Social Values - Consciously or not, actually in social life there are a number of social values that are embraced by the community itself. This social value will then regulate them in relationships or in the process of social interaction.
Starting from behavior, speech and so on, it is hoped that it can be more able to create a harmonious side in socializing with these social values. It is because of this that social values become such an important factor and must be understood and practiced by society at large.
In general, social values are guidelines for group life about what is considered good and what is considered bad. One of the characteristics of social values comes from the interaction process and does not exist because it is innate.
There are still many things that you can find out more about social values through the explanations provided in this article.
Definition of Social Values in General
The first thing we will learn together is about the notion of social value. By understanding the meaning of this social value, at least you already have a general idea about the social value itself.
Simply put, social values are standards in which there is a set of behavior and function as a guide for human life in society. Next, this standard will automatically be able to regulate all forms of action up to the speech of all people who are in a community group.
The existence of these social values is expected to help each individual to obtain rights and carry out their obligations in a fair and equitable manner within the community. In addition, the existence of social values can also help a group to achieve common goals.
For example, social values that have the goal of creating harmony even though there are different ethnicities, religions, races and others. Therefore, later every member of the community group needs to emphasize these social values.
Next, the public will know better what is included in the good things to do and which are bad things and should not be done. In the end, everyone will be aware of the limits they have and try not to go beyond these limits so that they can be accepted by the community.
Social value can also be interpreted as a value held by the community about what they think is right and what they think is bad. To be able to determine what is good and bad, appropriate or inappropriate, one must go through a weighing process. This will also be influenced by rules that have existed since ancient times, such as the customs adopted by the community.
According to the Big Indonesian Dictionary (KBBI), values are characteristics (things) that are important or useful for humanity. While social is related to society. That means, social value is something that is considered good, appropriate, appropriate and can be used as a way of life by a group of individuals.
Understanding of Social Value from Experts
After knowing the meaning of social values in general. Next, we will learn together about the meaning of social value according to experts. There are several experts who explain social values. The following are some of the opinions of experts on social values.
1.Anthony Giddens
Anthony Giddens explains that social value is a form of idea that is owned by a person or group about what is desired, what is appropriate to implement and what is considered good and bad.
So, according to Anthony Giddens, social values can help determine what needs to be done and implemented. In addition, social values can determine what things will be bad and not allowed to be done. Then, social values can also help determine the good things that can be done in a sustainable manner.
2. Horton and Hunt
Horton and Hunt explain that social value is an idea that can explain an action in society. Where later the action can be said to be important or not important.
According to Horton and Hunt, social values cover all actions taken by individuals within a group of people. This action will have good and bad judgments which at the same time can determine whether the action is important to take or whether the action is considered not important.
3. Kimball Young
Kimball Young explained that social value is an abstract and often unconscious assumption about what is considered important in society. Social value is referred to as an abstract assumption because social value is formed by itself, although there are several conditions that can form a social value intentionally.
These social values will slowly be applied and passed down from generation to generation. Next, these values will be considered important, but they are still not realized because they are abstract and inherited.
4. Darji Darmodiharjo
Dardji Darmodiharjo has an opinion about social value, namely as something that can be useful for human life physically and spiritually. Therefore, social values can encourage individual behavior to be even better.
5. Hendropuspito
Hendropuspito explained that social values are all forms of rules that are valued by the community because they have functional utility for the development of people’s lives. That means, social values can be interpreted as the result of a collective agreement that has been recognized and obeyed jointly by a community group.
The purpose of the agreement results in the existence of social values because in it there are a number of ideas, opinions and so on that will be obeyed and applied together. Later, social values will become the standard of individual behavior in socializing with other individuals in society.
6. Soerjono Soekanto
Soerjono Soekanto explained that social value is an abstract concept that exists within humans. This concept can be considered right or wrong.
7. C. Kluckhohn
Kluckhohn has an opinion that social value is a measure used to be able to overcome willpower in certain situations. Social value will be a concept that is owned by individuals or groups that can influence forms, methods, goals and actions.
8. AW Green
AW Green explained that social value is a form of awareness that can take place accompanied by emotion towards an object.
9. Alvin L Bertrand
Alvin L Bertrand has an opinion about social value as awareness and emotion relative to an object of ideas.
10. Koentjaraningrat
Koentjaraningrat argues that social value is a concept that exists in human thought, some people will think that this is something noble. The system that exists in social values will be a reference in acting.
Those are some opinions from some experts about social value.
Characteristics of Social Values
Social value also has several characteristics in it. The existence of these characteristics will be able to make social values look different from other things that exist in people’s lives. Some of the characteristics possessed by social values are as follows.
1. Generated From the Process of Social Interaction
The first characteristic of social value is derived from or the result of the process of social interaction. When a person is communicating with other people, social values can be formed naturally or deliberately. An example is when someone wants the other person not to discuss a certain matter because this action could hurt him.
2. Results of the Learning Process
Social values can be formed from learning outcomes. One can learn to know the boundaries of actions and speech while socializing by hands-on practice. An example is when someone says A because it is considered normal, slowly A’s words may be seen as hurting the other party. From this process can produce a social value.
3. Diverse
Social values are embraced and shaped by a community group, therefore it is possible that social values from one group to another will be different. As an example, Javanese and Sundanese people will have different social values.
4. Inherited
One of the characteristics possessed by social values is inherited naturally and from generation to generation. Someone who is born and raised in a community group will automatically follow the social values that have been formed from previous generations.
5. Not Static
Next, social value has a non-static nature, which means it will continue to grow. An example is an action and a speech. If previously it was considered normal, words and actions may now be considered insulting or hurting the feelings of others.
6. Binding Individuals or Community Groups
The next feature is that social norms will have the nature of binding individuals or a group of people and there is an obligation and need to always obey and also apply them. This can be formed naturally and unknowingly even though the social value is not even written down.
Those are some of the characteristics possessed by social values and you can read in full.
Social Value Function
Previously it was explained that social values can help humans to live better in a community group. But actually the existence of social values also has several functions, you know. Some of the functions of these social values are as follows.
1. As a guideline for human behavior in society
The function of the first social value is that it can be used as a guide for all individuals in a group of people so that they can behave properly. This is none other than because in the process of social interaction will communicate both orally and with body language or body movements.
Behavior can also be shown by actions taken when wanting something and when facing something. An example is when you have a fight with your partner at home, whether the action you take is to scream loudly or maybe you will stay quiet and calm while thinking about finding a way out.
In social life, everyone will prefer to be calm and silent without the need to shout high and even playing a hand is a good action. Social values will regulate things like that with the hope that everyone in society can maintain their own behavior so that it can always be good and acceptable to reason.
2. Become Every Individual’s Social Control System
Social value also has a function as a method of social control. That means social norms can become a boundary between what should be done and what will be said. Social values are able to provide boundaries so clearly to be able to show which actions are considered good or considered bad.
Every individual in a community group has the freedom to do good or bad. But in order to maintain peace and harmony, the action that must be done is a good deed. The existence of social values is able to provide clear boundaries so that everyone can control their personal social behavior.
3. Acts as a Social Protector
Social values will automatically be passed on to the next generation from the previous generation for such a long time. This happens not without reason, but because social values can become social protectors.
Social protection here will display social values that can prevent the occurrence of deviant acts, violations of law and human rights and so on. Of course this will be able to make people’s lives more orderly, harmonious and also peaceful.
4. Solidarity Tools
Social values can have a function as a tool or media used to maintain solidarity and cohesiveness in society. This will make each individual prioritize the common interest and work together to achieve common goals.
5. Fulfilling a Social Role in Society
Social values in society will be able to fulfill and enhance the role of each individual. This is because each individual is aware of their rights, obligations, responsibilities and so on. So that each of them has a role in social life.
6. Helps Help Normal Social
Social values have a function as a medium to be able to build social normal. Therefore there is something called social law for people who violate these social values. For example, being ostracized, being gossiped about, not being invited to socialize and so on.
Examples of Social Values
After knowing various kinds of explanations related to social values. Finally we will discuss some examples of social values.
- When there was an act of motorbike theft and the culprit was caught by the residents. Communities in the environment will realize that the act of theft is not a good act and must be avoided and cannot be imitated.
- Communities in an area have crocodiles so they don’t dry their underwear on the side of the road so that no one sees it. This is done because the act of drying underwear outside the home or on the side of the road is impolite and violates social values. Therefore these actions should not be imitated. Perpetrators who still carry out these actions will usually receive sanctions, reprimands or being reminded by others not to carry out these actions.
- There was a student who cheated while the exam was in progress. This act of cheating is one of the bad and despicable actions and must be avoided. Therefore, every student must be able to realize that no one chooses to commit acts of cheating. This is also included in social values because basically there is no written law that explains if the act of cheating is an act that violates social or legal values.
From each of the explanations above, we become aware of how important social values are for people’s lives. Basically social values can be an individual able to distinguish which actions are good and which actions are bad while at the same time will continue to do good actions in social life.
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Author: Hendrik