Behavioural guidelines

In a basic sense, values reflect beliefs about what we, individually and collectively, think is good and desirable and, in this respect, the values we hold provide us with general guidelines for our behaviour. However, although values are clearly important (and necessary), they are of limited use to us in terms of specific situations precisely because of their general quality.

Thus, although our values will guide us in making judgements about right or wrong when playing a particular role (such as a parent, teacher or employer), they do not tell us clearly and specifically how to behave appropriately in any given role or social situation. This is the part played by norms in the overall structure of our social behaviour.