Values:

Basic Belief Systems

These twelve belief systems are not the only ones that could be considered in such a classification of values, but in the ongoing study of society these appear to be the most significant belief systems for comparing cultural beliefs. If he grasps these, the missionary can then derive the primary motivational belief systems of a society. Possibly eighty to ninety percent of behavior within a given society opens to understanding once the relationship of these belief systems to the society is discovered.

The twelve belief systems are arranged below in pairs emphasizing that they represent the end points of a continuum, i.e., a completely time-oriented individual would not have any event orientation and vice versa. In reality none of us would be completely one or the other. Use the statements under each belief to help gage your tendencies. The goal would be for you to be able to say about yourself, "I'm fairly time- (or event) oriented." or, "I tend to be about even, time-oriented in some situations, but event-oriented in others.

Determine some of your values by answering the statements below (compare the left column with right column .  i.e.; are you "time oriented" or "event oriented"?  et cetera. 

TIME-ORIENTED
  • I tend to be concerned with the element of time in relationship to what I am doing.
  • I tend to be concerned with the punctuality of an event. I believe that there should be a definite starting and stopping point for every activity.
  • In dealing with the future, be it the next day or the next year, I set short, middle, and/or long-range goals. Setting goals makes me feel comfortable.
  • I tend to feel stressed or upset when my schedule is disturbed.

EVENT-ORIENTED

  • I tend to downplay the element of time in relationship to what I am doing.
  • I tend to be more concerned with an event itself than with any time considerations attached to it. I will stay with something until it is done.
  • I do not concern myself much with the future, but rather live in the here and now. I tend to let things happen rather than plan out a schedule.
  • I find it easy to adjust my schedule to allow for unforeseen delays or opportunities.

GOAL-CONSCIOUS
  • I place a high priority on attaining definite goals.
  • I tend to sacrifice or cut short time spent with people in order to reach a goal.
  • I tend to choose as friends people whose goals are similar to mine. I will not let friendship stand in the way of reaching my goals.

INTERACTION-CONSCIOUS

  • I place a high priority on spending time with people.
  • I tend to sacrifice a goal for the sake of spending time with people.
  • I would not use the similarity of our goals be the basis of choosing friends. I derive strong satisfaction from getting to know people and being involved with them.

DICHOTOMIZING

  • I tend to polarize life in terms of black or white, here or there, myself or the other, right or wrong.
  • It is relatively easy for me to evaluate a person, program or idea on the basis of dichotomies.
  •  I need to feel that I am right, that I am doing the right thing, and thinking the right thoughts, in order to feel satisfied with myself.
  • I gain a sense of security when I understand where I "fit" in and where others "fit" in.

HOLISTIC

  • I tend to see life as a whole, with all the parts functioning inter-relatedly within that whole.
  • It is frustrating for me to evaluate anything apart from the context in which it occurs. To me, a part does not have meaning outside of the whole.
  • I tend to derive personal satisfaction through being able to integrate my thoughts and life, whether I do it naturally or through planning.
  • I tend to feel insecure whenever I am placed in a category.

DECLARATIVE

  • I tend to seek the advice of an expert (some one with extensive knowledge of a particular area) when need to make a decision.
  • I tend to find security in having an authority to which I can refer again and again.
  • I tend to try to put my problems in a historical perspective. Other people have faced similar problems and their insights and solutions can guide me in solving mine.
  • I place a lot of emphasis on comprehending my teachers and on being able to reverbalize what I have been taught. I feel comfortable with the lecture method of teaching.

INTERROGATIVE

  • When I am faced with making a decision, I prefer to be able to choose an answer from among various alternatives.
  • I tend to find security in having a variety of alternatives from which I may choose an answer. I want to make my own decisions.
  • I tend to approach a problem as though it were unique and therefore deserving of a fresh solution.
  • I tend to be frustrated in a situation where an "expert" lectures on a subject. I prefer learning environments where I can voice my opinions and insights.

PRESTIGE ACHIEVED

  • I believe that prestige is earned and is a result of one's effort and skill rather than one's place in society.
  • I tend to ignore a person's formal credentials in favor of what they have actually done when it comes to respecting them.
  • I pay more attention to what a person means to me than to that person's formal rank.
  • I will work hard to achieve prestige in my own eyes rather than to gain a status role in society.

PRESTIGE ASCRIBED

  • For me, a person gains prestige as the result of their social class and/or rank or position within society.
  • I respect the formal credentials of others and view them as important.
  • I tend to associate most with those of my own prestige, rank or social class.
  • I have worked hard to achieve the rank and prestige in society that I desire.

VULNERABILITY AS A WEAKNESS

  • I hate admitting I've made mistakes.
  • I take every necessary step to avoid making an error:
  • Double-checking everything I do.
  • Being methodical and organized.
  • I find it difficult to expose my weaknesses or tell stories about my mistakes.
  • I tend to avoid being involved in things which are new and experimental.

 

VULNERABILITY AS A STRENGTH

  • I do not find it very difficult to admit mistakes.
  • I am not too concerned about making errors.
  •  I find it easy to tell stories about myself which expose my weaknesses.
  • I am normally willing to be involved in new experiments.

Adapted from Chap. 11, Christianity Confronts Culture
by Marvin K. Meyers, Zondervan, 1974

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