Human Values: Definition, Types, and Examples

• 10 Feb 2026

Human Values define our character and guide ethical decision-making. This article explains their meaning, types, and universal examples, and clarifies how they differ from morals and ethics. 

What are Human Values?  

Values are the "principles or standards of behavior" that help an individual discern what is important in life. They are the "ends" toward which we move and the "means" by which we get there. 

• Intrinsic Values: Values that are good in themselves (e.g., happiness, truth, love). 
• Extrinsic (Instrumental) Values: Values that serve as a means to an end (e.g., money is an extrinsic value used to achieve security). 

In order to lead a meaningful life, you need to cherish others, pay attention to human values and try to cultivate inner peace -  Dalai Lama

What are the Core Universal Human Values?  

While cultures differ, there is a set of "Universal Values" that transcend borders and time.

Core Value	Definition & Focus	Key Attributes & Components
Truth  (Satya)	The pursuit of objective reality and alignment with one's conscience. It is strictly unchanging and transcends time and place.	Honesty  Integrity  Fidelity to facts  Fairness
Right Conduct  (Dharma)	Acting in an ethically correct manner and fulfilling one's duties. It is "Truth in action."	Duty & Responsibility  Hygiene & Self-care  Self-reliance  Social obligations
Peace  (Shanti)	A state of inner calm and emotional equilibrium, rather than just the absence of external conflict.	Patience  Concentration  Self-discipline  Emotional control
Love  (Prema)	The binding force of the universe; a selfless emotion that expects nothing in return.	Kindness  Empathy & Compassion  Forgiveness  Friendship
Non-violence  (Ahimsa)	The culmination of the other four values. It implies causing no harm to any being in thought, word, or deed.	Universal Brotherhood  Respect for all life  Tolerance  Harmlessness

What are the Key Types of Human Values?  

Personal Values 

These are the internal principles that govern how you treat yourself and how you behave when no one is watching. They are the foundation of individual character. 

• Self-Respect: Valuing your own dignity and worth. 
• Honesty: Being truthful to oneself and others. 
• Discipline: The ability to control impulses to achieve long-term goals. 
• Courage: The willingness to face fear or uncertainty for a righteous cause. 

Social Values 

Social values dictate how we interact with others and function within a community. They prioritize the "collective good" over individual desire. 

• Empathy: Understanding and sharing the feelings of another. 
• Tolerance: Accepting views or behaviors that differ from your own. 
• Cooperation: Working together toward a common goal. 
• Justice: Ensuring fairness and equity in social dealings. 

Moral & Ethical Values 

These values help us distinguish between right and wrong. They are often rooted in philosophical or religious traditions. 

• Integrity: Consistency between your words, thoughts, and actions. 
• Gratitude: Acknowledging the goodness in life and the help received from others. 
• Non-Violence: Avoiding harm to any living being (physical, mental, or emotional). 
• Righteousness: Acting in accordance with moral law. 

Spiritual Values 

These values relate to the inner self and one's connection to the universe or a higher power. They focus on finding meaning beyond material existence. 

• Compassion: A deep sympathy for the suffering of others coupled with a desire to alleviate it. 
• Purity: Cleanliness of mind and intention. 
• Detachment: The ability to remain unaffected by worldly success or failure. 
• Peace: Maintaining internal tranquility regardless of external chaos. 

Terminal vs. Instrumental Values 

In ethics, it is also helpful to distinguish values by their "purpose": 

Type	Definition	Examples
Terminal Values	The ultimate goals we want to achieve in a lifetime.	Happiness, Wisdom, World Peace, Security.
Instrumental Values	The "tools" or behaviors we use to reach those goals.	Ambition, Self-control, Politeness, Logic.

Values vs. Morals vs. Ethics 

Feature	Values	Morals	Ethics
What is it?	Internal beliefs or "preferences."	Socially accepted norms/principles.	Systematic study or professional codes.
Source	Individual, Family, Culture.	Society, Religion, Tradition.	Philosophy, Law, Professional Bodies.
Nature	Subjective and personal.	Generally objective within a group.	Universal and rational.
Flexibility	Highly personal; varies by person.	Can change over time (e.g., views on sati).	Constant and based on logic/reason.

How do Values Influence Decision-making in Public Administration? 

• Values as a Filter for Discretionary Power 
  • Laws cannot cover every possible scenario. Administrators often have "Discretionary Power", the freedom to choose between different courses of action. 
  • Influence: Values like Objectivity and Justice ensure that this power is not used for personal gain or favoritism. 
    • For instance, when selecting a location for a new hospital, an officer guided by Equity will choose a remote area with no healthcare access over a developed urban center, even if the urban center has more political influence. 
• Resolving Ethical Dilemmas 
  • Administrators frequently face "right vs. right" conflicts where two positive values clash. 
  • Influence: A hierarchy of values helps prioritize. If there is a conflict between Efficiency (speed) and Accountability (following every rule), a value-driven leader uses Transparency to justify why speed was prioritized during an emergency (like a flood). 
• Shaping Organizational Culture 
  • The values of the leadership trickle down to the lowest level of the hierarchy. 
  • Influence: If a District Magistrate values Accessibility and Humility, the clerks and staff at the office are more likely to treat citizens with respect rather than indifference. 
  • Result: This creates a "Value-Based" culture instead of a "Rule-Based" culture where people only do the bare minimum to avoid punishment. 
• Prioritizing the "Antyodaya"  
  • Values like Compassion and Empathy influence how resources are allocated. 
  • Influence: Without these values, decision-making becomes purely mathematical. With them, it becomes human-centric. 
  • Example: A purely "efficient" decision might be to cut subsidies to save the budget. However, a “compassionate" administrator will argue for maintaining them to protect the food security of the poorest citizens. 

Modern Challenges to Values 

• Materialism vs. Spiritualism: The shift from "character-building" to "wealth-building." 
• Technological Ethics: Values like Privacy and Digital Justice in the age of AI and Big Data. 
  • AI Ethics: The crisis of "Moral Agency" vs. "Algorithmic Determinism." The delegation of critical decisions (hiring, policing, warfare) to autonomous systems threatens to replace "human accountability" with "black-box optimization," eroding the value of fairness and truth (via Deepfakes) while entrenching historical biases under the guise of neutral efficiency 
• Environmental Ethics: Shifting from "Human-centric" values to "Planet-centric" values (Sustainable Development). 

Process of Value Internalization 

How do values move from "outside" to "inside"? 

• Value Awareness: Learning about a value (e.g., Reading about Honesty). 
• Value Acceptance: Recognizing its importance in society. 
• Value Internalization: When the value becomes a part of your character. You act honestly even when there is zero chance of getting caught. 

What are the Key Indian Mythological Lessons for Modern-Day Value Crises?  

Mythological Value	Contemporary Value Crisis	Core Ethical Lesson
Nishkama Karma (Selfless Action)	Hustle culture, burnout, outcome-obsession	Focus on excellence in action without attachment to results, fostering mental resilience and ethical consistency
Rajdharma (Duty of the Ruler)	Corruption, conflict of interest, nepotism	Public welfare (Lokasangraha) must override personal and familial interests
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (World as One Family)	Hyper-nationalism, xenophobia, vaccine hoarding	Promote global solidarity and cooperative solutions to transnational crises.
Nari Shakti Vandanam	Gender injustice, leadership exclusion	Women’s power (Shakti) is a source of strategic strength and crisis leadership, not passive vulnerability
Prakriti Vandan (Reverence for Nature)	Climate change, ecological degradation	Nature is sacred, environmental harm is a moral and karmic violation

What Lessons on Human Values can be Drawn from the Lives of Great Personalities? 

Great leaders are remembered not only for their achievements but also for the values they embodied while shaping societies. Their lives offer practical lessons in human values that remain relevant across time and context. Below are some examples of human values demonstrated by great leaders. 

Mahatma Gandhi  

• Mahatma Gandhi's life exemplifies the strength of non-violence and the quest for truth.  
• His principle of 'Ahimsa' (non-violence) was more than just a political strategy; it was a universal value for human behavior.  
• Gandhi's dedication to a life of simplicity and integrity highlights the significance of personal values in the pursuit of social and political transformation.  
• His well-known saying, "Be the change you wish to see in the world," encourages us to embody the values we promote, stressing that genuine change starts with oneself.

Mother Teresa

• Mother Teresa's life was a true reflection of compassion and selfless service.  
• She devoted her life to aiding the poorest of the poor, recognizing the face of God in everyone she served.  
• Her work with the sick, dying, and destitute in the slums of Kolkata (Calcutta) was fueled by deep love and empathy.  
• Mother Teresa believed that small acts of love and kindness could spark change, demonstrating that compassion involves not just feelings but also actions.  

Albert Einstein

• Albert Einstein, one of the most renowned physicists in history, embodied the values of curiosity and the relentless pursuit of knowledge.  
• Einstein's contributions to science, such as the theory of relativity, have significantly enhanced our understanding of the universe and underscored the importance of questioning and exploring the world's mysteries.  
• His life serves as a reminder that intellectual curiosity and the quest for understanding are essential to human progress.  

Nelson Mandela

• Nelson Mandela’s extraordinary journey from spending 27 years in prison to becoming the President of South Africa and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate illustrates resilience and the power of forgiveness.  
• Mandela demonstrated that clinging to bitterness and resentment hinders progress, while forgiving even one's oppressors can free a nation.  
• His leadership underscores the importance of reconciliation over revenge, emphasizing the strength needed to forgive and the profound impact it can have on healing divided societies.  

Abraham Lincoln

• Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States guided the nation through the Civil War, its bloodiest conflict and most significant moral, constitutional, and political crisis.  
• Through his leadership, he preserved the Union, abolished slavery, strengthened the federal government, and modernized the U.S. economy.  
• Lincoln's leadership during one of the most turbulent times in American history exemplifies resilience, justice, and a steadfast commitment to the principles of democracy and freedom. 

Rosa Parks  

• Rosa Parks is renowned for her crucial role in the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a landmark event in the civil rights movement.  
• By refusing to surrender her seat to a white passenger on a segregated bus, Parks exemplified the power of quiet determination and peaceful protest.  
• Her actions demonstrated that standing up for one’s rights and dignity often demands courage in the face of injustice, and that individual acts of defiance can ignite substantial social change. 

Martin Luther King Jr.  

• Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a central figure in the American civil rights movement, advocated for equality, justice, and the dignity of all people.  
• His powerful speeches and non-violent protests against racial discrimination and segregation were key milestones in the struggle for civil rights in the United States.  
• King's vision of a society where individuals are judged by their character rather than their skin color continues to be a compelling call for fairness and unity in diversity.  

Malala Yousafzai  

• Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest Nobel Prize laureate, represents courage and the relentless pursuit of education for everyone.  
• After surviving an assassination attempt by the Taliban, Malala continued her advocacy undeterred by fear.  
• Her unwavering dedication to education rights, particularly for girls in areas with limited access to education, highlights the power of voice and bravery against oppression.  
• Malala’s story emphasizes the importance of resilience and the right to education.  

Conclusion  

Human values are the cornerstone of a just, compassionate, and sustainable society. They shape our interactions, influence our decisions, and define our collective identity. In a rapidly changing world, upholding these values requires continuous reflection, education, and commitment to ethical principles. As we navigate complex global challenges, a steadfast adherence to human values will be essential for fostering a world that is equitable, inclusive, and harmonious. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

1. What is the definition of Human Values?
Human values are the guiding principles or standards of behavior that help individuals discern what is important in life. They act as both the "ends" (goals like happiness) we strive for and the "means" (behaviors like honesty) by which we achieve them. 

2. What are the 5 Core Universal Human Values?
While cultures vary, there are five universal values accepted across borders: 

1. Truth (Satya): Honesty and the pursuit of knowledge. 
2. Right Conduct (Dharma): Living according to duty and ethical standards. 
3. Peace (Shanti): Mental equanimity and avoiding conflict. 
4. Love (Prema): Compassion, empathy, and selfless service. 
5. Non-Violence (Ahimsa): Refraining from causing harm in thought, word, or deed. 

3. What is the difference between Intrinsic and Extrinsic values?

• Intrinsic Values are good in themselves and are pursued for their own sake (e.g., happiness, truth, love). 
• Extrinsic (Instrumental) Values serve as a means to achieve an end (e.g., money is an extrinsic value used to obtain security or comfort). 

4. How do Values differ from Morals and Ethics?

• Values are personal beliefs about what is important (e.g., "I value punctuality"). 
• Morals are societal or cultural standards of right and wrong (e.g., "Society says stealing is wrong"). 
• Ethics are formal rules of conduct in a specific context or profession (e.g., "Medical ethics require patient confidentiality"). 

5. What are Terminal vs. Instrumental values?

• Terminal Values are the ultimate goals a person wants to achieve in their lifetime (e.g., freedom, family security, inner harmony). 
• Instrumental Values are the preferred modes of behavior used to achieve those terminal values (e.g., being ambitious, honest, or helpful). 

6. Why are human values critical in Public Administration?

In public service, officials often hold "discretionary power." Human values ensure this power is used to help the most marginalized (the concept of Antyodaya) rather than for personal gain. They act as a moral compass to prevent corruption and ensure decisions are made with empathy and justice. 

7. What lessons can we learn from great leaders about human values?

• Mahatma Gandhi: Taught the value of Ahimsa (non-violence) and being the change you wish to see. 
• Nelson Mandela: Demonstrated the power of forgiveness and reconciliation over revenge. 
• Martin Luther King Jr.: Advocated for equality and judging people by the "content of their character." 
• Malala Yousafzai: Represents resilience and the universal right to education. 

8. What are the modern challenges to maintaining human values?

Modern society faces several challenges to values, including the rise of materialism, the erosion of traditional community bonds, digital disconnection, and the conflict between personal ambition and collective well-being.