Values and Well-Being

Personal values are abstract desirable goals that guide individuals throughout their lives. Sagiv, Roccas, and Hazan proposed three perspectives that consider the relationships between values and well-being. They are the "healthy values" perspective, the "goal-attainment" perspective, and the "value congruency" perspective. This chapter discusses each of the three perspectives, reviewing classic as well as recent research perspective focuses on the context, suggesting that values are likely to lead to well-being when they are congruent with the values that prevail in one's social environment. It includes relevant research that has been conducted in various fields that add to our understanding of the multiple ways through which values are linked to well-being. Finally, it presents some practical implications of the three perspectives and discusses the ways in which individuals and society may rely on personal values to contribute to a positive sense of well-being.