Human values in students from a Higher Education Institution

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify the preference level of the human values that students from a higher education institution endorse during August 2016-June 2017 school year, based on the Portrait Value Questionnaire. For this purpose, the basic values of Benevolence, Universalism, Stimulation, Power, Security, Tradition, Hedonism, Self-Direction, Achievement, and Conformity were studied. The study was exploratory, following a nonexperimental cross-sectional design. The sample was composed of 321 students from a higher education institution in Mexico. 67.6% (217) of the students were female, whereas 32.4% (104) were male. Their ages ranged from 18 to 30 years old. The Portrait Value Questionnaire devised by Shalom Schwartz was administered to them. The most important findings revealed that the basic values of Hedonism, Benevolence, and Self-Direction were highly preferred by the students, whereas the basic value of Achievement scored a preference level below the average. These findings highlighted the importance of identifying the portrait values of university students, so higher education institutions can establish appropriate strategies and actions that foster the students’ development in order to make them professionals with values.