Abstract

SILVA, Nelson Pedro da. Values prioritized by psychology undergraduates of a public university. Educ. Pesqui. [online]. 2015, vol.41, n.2, pp.391-407. ISSN 1678-4634.  https://doi.org/10.1590/S1517-97022015041615.

Most research on the psychology of morality defines moral as the rules and values whose purpose is to regulate interpersonal relations. In this study, although I have considered such premise valid, I have also taken into account aspects related to the self. Thus, aiming at verifying whether university students are guided by values which are public, private and/or linked to glory, I have analyzed the values prioritized by them. Informants were 170 first-year psychology undergraduates in a public university located in western São Paulo state, male and female, with an average age of 20 years. To collect the data, I applied a questionnaire concerning factual factors (age, sex and religion) and the values cherished by the undergraduates. The results – analyzed according to the psychology of virtues – have shown that approximately 70% of the valid answers given by students pointed friendship (32%) and intelligence (35%) as the most prioritized values. Public values were hardly mentioned. Concerning the forms of glory, although the percentage for money and fame was not significant, when the informants justified the choice of friendship and intelligence, they conceived such values as a means to obtain money and fame. I have concluded that these individuals give little importance to the values related to duties (which are public) and to some form of individual harmony.

Keywords : Psychology of morality; Values; University students; Ethics; Virtues.

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