Value, Attitude, Morals and Ethics (VAME)

Values, Attitude, Morals and Ethics (VAME)

"Values are like lighthouses; they are signals giving us directions, meaning and purpose"

 

Table of Content 

• What are Values?
• What are values made up of?
• What is Attitude?
• What is attitude made up of?
• What are Morals?
• What are morals made up of?
• What is Ethics?
• What is ethics made up of?
• Characteristics features of these concepts.
• Static vs Dynamic
• Absolute vs Relative
• Culture Specific vs Universal
• Objective vs Subjective
• Inter-relationship between Value, Attitude, Moral and Ethics.
• How do they develop?
• Role of Socialisation

• What are these concepts (VAME) ?

These concepts are the mental construct which acts as an instrument for behaviour regulation.

They are responsible for -

• influencing our choices
• guiding our decision making
• directing our behaviour

They are mental construct because they are intangible but they lead to something which is measurable which includes behaviour, choices, decisions, etc.

• What are they made up of ? 

They are made up of three things -

1. Belief 
2. Emotions
3. Action tendency

In other words, they are made up of - (CAB Model)

1. Cognition (C)
2. Affection (A)
3. Behaviour (B)

Note - Both are almost same, Belief means Cognition, Emotion means Affection and Action tendency is Behaviour tendency.

Belief - It is an internal feeling that something is true. It can be rational and can be irrational. It can be rooted in something which is verifiable or it can be rooted in something which is totally irrational.

Beliefs are the ideas and viewpoints held by a group or society or an individual.

They can be rooted in tradition, myth, folklore, superstition, verifiable facts, etc.

With respect to the same phenomena, people might have different beliefs.

Belief gives us hope; human beings thrive in what he believes in.

Beliefs can easily be challenged. Peripheral beliefs can also be changed but the core beliefs are the long lasting beliefs.

Values - These long lasting beliefs based on preferences with respect to desirability/undesirability are known as Values.

Beliefs generate emotions.

Emotions - Emotions are feeling. It is a reaction to the events (internal or external).

Emotions are feelings which result into some kind of bodily arouses.

Emotions are often expressed through action and if the emotion are expressed through adequate action, then it gives you a sense of relief.

i.e.

• Emotions are the feelings which are the basic aspect of human functioning and all of us are born with the capacity to experience emotions.
• It is basically a reaction to an event either internal or externa. It is expressed through action and release of emotions by the appropriate action brings relief.

Example - Hate, Anger, Love, Happiness, etc.

Emotion generates Action tendency (emotions does not guarantee action, it generate the tendency of action).

Action Tendency - Action tendency refers to desire for action not necessarily it will result into action. It needs to overcome certain impediments (obstructions).

For Example - 

• The belief of 'Corruption is not good' results into emotion of disgust against corrupt people but it does not necessary that he would take action against corrupt people (impediments - fear of ostracization or fear of getting his family harmed).
• The belief that 'In democracy constructive dissent is required' results into the emotion of anger against the state if the state curtailed this right. But it does not guarantee that he would raise voice or question the authority (impediments - fear of putting behind the bars on the ground of sedition).

Characteristics features of VAME 

★  Static vs Dynamic 

★  Absolute vs Relative

★  Culture specific vs Universal

★  Objective vs Subjective 

Static vs Dynamic 

• Static

Values, Morals, Ethics and Attitude are the source of our identity. These are relatively permanent. 

They are result of massive investment of time, cost and energy. Any departure from the existing VAME creates guilts and tensions.

• Dynamic 

Environment is constantly changing and VAME helps us to establish equilibrium with the environment. This is in conflict with the opinion that the VAME is relatively permanent. 

It is justified on the basis of the argument that number of behaviours are admitted under a single value system (because of different manifestations of a single value). 

For Example - There can be different manifestation of patriotic values. Such as 'Supporting your country all the time and the government is patriotism' and "When you love your country for what it does then it is also patriotism, and when you love your country no matter what it does then it is nationalism'.

Also some of the VAME changes with time (as the society changes).

For example - Patriarchal values in past is some what different from that of in modern time. And also the manner in which patriarchy is practiced changed with time.

Question for practice 

In the context of defence services patriotism demands readiness to lay down one's own life in protecting the nation. According to you what does patriotism imply in every day civil life. Explain with some examples.

• Hints 
• by fulfilling fundamental duties
• by actively participating in social affairs
• by upholding the principles of the constitutions, etc.

Absolute vs Relative 

• Absolute 
• Absolute means Constant, Rigid and independent of situation/context.
• It means a truth is truth even if no one says it; or a lie is lie even if everyone says it.
• Relative 
• It is contextual. 
• It depends on situations.
• It is flexible in nature.

"There can not be a wrong way of doing the right thing"

Mahatma Gandhi

  

Examples of Absolute vs Relative Characteristics of VAME - Once there was a sage who always speaks truth. Once a man came and asked him for help to seek refugee and hid in his hut. The very next moment, 10 dacoits came and asked sage about the man. As the sage never lied, he tells the truth. The man was caught and killed.

        If truth is spoken for upholding the values of truthfulness, then it is welcomed but if you are speaking the truth just because you tell the truth even this truth leads to some disaster, then it is not welcomed.

In movie, Newton; Raj Kumar Rao was a very honest officer. He was in command of a naxal affected area. There was a news of naxal attact. Everyone was telling him to go but he refused as some time were left. This was he risked his own life along with the life of others.

        Once this incident was over, his senior called him and asked "do you know what is the problem?" he replied, "Honesty" but the officials says no Honesty is a basic duty, it is a basic value that we expected from a public servant. Your problem is that you take pride in the fact that your are honest. Being honest is nothing to be great about. 

Therefore, there should be some relativeness, i.e., your value system should be governed by the context/situation which will ensure some flexibility.

In everyday life, humans have operated in more relative manner rather than absolute.

To evaluate righteousness of an action, it is important to understand the intention behind the action.

Relativeness is welcomed with respect to situation, timing and choice of words.

Culture Specific vs Universal 

• Culture Specific

For a society to survive, there should be stability, order and cohesion among its members. One of the prerequisite is VALUE consensus.

Values are adhesive which binds different people of a culture together, hence certain values are Culture Specific.

For Example - Collectivism, Strong religious orientation, familial obedience, etc.

• Universal 

However, some values transcends the boundary (of society). They are universal in nature.

For Example - Compassion, Love, Empathy, Scientific temper, etc.

Subjective or Objective 

• Subjective - Subjective means making assumptions and interpretations based on personal opinion.
• It was put forwarded by 'Protagoras'.
• Objective - Objective means making an unbalanced observations based on facts. It is independent of the individual understanding and perception.
• It was put forwarded by 'Plato'. 

The truth according to Protagoras is relative and differs according to each individual.

Human is the measure of all things, so every value whether it is beauty or truth; it is depending upon the observer.

There are contrasting viewpoints with respect the values being objective or subjective.

According to Plato, values lies outside the individual and are not dependent upon his/her perception/beliefs. 

For example - Beauty.

However on the contrary, there is another philosopher Protagoras who believes in subjectivity of values. According to him all the values depends upon human observer. 

For example - Beauty lies in the eyes of the observer.

Mostly the values are subjective as individual differences occurs with respect to perception, understanding and judgements.

Amidst the subjectivity of the values, there has to be some objective values, since individuals have different preferences. So in order to maintain social order some objective values must be there.

For example - Integrity, Compassion, Empathy, etc.

Inter-Relationship between Value, Attitude, Moral and Ethics 

Morals 

• The source is internal.
• It refers to individual's belief with respect to right or wrong.
• It sets standards which individual has set for himself.
• It helps in guiding with respect to the righteousness of the act.

Ethics 

• Ethics provides framework which helps in interpreting/understanding what is right.

Values 

• It is the general determinant of behaviour.
• It is worth you allocate to something.
• It is the guiding principle which influences behaviour.
• It is the large canvas which subsumes everything.
• It denotes preference with respect to good and bad.
• It is expressed in terms of 'should'.

Attitude 

• It is the specific determinant of behaviour.
• It is the readiness of psyche to act/react in a certain way.
• It refers to positive/negative evaluation of object/people/ideas, etc.
• It is long lasting evaluation.

Difference between Ethics and Morals 

Ethics 

• Meaning
• What should be the right way in which person should act in a situation is guided by ethics.
• Source
• External (imposed on us by others/society)
• Why do we follow it?
• Because society says it is the right thing to do.
• What if we deviate from it?
• We might face social disapproval or ostracization. 
• Flexibility
• Since, it is a collective proposition → It is objective (more objective as compared to subjective)

Morals 

• Meaning
• It is the principles of right behaviour which we use to judge the goodness or badness of a human character 
• It is the values held by individual with respect to right or wrong about the act.
• Source
• Internal
• Why do we follow it?
• Because we believe in something being right or wrong.
• What if we deviate from it?
• It might lead to remorse, guilt, etc.
• Flexibility
• They are highly subjective because they vary from individual to individual.

For Example 

Case: Defence lawyer with is client who committed murder

• Moral - Person has committed a crime and the crime of murder is the most reprehensible crime which needs to be condemned. Person deserved punishment.
• Legal Ethics - You are a defence lawyer and your ethics says, under any given circumstances your task is to defend your client.

This is the situation where ethics is in contravention of morality.

Previous Article - An introduction to Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude

Next Article - Socialisation

Notes on other subjects 

Ancient History

Medieval History

Modern History

Art & Culture

Polity

Geography

Economy

International Relations

Society

Ethics

Optional Subject 

Public Administration

Note - This is my Vision IAS Notes (Vision IAS Class Notes) and Ashutosh Pandey Sir's Public Administration Class notes. I've also added some of the information on my own. 

Hope! It will help you to achieve your dream of getting selected in Civil Services Examination 👍