Explanation
Values are the abstract principles and standards that guide individual and collective behavior. Unlike norms, which specify specific rules of conduct, values provide general criteria for evaluating actions, goals, and situations as good or bad, right or wrong.
They shape priorities, motivate behavior, and serve as a basis for social consensus and cultural identity. Values are transmitted through socialization, education, and cultural practices. They can vary across cultures, groups, and historical periods. Examples include freedom, equality, justice, loyalty, and respect. Sociologists study values to understand social integration, conflict, and cultural change.