Life Values Inventory: Assessment 1

Life Values Inventory: An Assessment of Values that Guide Behavior and Decision making

Values are beliefs that influence people’s behavior and decision-making. For example, if people believe that telling the truth is very important, they will try to be truthful when they deal with other people. On the following pages is a list of beliefs that guides people’s behavior and helps them make important decisions. Read each one and then choose the response (1-5) that best describes how often the belief guides your behavior.

1. Almost Never Guides My Behavior
2.                  
3. Sometimes Guides My Behavior
5. Almost Always Guides My Behavior

For example, If a belief in being healthy almost never guides your behavior, circle 1. If being healthy almost always guides your behavior, circle 5. If the best answer for you is between 1 and 5, circle the number 2,3, or 4 that most accurately describes how this belief guides your behavior.

1. Now you are ready to begin. Print pages 2 & 3 below. Read each item carefully and circle only one response. Usually your first idea is the best indicator of how you feel. Answer every item. There are no right or wrong answers. Your choices should describe your own values, not the values of others or values you THINK you should have.

2. SCORING SUMMARY Add up the ratings for each question. Record the total scores for each letter in the chart below. If you circled a 4 in question #1, a 3 in question #15 and a 5 i question # 29 - your score for A = 12.

A: (Questions 1 + 15 + 29) ____+_____+_____ = _____

B: (Questions 2 + 16 + 30) ____+_____+_____ = _____

C: (Questions 3 + 17 + 31) ____+_____+_____ = _____

D: (Questions 4 + 18 + 32) ____+_____+_____ = _____

E: (Questions 5 + 19 + 33) ____+_____+_____ = _____

F: (Questions 6 + 20 + 34) ____+_____+_____ = _____

G: (Questions 7 + 21 + 35) ____+_____+_____ = _____

H: (Questions 8 + 22 + 36) ____+_____+_____ = _____

I: (Questions 9 + 23 + 37) ____+_____+_____ = _____

J: (Questions 10 + 24 + 38) ____+_____+_____ = _____

K: (Questions 11 + 25 + 39) ____+_____+_____ = _____

L: (Questions 12 + 26 + 40) ____+_____+_____ = _____

M: (Questions 13 + 27 + 41) ____+_____+_____ = _____

N: (Questions 14 + 28 + 42) ____+_____+_____ = _____

3. Now enter the results from step two above in the corresponding SCORES section on page B (also attached below) . This will give you your scores for the 15 major life values identified by this inventory.

You will most likely have a tie in your highest scoring values, as well as lower scoring ones. Make a list of the groups, for example: if your highest score is a 13 and you have that score for 3 different values listed, then make that your #1 Group.

Continue until you have all the values listed in various groupings from most important to not important. You should have at least 3-4 groups:

1. The top scoring values - these are the ones that currently drive your behavior. Do you like what came up? Was it surprising that one of the ones you thought would be high on your list had a lower score? This is not time for self judgment; resist the urge to go back and redo your answers to come up with what you think the answers should be. Be willing to sit with these answers and consider their value and the insights they bring.

2. The group of scores that show they are important aspects of your decision making, but not as intensely as the values in the high-score group above. One thing to consider is that these have become unconscious, routine or habit. For instance I consider Concern for Others, and Creativity really important values in my life, however they were not my high-scoring values. This awareness makes me want to concentrate on these two values as I interact with others and go about my life, to make sure that I am addressing them in my daily activities.

3. The last group may contain 3 or more with the lowest scores. Sometimes this is as valuable to consider as the ones that you are aware of that drive you. Although I consider myself a loyal person, I saw that loyalty to a group does not drive me. I realize have work to do on trusting that others can be counted on and will be loyal - this says something about my thought process and perhaps some illusory old stories I need to release!