Beliefs and Values
The unseen core of every human group
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Learning Outcome
Identify and explain the difference between
values and beliefs
 students are able to identify their own
values and beliefs
 Students will be able to identify values and
beliefs of another country or culture
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Introduction
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Beliefs, values and norms within an group are a part of
what is commonly referred to as “culture.”
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Norms and beliefs are expressions of values.
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Every group develops distinct beliefs and patterns over
time. Many of these are subconscious or taken for
granted.
They are demonstrated in the rituals, stories, ceremonies
and other symbolic forms.
List examples of ceremonies that show Kazakh culture
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Sorting Activity
Think about and sort these beliefs and
values into the order that is most important
to you! Choose ten.
God, family, religion, sport, music, dance,
food, studies, film, books, friends, computer
games, health, money, travelling, love, work,
career, self esteem, cell phones, internet, tv
Are there any others you could add?
Beliefs
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A belief system embodies the myths, values, and
ideologies of the group.
beliefs are often invisible to those who hold them
they shape practices, guide how people do things, and,
in turn, determine what skills and capabilities people
develop
Why would you stand up for an old person on
a bus?
Negative Impact
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Culture is often so strong and so powerful that when there is a
conflict between the current culture and goals of change, the
culture will win.
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Significant changes in the environment are often ignored when
the group continues with its beliefs and is inflexible.
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Culture informs people of exactly what is expected of them. In
a strong culture, people waste little time deciding how to act in
a given situation.
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A groups strong culture is directly related to it’s effectiveness
and has everything to do with its success or failure.
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Identify one negative thing in Kazakh culture – alcohol?
Beliefs What to look for…
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What do buildings look like?
How are people dressed?
How much interaction is there?
Who is talking to whom?
How does the place “feel”?
Read news and other documents.
What values are emphasized?
Who is held up for praise?
Are parties, celebrations, or other ceremonies
mentioned?
• What sorts of things are discussed?
• What “face” is being presented to the world?
Comparison with another
country or culture
Choose a country and compare their culture,
beliefs and values with Kazakh culture,
beliefs and values
Values
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Values are the social principals, goals, and standards
that cultural members believe have worth.
They define what the members care about most and are
revealed by their priorities.
Values are what is a desirable or “good”
Values can be good or bad. They are concerned with
what it is good to desire.
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Values influence every aspect of our lives:
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our moral judgments, our responses to others, our commitments
to personal and goals.
Values set the parameters for the hundreds of decisions we
make every day
Values guide our behavior, help our decision making,
motivate us and keep us focused.
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Think about some of your values and
beliefs. Write them down.
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How do you think they would be different if
you lived in another place or were of a
different gender or race?
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What aspects of your life affected the
values and beliefs you have today?
Dominant Culture
The dominant culture is the most powerful
group in society.
 It receives the most support from major
institutions and constitutes the major belief
system.
 Social institutions in the society perpetuate
the dominant culture and give it a degree
of legitimacy that is not shared by other
cultures.
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Subcultures
The cultures of groups whose values and
norms of behavior differ from the dominant
culture.
 Members of subcultures interact frequently
and share a common world view.
 Subcultures share some elements of the
dominant culture and coexist within it.
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Countercultures
Subcultures created as a reaction against
the values of the dominant culture.
 Members of the counterculture reject the
dominant cultural values and develop
cultural practices that defy the norms and
values of the dominant group.
 Nonconformity to the dominant culture is
often the mark of a counterculture.
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Popular Culture
The beliefs, practices, and objects that are
part of everyday traditions.
 It is mass-produced and mass-consumed.
 Has enormous significance in the
formation of public attitudes and values,
and plays a significant role in shaping the
patterns of consumption in contemporary
society.
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Formative Assessment 3
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Student do formative assessment 3