Values Lost in Society in the Eyes of Academics

Abstract

Although there are numerous studies and discussions about the concept of value, it is claimed to lack an objective basis. The concept of value is difficult to define from a single perspective because it relates to many disciplines, especially the social sciences. Philosophy, sociology, psychology, religious sciences, anthropology, and historical sciences have attributed different meanings to the concept of value. However, the fact that the concept of value is related to human behavior has been a common point in all disciplines of social sciences. Values are essential in terms of social sciences because they interpret human behavior (Ulusoy & Dilmaç, 2016). Therefore, this study aimed to determine what academics thought about the core values lost in society and what kind of solutions they offered to that problem. The sample consisted of 16 academics from Van Yuzuncu Yıl University/Turkey. The sample consisted of 12 men and 4 women. The study adopted a qualitative research design. Data were collected using a semi-structured interview questionnaire consisting of open-ended questions. The data were analyzed using descriptive analysis. The findings focused on participants’ views of the concept of values, the values lost in society, values problems, and solutions to the lost values.