Benevolence
Promoting the welfare of one’s in-groups by being trustworthy and reliable or devoted to the needs of the in-group
Forgiving, helping, and being loyal are important to you. You likely look to preserve and improve the lives of those that share your core interests or identities.
Being reliable and devoted to the needs of those around you gives you great satisfaction; you likely do a great deal to keep your close relationships thriving.
Defining goal
preserving and enhancing the welfare of those with whom one is in frequent personal contact (the ‘in-group’). Benevolence values derive from the basic requirement for smooth group functioning (cf. Kluckhohn, 1951) and from the organismic need for affiliation (cf. Maslow, 1965). Most critical are relations within the family and other primary groups. Benevolence values emphasize voluntary concern for others’ welfare.
Benevolence and conformity values both promote cooperative and supportive social relations. However, benevolence values provide an internalized motivational base for such behaviour. In contrast, conformity values promote cooperation in order to avoid negative outcomes for the self. Both values may motivate the same helpful act, separately or together.
Subtypes
dependability (Promoting the welfare of one’s in-groups by being trustworthy and reliable)
caring (Promoting the welfare of one’s in-groups by being devoted to the needs of the in-group)
Schwartz, S. H. (2012). An Overview of the Schwartz Theory of Basic Values. Online Readings in Psychology and Culture, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.9707/2307-0919.1116
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