Understanding the learning of values using a domains-of-socialization framework

Abstract

The narratives that emerging adults wrote about a time when they learned an important moral, value or lesson were explored in order to determine the characteristics of events that lead to internalized values as well as to compare the way different kinds of moral values are socialized. Lessons resulting from misbehavior were reported most frequently. Those involving direct teaching of values were most highly internalized, with internalization assessed by importance and current impact. Self-reflection and self-generation of values was identified as a key means to value learning and was reported more frequently than any other source of values (e.g., parents, peers). Finally, it appears that a framework for understanding socialization that involves different domains can reflect how individuals categorize their value-learning experiences.

Keywords:

• value learning
• socialization
• narrative

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Julia Vinik

Julia Vinik, Department of Human Development and Applied Psychology, University of Toronto; Megan Johnston, Department of Psychology, University of Toronto; Joan E. Grusec, Department of Psychology, University of Toronto; Renee Farrell, Department of Psychology, University of Toronto.This research was supported by a grant from the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada to Joan E. Grusec.Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Joan E. Grusec, Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada, M5S 3G3. Email: [email protected]