangers.
As you do this, consider the following:
Does it make a difference to you?
Does it make a difference to others?
Perhaps it could even inspire a change in your values!

2a. Identifying your personal values

Do you know what your top 10 personal values are?

Now that you have an understanding of why it is important to find out what your personal values are, it is time to
identify your values so that you are aware of what motivates you in all the decisions and choices you make in life.
There is no right or wrong in terms of values (within reason!)

Make a list of the 5 values you think are the most important to you:
1. ______________________________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________________________
3. ______________________________________________________________
4. ______________________________________________________________
5. ______________________________________________________________

Now complete the following Values assessment in order to clearly identify the values that are the most important.
Was your list above accurate?

https://www.mindtools.com/a5eygum/what-are-your-values

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 IMPORTANT
Make sure you complete the above Values assessments so that you get to know the values
that are most important to you. Assessment 1 will draw upon your knowledge and
understanding of your values and knowledge of how these influence your choices and
actions.

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY
You have defined your personal values via the link on p.4. Now watch the video:

Video: What are your values? Deciding what’s most important in life.
URL: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTED_85.htm
Duration: (2:10)

2b. How far would you go? What would you do?

Now that you have a greater understanding of your own values, you will be more aware of those things that are of
the utmost importance to you in your life. It is interesting to consider how far you would be prepared to go to
defend and uphold your values. For example, would you be willing to compromise on your values if somebody
offered you a large sum of money? Would you be prepared to stand up for your beliefs if everybody around you had
different views? In some circumstances it is important to be aware of safety and the consequences of standing up for
your beliefs.

To help you further understand your values, you might like to take some time to watch some of the videos from the
American television show WHAT WOULD YOU DO? Actors create various scenes in public places and the reactions of
bystanders are observed. Sometimes these bystanders do nothing, while others are compelled to act. Take a
moment to explore the personal values having impact in scenarios acted out to depict:

 a war veteran not having enough money to pay for groceries at the supermarket
 attitudes toward a male babysitter
 diners reacting toward a baby crying at a restaurant
 a mother drinking alcohol while breast-feeding
 older people appearing to take advantage of younger people

Consider the following: how would a person’s own values impact their interpretations, feelings, and actions in
these scenarios?

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The following video is optional, but it would be a good idea to watch this example from the TV show:

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY
If you are interested in these types of issues, watch the following video. As you watch, think about
your own values, and imagine what you might do in the same circumstance:

View: What would you do Waitress being racist to a Mom of 8 children

URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtUczwcvqrU
Duration: 6:07

The above video highlights racism and stereotyping, a concept we will visit later in the course.

3. Social values and social power

3a. Social values

Each society has a set of laws that their citizens are expected to abide by. Each society also has a set of ‘social
values’, and these are often referred to as ‘unwritten laws’ as most people abide by them without being aware of
their existence or impact. Just as different individuals have different values, different countries have different ideas
on how people should behave. As with personal values, social values are subject to change. For example, if we were
to look at social values in terms of gender roles, it would be apparent that the traditional role of women being
homemakers and men being the breadwinners has now altered significantly. Consider this description from the UN
of how cohesion in society contributes to its stability and prosperity:

A cohesive society is one where people are protected against life risks, trust their neighbours and
the institutions of the state, and can work towards a better future for themselves and their
families.  Fostering social cohesion is about striving for greater inclusiveness, more civic
participation and creating opportunities for upward mobility.  It is the glue that holds society
together.

http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/news/policy/perspectives-on-social-cohesion.html

3b. Values in Australian society

Australia has a set of values that represent the views of the peoples of our nation. “Societal values are the
assumptions, beliefs or principles that guide people’s decision-making and actions in society…. Although there is no
single value system to which all Australians subscribe, studies have found that there is considerable agreement

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about the sets of values recognised and embraced by large numbers of Australians.” (The Australian Collaboration,
2013).
When somebody is going to become an Australian citizen, they are required to sign the Australia values statement.
Take a few minutes to think about what values you think the statement might include. In other words, what
values do you think Australia strives to live by? Write your answers here:
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Now visit the Australian Government website and read the Australian values statement. Compare your answer
(above) to the actual statement:
https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-support/meeting-our-requirements/australian-values
Note: read both versions, including:
1. When you apply for a temporary visa
2. When you apply for a permanent or provisional visa

What were the main differences between your statement and the answer on the website? (A few dot points
should be sufficient)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________

3c. The relationship between Social Values and Social Power

Now that you have identified your own values, and have looked at societal values, consider the relationship between
the two. We know that our country of origin has an enormous influence on our values. Have you ever thought about
how your values have been influenced by the country you were born in, or the country in which you have lived for
most of your life?

Ideally, social values allow societies to operate in a cohesive way where everybody acts for the good of all its
members, thus allowing that society to prosper and grow. Societies in which there is little or no cohesion in terms of
social values are often seen as being less desirable to live in, and ultimately unsustainable. Can you think of any
examples around the world of a society with little cohesion? How is this affecting the people of that society?

In democratic societies there is still the notion of certain people being able to wield more social power than others.
(What types of individuals and groups do you think wield more power?). However, if it is still within the boundaries
of our society’s values, it is seen as acceptable. Sometimes, social values are manipulated by individuals, groups, and

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governments to achieve outcomes that are not for the greater good of all members of that society.
Can you think of any examples in the past 100 years where this has occurred?

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY
For more information about the relationship between social values and social power visit:
http://www.co-intelligence.org/CIPol_democSocPwrAnal.html

Read the first section titled Summary, then scroll to the bottom of the page to see a list of some
forms of Social Powers

4. Curtin University Values

Curtin University is a social system in itself and is also part of a wider social system.
 Integrity – to act ethically, honestly and with fairness;
 Respect – to listen, value and acknowledge;
 Courage – to lead, take responsibility and question;
 Excellence – to strive for excellence and distinction;
 Impact – to empower, enable and inspire.

Borton/Driscoll Reflective Model

You will do a lot of reflection writing during your degree. Depending on the undergraduate degree you choose, you
will use various frameworks to structure your reflective writing. For instance, consider the Faculty of Humanities. If
you are heading into Education studies, or perhaps Design and the Built Environment, you might use an experiential
learning theory-based model such as Kolb’s Reflective Cycle or the commonly-used Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle. If you are
heading into Media, Creative Arts and Social Inquiry degrees, you might use the Borton/Driscoll Model of
Reflection.

Look at this 3-phase model here and here. Now in your own words, explain each phase:

WHAT?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________

SO WHAT?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________

NOW WHAT?

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_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________

To Finish Off
Now take some time to reflect on your values and how they influence your behaviour and assumptions. It is
important we reflect so that as we go through life, work with others, vote, make important life decisions and so
forth, we recognise our biases and prejudices, and become more aware of why we are doing things and why we
react in certain ways.

See the ‘Summary’ section below, as it will help you to determine whether you understood the concepts in this
topic.

If there is anything you don’t understand, be sure to investigate it further, and ask questions. It is important you
understand all concepts before moving onto the next topic.

Topic 1 Summary - Check your understanding

Having completed Topic 1, you should now have a sound understanding of the following ideas and concepts:

1. Identify your personal values

You looked at the values that are important to you, and explored how far you would be prepared to go in
defiance of those values, and what sorts of things would prompt you to alter or even abandon your values.
2. Explain how personal and societal values interact
Having investigated your own values, you then looked at Australian values. This allowed you to explore the
similarities and differences between the two, and how you were, at least in part, shaped by the values of your
country of origin. You also looked at Curtin University’s values.
3. Reflect on values and social power
To understand the relationship between values and social power, you explored the relationship between. By
exploring themes related to personal values, Australian societal values, and the social values of other countries,
you should have become more aware of the consequences arising from beliefs in societies that value freedom
and democracy, and beliefs in societies that restrict freedoms.
4. Explain how social values contribute to social cohesion and stability
Having extensively explored values and social power, you should now be able to understand how social values
(and individual values) contribute to stable societies and to cohesion within societies.

See References on next page…

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 References

Australian Government Department of Home Affairs (n.d.). Meeting our requirements: Australian values.
https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-support/meeting-our-requirements/australian-values

Capraz, E. (2014, August 21). What would you do waitress being racist to a mom of 8 children [Video]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtUczwcvqrU

Curtin University. (n.d.). Faculty of Humanities. https://about.curtin.edu.au/learning-teaching/humanities

Essential Life Skills (n.d.). Have a personal value system.

https://www.essentiallifeskills.net/personalvaluesystem.html

Janse, B. (2022). Borton’s Model of Reflection. https://www.toolshero.com/personal-development/borton-model-of-

reflection/

Mind Tools (2018). What are your values? https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTED_85.htm

SoulPancake. (2013, November 21). Kid president’s 20 things we should say more often [Video]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5yCOSHeYn4

The Co-Intelligence Institute (2008). Democracy: A social power analysis.

http://www.co-intelligence.org/CIPol_democSocPwrAnal.html

United Nations (2012). Perspectives on social cohesion- the glue that holds society together.
http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/news/policy/perspectives-on-social-cohesion.html

University of Edinburgh. (2022). Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle.

https://www.ed.ac.uk/reflection/reflectors-toolkit/reflecting-on-experience/gibbs-reflective-cycle

University of Hull. (2022). Kolb’s cycle of reflective practice. https://libguides.hull.ac.uk/reflectivewriting/kolb

University of Northampton. (2022). Borton/Driscoll Reflective Model.

https://cpb-eu-w2.wpmucdn.com/mypad.northampton.ac.uk/dist/d/6334/files/2019/10/Driscoll-model-of-
reflection-Apr-2022.pdf

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