High School Students' Value System

The complex and articulated process that defines Self-concept structuring is also characterized by the influences exercised by the culture and the values that distinguish one's own life context. The role of the values, as ideal benchmarks that guide a person's life, are of great significance in the adolescence, a phase in which an individual acquires the competences and the necessary requisites to undertake particular responsibilities and to re-organize one's Self. Age, gender and type of school had an impact on values. The sample is made up of 480 students equally distributed by type of school (Grammar school, Technical Institutes and Vocational Institutes) and by gender. Students attributed more importance to satisfaction and personal enjoyment. They perceived themselves as inclined to pro-sociality and openness to change. Conversely, they have given less priority to the values of the conservatism and personal affirmation. Students of vocational schools have given less priority to the values openness to change, pro-sociality and success than students in grammar and technical schools. Grammar schools students have also perceived themselves slightly more progressive than other students. Females have perceived themselves as more prosocial and open to change, while males have given higher priority to value power, apparently retracing gender stereotypes. (C) 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.