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

Examples: Ambition, broad-mindedness, capability, honesty, imagination, independence, and self-control. Impact on Research and Society

These are "preferable modes of conduct"—the behavioral means used to reach terminal goals.

The core of Rokeach’s theory is the distinction between two types of values, which are measured using the widely adopted Rokeach Value Survey (RVS) :

In this foundational text, Rokeach 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 or converse mode". He posits that human values are organized into a hierarchical value system , where each value is ranked by its relative importance. The Two-Fold Classification: Terminal vs. Instrumental