Methinks values start off as personal, some justified and others not. These then are put out there in the public domain for vetting. Two things can happen: Either justifications are sought and they're found and accepted by society OR people find others like-minded, justification is either a mere formality or simply ignored. That's how societal values come into existence and then are enforced. It's a majority wins deal, those who oppose such group values must do so surreptitiously or not at all, follow the herd as it were.

Values, like memes, tend to form mutually-reinforcing value-complexes; the component values are compatible and synergistic.

They are both. We’re socialised into values and norms. We find ourselves attracted or repelled and select from them.

"Values are the dominant behaviours and beliefs of a society or a group" and that values have nothing to do with individuals. — carlacalvert9

I think 'nothing to do with' is too strong. Perhaps s/he meant that individuals by themselves are not able to exert much change on social values. Furthermore, individuals need to deal with social values, like it or not, unless they're sociopathic, because those around them will reflect those values in their judgements and behaviour.

Short answer: ask lecturer to clarify.

My lecturer told me:

"Values are the dominant behaviours and beliefs of a society or a group" and that values have nothing to do with individuals.

But then on other sites I have read things such as,
"Values are ideals of beliefs that a person holds desirable or undesirable."

I don't have a social science background and am a bit confused by what seems to me conflicting information.

Are values what a society deems to be important or what an individual finds important? Could you also please explain why? — carlacalvert9

I suppose your teacher is trying to make an important point. Of course this will all be conjecture since I do not know the context in which your teacher was saying this, but you can have your own personal values and then you can have values that are created by the society you live in, such as ethics, for instance.

But you can't go on living your life by your own personal values all the time because you might end up breaking a law or saying something rude to someone. On the opposite end you might end up being taken advantage of because you are too innocent or naïve.

It's rare that your personal values will totally line up with the norms of society and this is why you have to be taught the proper way to behave by the culture, ethics, etc. of your society. As a baby you come out of the womb screaming and crying but you soon learn that you cannot scream and cry whenever you do not get your own way.

During adolescence you will find that teens are generally extremely egocentric and concerned with their own feelings, but usually as your brain develops and with further grooming from society you learn that such thinking is immature and juvenile and also does very little to help the society you live in (but of course there are tons of people that never seem to grow out of this stage).

Values are always personal. While it is true that collectively, an assessment is made of societal values, each part of that is inextricably linked to each integral piece of that society, and that is the individual.
As for not having a social science background, you have more wisdom and are wiser than 95% of the people. You lived life until now, no? You have seen firsthand what society has to offer so you don't need anybody to foster their opinions on you like they are some life Guru that knows all.
The values that an individual has are infinitely more important than what a group may display. That is because having a majority does not necessarily mean correctness. A wonderful book that goes right to your point that I think you would enjoy is 'TWYSK*- That Which You Should Know' by Tyler Drew. Not only is it entertaining, but it goes directly to your point on how important it is to be the sole arbiter of what you deem is relevant. Always follow your own drummer because most other drummers are either out of tune, or missinga drumskin.

I beg to differ with your analysis of CarlaCalvert's question. In my view, it is best to be Honest and straightforward. I see that you are intelligent, but it seems to me that you did not think through what your reply was, and I know you can be much better than that. For example, How can you have both values of your own, and have values created by society? Your values are yours, and society's are society's. In addition, I can not say that society displays much ethics either.

As for being able to live your life by your own personal values, you most certainly can because to your example, if the law is immoral or unethical, you may decide to break that law. On the other hand, if you find that you can live with that law, that is your own values making that judgment, and not society's.
As for a baby coming out of a womb screaming and crying, It is not because it can't get what it wants, but because it is frightened and uncomfortable with this new environment that they have been thrust in.
In my experience, Most adolescents are level headed, and mainly concerned with having a good time. Yes, it is true that some are not, but if 'further grooming' by society is needed, i think that those people are headed for a major disappointment because society is generally not by any means analytical (going to your assessment that society will teach you that such thinking is immature. Nothing could be further from the truth because it is SOCIETY that is immature.
Before you take offense at my commentary Chickensalad, think about what I had to say and use your intelligence to make a much more respectable answer to the people who are seeking guidance. I know you are better than what you have written, and you know it too. Think your answers through, and I think you can be among the top members that give cohesive, logical council.

Values have to be prosocial.

If not they're antisocial that mimic prosocial values. How good the mimicry is, time will tell!

To give the devil his due, I'd say mimicking friendliness is better than open hostility. It might lead to a change of heart, even if only at the last minute. At least the value of goodness is acknowledged; so what if it's only a sham!

:snicker: I think I'm off-topic!

I beg to differ with your analysis of CarlaCalvert's question. — Tippy Kanue

Lol, okay I mean, there is nothing wrong with disagreement, I am glad that you have your own opinions sir.

In my view, it is best to be Honest and straightforward. — Tippy Kanue

Lol, just so you know the word "honest" is not a proper noun. I suppose most people want to be honest if they can, you're not really saying anything here.

I see that you are intelligent, but it seems to me that you did not think through what your reply was, and I know you can be much better than that. — Tippy Kanue

Don't worry about my intelligence, no offense.

For example, How can you have both values of your own, and have values created by society? — Tippy Kanue

I was saying that both exist. I suppose the phrase, "you can have" tripped you up, hence the words "personal", "own", "your" -such qualify what belongs to you, and the rest of the phrase qualifies what belongs to society. Society is made up of individual people whom have their own personal values. Society also creates values (that means people creating values that apply to the whole of the group). This isn't exactly rocket science.

Let's keep the personal comments out of the picture and focus on where you actually disagree, if you can at first even understand the statements I made.

Your values are yours, and society's are society's. — Tippy Kanue

Yes that is correct. :up:

In addition, I can not say that society displays much ethics either. — Tippy Kanue

Ethics are values that are created by the majority (society) of people, lol. "Ethics" itself does not necessarily convey something being good. For instance, the ethics of Nazis were extremely bad. In other words, what a Nazi would view as "ethical" is the cleansing of the German "race". Let me explain this to you a bit more (btw you can learn all of this in a basic ethics course in college). Society has social norms and traditions; the children are usually taught this at home from their parents, family, etc., and are further groomed at school by their teachers and even their peers. All of this is subsumed in what we may refer to as "culture".

We may even say that culture is subsumed in an overarching "philosophy", though some people only care about following the law (this deals with morality, and gets a bit too deep). Anyways, in general it is understood that first comes the philosophy of a people, then everyone figures out what they agree with each other on as far as their individual philosophies, and then they create ethics from the consensus of their individual philosophies. Therefore, first comes the personal philosophy of individuals and then comes the shared ethics (consensus). Okay, so this is all still basic stuff you learn in school.

To say that society does not display much ethics, you are trying to say that society is not ethical, but such a turn of phrase, in this context is incorrect. Society itself will always have an ethics unless there are not shared values, which would be complete chaos and undermines the very word "society".

When someone says, "I do not think this organization is practicing ethical standards", it is used to convey "good, moral" standards, but again such turn of phrase is inappropriate or at the very least ill-used in this context since we are speaking about the difference between personal values and ethics. Hope that makes sense. In this context, every society has an ethics. The Nazis had an ethics too, it's just that their ethics were deplorable in comparison to a non-primitive society.

Perhaps, you were hoping to convey a greater point that no society thus far is non-primitive, but you'd want to explicate that much more effectively.

As for being able to live your life by your own personal values, you most certainly can because to your example, if the law is immoral or unethical, you may decide to break that law. — Tippy Kanue

This involves morality, which as I alluded to before, some people do not believe in ever breaking the law. That's an entirely different topic which is outside the breadth of this dialogue.

On the other hand, if you find that you can live with that law, that is your own values making that judgment, and not society's. — Tippy Kanue

Lol, usually, yes. Of course you can be influenced by your own society as well. You seem to have an extremely narrow understanding of the nuances of English and social science in general, and I would suggest you do a massive amount of reading, and possibly get an education to try to help with that "a" or "b" thinking that you have.

As for a baby coming out of a womb screaming and crying, It is not because it can't get what it wants, but because it is frightened and uncomfortable with this new environment that they have been thrust in. — Tippy Kanue

Lol, the point is that the the toddler (shortly after birth) will cry and scream whenever they do not get their way. The problem is you are pettifogging, with an extremely narrow, childlike point of view, trying to find tiny little details to disagree with and missing the entire point.

In my experience, Most adolescents are level headed, and mainly concerned with having a good time. — Tippy Kanue

It is well known in academia (by the way, the op is asking a question regarding academia) for instance, in any basic adolescent psychology course, it is taught that they are very egocentric, and a lot of other things are taught in that course too. Maybe one day you can take the course. I'm not sure what makes you want to answer an academic question whilst having like literally no education lol.

Yes, it is true that some are not, but if 'further grooming' by society is needed, i think that those people are headed for a major disappointment because society is generally not by any means analytical (going to your assessment that society will teach you that such thinking is immature. Nothing could be further from the truth because it is SOCIETY that is immature. — Tippy Kanue

You sound emotional. Listen, you can think whatever you want about society not living up to your standards, but again, this has little to do with basic adolescent psychology and that adolescents are shown to be widely egocentric.

Before you take offense at my commentary Chickensalad, think about what I had to say and use your intelligence... — Tippy Kanue

Perhaps you are trying to make yourself believe that you have some sort of profound insight to offer to the discussion, but you did not offer anything other than petty disagreements, a lack of basic understanding of the terms and topics, and most of all a haughty disposition with backhanded compliments. I do not need you to tell me that I am intelligent, just address where you disagree, and let's keep the personal comments to a minimum.

As for not having a social science background, you have more wisdom and are wiser than 95% of the people. — Tippy Kanue

Yes, you are against education and it shows!

'Priorities are always preferences (re: social norms) but preferences are not always priorities (re: personal decisions).' Perhaps your lecturer means something like this.