Values as a Systematic Structure: A Socio-Cultural Perspective

Islom U. Minnikulov

, Feruzjon I. Sharipov

and Muslimbek D. Isroilov

Uzbekistan State World Languages University, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Kangwon National University, Gangwon-do, South Korea

Keywords: English Language, Uzbek Language, Terminological System, Speech, Terms, Value, System, Structure,

Hierarchy, Interaction, Element, Cultural Value.

Abstract: In this article, the concept of value as a socio-cultural system is studied. The article studies the value as a

systematic structure consisting of elements (components) entering mutual hierarchical relations. The elements

that make up the structure differ between fields and directions and are, in their turn, socio-culturally specific.

Within the system, values can be mutually compatible and vice versa. They acquire a dynamic character and

can change under the influence of external factors. The system of values guides our actions, regulates them,

and directs them to our goals. Values form a certain (for example: moral, social, etc.) system, in turn, this

(moral, social, etc.) system becomes important in the formation of national culture. The value system consists

of lower and upper-layer sub-systems. In this case, the lower system consists of basic values and serves as the

basis for the formation of the surface system. From the point of view of the subject of value, the value system

can belong to an individual or a group. And, in its turn, it takes on an individual and social character.

1 INTRODUCTION

Although the concept of value has been widely

researched within the framework of social and

humanitarian sciences, it still causes various debates

among researchers regarding its content structure,

essence, structural components, and characteristics as

a sociocultural system. As the main reason for this,

the following factor can be noted: since this concept

or category is the object of various sciences, and

therefore, its content, structural features, and formal

components are characterized based on the goals and

tasks of certain sciences. This article analyses the

characterization of this concept as a system and

highlights its structural components considering a

socio-cultural perspective.

2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This study is theoretical. The problem under question

is studied from a theoretical-methodological

perspective. In this research the following methods of

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investigation are used: linguistic description, socio-

cultural analysis, generalization, synthesis,

deduction, induction, and reviewing. The aim and

objectives of the research are carried out with the help

of those linguistic methods.

3 LITERATURE REVIEW

According to Iosif Dzialoshinsky, and Maria Pilgun,

values can create principles that form their own

structure in a certain field - Iosif Dzialoshinsky, et al.,

[2015]. They describe this phenomenon in the field of

business as follows: (e.g., the scope of authority that

a business has must correspond to the scope of social

responsibility, etc.). Value has its structure, and this

structure can consist of certain principles that interact

with each other.

According to the research results of Iosif

Dzialoshinsky, and Maria Pilgun, one of the

characteristics of value as a system is that the values

of representatives of the business sector are not just a

collection of important things, but a set of life

Minnikulov, I., Sharipov, F. and Isroilov, M.

Values as a Systematic Structure: A Socio-Cultural Perspective.

DOI: 10.5220/0012842600003882

Paper published under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

In Proceedings of the 2nd Pamir Transboundary Conference for Sustainable Societies (PAMIR-2 2023), pages 327-331

ISBN: 978-989-758-723-8

327

strategies with a certain structure [Iosif

Dzialoshinsky, et al., [2015]. These strategies are

mutually hierarchical. It seems that values, as a

system consist of a structure consisting of certain

components (strategies here), and the elements of the

structure, have a hierarchical relationship in their own

turn.

Professor Brian Moeran, reflecting on the

evaluative nature of value, notes that the process of

evaluation depends on who evaluates what for whom,

when, where, how, why, and under what conditions.

That is to note, value "is not an immutable attribute,

inherent quality or objective property of a thing, but

the effect of many, constantly changing and

constantly interacting variables, or the product of a

certain system - Brian Moeran [2009]. It is apparent

from this statement that values and their evaluative

nature are oriented and characterized according to a

certain socio-cultural setting.

Values form a circular motivational continuum.

Values determine the expression of congruent and

conflicting motivations, self-preservation and

growth, and personal and social concern. Each value

interacts with external variables – Schwartz, et al.,

[2012]. So, these external variables have an impact on

the social characterization of values.

Schwartz, et al. admit that, according to their

research results, values can be universal because they

are based on one or more of the three universal

demands of human existence: the needs of individuals

as biological organisms, the needs of coordinated

social interaction requisites and survival and welfare

needs of groups. The fact that each value is based on

one or more of these three universal requirements of

human existence determines the mutual relations of

values, their principles of dependence, and their

characteristics as a system - Schwartz, et al., [2012].

Universal features of values can define a value as a

part of human existence which is a social

phenomenon.

According to Iosif Dzialoshinsky, and Maria

Pilgun, any ethical system is a dynamic structure

based on basic values recognized by society as the

main direction of personal and professional behavior.

Human culture is an objective, hierarchically

organized world, which is mutually contradictory at

each level of the hierarchy - Iosif Dzialoshinsky, et

al., [2015]. It turns out that values form a certain

moral system, and in turn, the moral system becomes

important in the formation of national culture. This

culture is a certain hierarchical structure reflecting

national identity.

Furthermore, according to them, the value structure

of a person can be divided into three groups of

elements:

a) values of events and objects within a specific socio-

cultural context;

b) standards that are material or spiritual structures

and collect a huge amount of socio-cultural content

(standard events, model works of art, etc.); ideals that

express the essence of a person and his ideas about

what is right - Iosif Dzialoshinsky, et al., [2015]. So,

the structure of personal value consists of three socio-

culturally specific elements: values, standards, and

ideals.

The structure of values can be based on different

principles: a) the subject or content (social-political,

economic, moral) of the objects to which the values

belong, and b) the subject of relations (society, class,

social group, community, individual) - Iosif

Dzialoshinsky, et al., [2015]. It seems that the subject

of valued object (content) and the subject of relations

determine the structure of value. In this case, values

have a socio-political, economic, and moral structure

according to the content of the object to which they

belong, and according to the content of relations, they

have a structure such as society, class, social group,

community, and individual.

The main feature of the world of human values is

its unique harmony, regulation, and observance of

laws. Usually, two levels of the value system are

distinguished: universal and local - Iosif

Dzialoshinsky, et al., [2015]. Therefore, the human

value system is hierarchical in nature. They will have

a harmonious, orderly, and legal structure. Also, this

system is usually divided into universal and local

types.

According to their recognition, the hierarchy of

the value system can be presented as a "tree-like"

system with a root system at the bottom, and a whole

with constantly updated, constantly changing system

elements at the top - Iosif Dzialoshinsky, et al.,

[2015]. So, the value system can be embodied as a

tree-like system. In this case, the root system of the

tree consists of basic values, which are invisible to the

human eye, while at the top of the tree, there is a

system consisting of changing and renewing values.

According to Iosif Dzialoshinsky and Maria

Pilgun, the hierarchy of value systems can be based

on core values. After all, the core values determine a

person's worldview and through it their activities and

behavior - Iosif Dzialoshinsky, et al., [2015]. The

core values are the basis for determining the hierarchy

of the value system. A person's worldview and

behavior are determined by his system of basic

values.

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The central place in the hierarchy of the value

system is occupied by the value determined by the

concept of "personal meaning" or "meaning of life" -

Iosif Dzialoshinsky, et al., [2015]. It should be noted

that the value system is built on the basis of "meaning

of life" or "personal meaning".

Commenting on the value system, Reinhard Pauls

says: the set of values held by a person or group,

including the relationships between these values,

constitutes a value system - Reinhard Pauls [1990].

So, the value system consists of a set of values and

relationships between them. Also, the author notes

that the values in the value system may conflict with

each other. The author reflects the definitions given

to the value system by well-known experts as follows:

a) Williams’s (1979) definition: "the value system is

used in the selection of objects and actions, in the

resolution of conflicts, in the application of social

sanctions, and in the social and psychological

protection of the proposed choice and it is a set of

approved standards used to decide demands or claims

for".

b) Rokeach's (1973) definition: "a value system is a

set of preferred behaviours along a continuum of

relative importance, is a set of persistent beliefs about

modes or end states of existence" - Reinhard Pauls

[1990]. According to these definitions, a value system

is a set of standards used in the selection of a certain

disorder, conflict, demand, claim, application of

social sanction, object and behaviour, and preferred

behaviour of a relative nature and is a set of beliefs.

Mariusz Wojewoda, studying values as a system,

recognizes the following: values are independent of

the subject, they form a network of interrelationships,

they are significantly related to culture. Studying

these connections:

 the world of people,

 the world of things,

 the internal relations that occur between

values, makes it possible to get acquainted

with the complex structure of the world of

values - Mariusz Wojewoda [2018].

As Mariusz Wojewoda admits, values form a certain

system as they form a certain relationship, and this

system is implemented primarily based on the cultural

arrangement of values. Also, the value system can be

formed through other methods: historical, cultural,

religious, and institutional - Mariusz Wojewoda

[2018]. Values are included in a certain system with

the help of various factors. Mainly, cultural factors

are important in this.

The structure of values is the basis of the

communication code that we use in the exchange of

information, communication between interlocutors,

in the representation and organization models of

reality. When we want to achieve agreement and

cooperation in the process of communication, we do

it by referring to similarly understood values -

Mariusz Wojewoda [2018]. It turns out that the value

system guides our behaviour, regulates it, and directs

it to our goals.

Tatyana V. Evsyukova, thinking about the value

system, says: the value system must be organized

according to the principle of priority. It is important

from an individual and social point of view - Tatyana

V. Evsyukova [2017]. While studying the value

system in blog communication, she notes that the

subjective axiological picture of the world of blog

communication is represented by a set of values that

fulfils the basic needs of self-presentation, as well as

the formation and compensatory performance of the

virtual self-concept. These are determined by the

following values: supremacy, hedonism, security,

freedom of speech, special knowledge, material

benefit, freedom of self-realization, formation of the

desired personality - Tatyana V. Evsyukova [2017].

Organization of the value system based on a certain

principle is important from the point of view of

individual and social significance.

Natalya Zerkina, recognizing the nature of values,

the relevance of the connection between national,

class and human, temporal and eternal, natural

(original) and universal things, and the primacy of

universal values, emphasizes consistent, systematic

communication - Natalia Zerkina [2015]. It seems

that values are related to the realities of the objective

world and form a certain structure.

4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Thus, because of our analysis, the structure of the

concept of values as a system can be described in the

following diagrams:

Values as a Systematic Structure: A Socio-Cultural Perspective

329

Figure 1: Value structure

It is obvious from this figure that the concept of value

has its structure and forms a system consisting of

certain components. The elements that make up the

system can be interpreted as beliefs, principles,

strategies, standards, and ideals. These components

(elements of the system) have a mutual relationship,

and this relationship can be mutually compatible and

contradictory. This system can be dynamically

characterized. Also, the system will be harmonious,

orderly, and legal. According to the subject of value,

the system can be composed of individual and group

value systems. According to the levels of the system,

it can be universal and local. The system mainly

includes moral values and becomes important in the

formation of the national culture.

Figure 2: Layers of the value system

It is evident from this diagram that the value

system consists of core and periphery layers. The

values from the core layer are the basic values and in

their own turn are the basis for the values in the

peripheral layer. Basic values are constant, and

unchanging and represent the meaning of life. Values

in the peripheral layer are changing and updated.

5 CONCLUSION

Values are related to the realities of the objective

world and form a certain structure. This structure

consists of beliefs, principles, standards, ideals,

strategies that make up the socio-cultural structure.

Also, these elements that make up the system are in a

hierarchical relationship with each other, and these

relationships can be mutually proportional or

contradictory. This system is important in the

formation of the people's culture by forming the

moral system, and this system is also dynamic in

nature.

value system has its levels: universal and local.

The value system consists of two layers: lower (core)

and superficial (periphery). If the basic (main,

unchanging) values are in the lower layer, the

changing, updating values are located in the surface

layer. Basic values define a person's outlook, activity,

and behaviour. These values show the "meaning of

life". Values belong to a person and a group and can

be individual and social.

The value structure of a person consists of three

elements: values, standards, and ideals. The human

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value system is formed based on the principles of

harmony, order, and legality.

the system of values guides, regulates, and directs

our actions to our goals.

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Economics and Financial Issues, 5 (Special Issue), P.

263-273.

Mariusz Wojewoda. (2018). Axiology and the Mortality of

the Human Being// Ethics & Bioethics (in Central

Europe), 8 (3–4), P. 219-226.

Natalia Zerkinaa, Yekaterina Lomakinab, Natalia Kostina.

(2015). Axiological linguistics and foreign language

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Schwartz, Shalom H. and et al. (2012). Refining the Theory

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Volume XX, Issue 3B, P. 342-354.

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