Values and attitudes

Value: A value is something that is important to us. It will be one or two words.
E.g. Equality and justice.

Attitude: An attitude is the way we feel towards a value. It will be a sentence.

E.g. We should strive to follow the law.

Examples of values:

Animal welfare Individuality Self-improvement

Approval by others Industriousness Self-reflection

Charity Inner beauty Self-restraint

Community Inner harmony Sense of belonging

Compassion Justice Social harmony

Conformity Loyalty Social justice

Creativity Materialism Social networks

Economic progress Nature Social order

Education Patriotism Social power

Environmental Personal growth Social stability

Fairness Physical beauty Social status

Family Physical health Thrift

Freedom Privacy Tolerance

Gender equality Respect for others Tradition

Generosity Self-gratification Wealth

Honesty (satisfaction of one’s

Human welfare desires)

 Can you match the attitude to a value?

It is important to be fashionable

The freedom to make your my own choices in life is vital to my wellbeing

We should strive to follow the law – it is there to help society function

I should be able to use my money to buy whatever goods I want

Men are not as good as raising children as women are

There should be tough sentences to deter crime

My own health and safety is more important than yours

Powerful women can be threatening

Life is better when people don’t stand out too much

Australia is a unique nation, and the best one in the world.

I enjoy buying nice things, but only on special occasions

Australia should not become a republic any time soon

 Values and attitudes

An attitude is a settled way of thinking of feeling about something. Our

attitudes emerge from our values.

Activity 1

A student in Year 11 tells her family and a friend that she has decided to
choose nursing as a career. What possible values might underpin the attitudes
below?

Her father is disappointed. He tells her that a nurse’s salary isn’t lucrative

The father values:

Her brother thinks she should try to become a doctor instead, as people
admire doctors more

The brother values:

Her best friend is delighted, because it means that she will have someone to
study with at university.

The friend values:

Her grandmother thinks this is excellent news, as she thinks nurses are vital to
a just and compassionate society.

The grandmother values:

Her mother is excited – she thinks nursing is a stable career that will help set
her daughter up for life.

The mother values: