AN EMPIRICAL STUDY ON HUMAN VALUES – A STUDY WITH REFERENCE TO ADOLESCENTS

Abstract

Human values are the core of human being and acts as guiding principles of life. They are essential for positive human behavior. Human values are usually formed out of one’s own interest, wish, urge and liking. They are often described as universal and are shared by all human beings irrespective of their religion, their nationality, their culture and their personal history. The two main objectives of the present study are, to understand the significance of human values in life and to analyze the human values of adolescents. The study was conducted among fifty adolescents in Erode using random sampling method. Both primary and secondary data was used to meet the need of the study. To frame the questionnaire Schwartz’s Value Survey was also considered and the same was analyzed using simple percentage analysis, two-way table, chi-square test and correlation. Hypothesis framed for the study include, there is no significant relationship between age and initiatives to enhance human values and there is no significant relationship between gender and changes in human values over the years. It was found from the analysis that there is a close significant relationship between age and initiatives to enhance human values and also found that there is no significant relationship between gender and changes in human values over the years. Finally, the study concluded that parents, educational institutions and community should educate human values to the adolescents so as make them lead a wholesome life of human.