The impact of certain life circumstances on the work values of grade eleven pupils
Date
2016-08-19
Authors
Brebnor, Belinda Anne
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Abstract
Work values haw been the focus of many studies but there has been little insight given
into how people prioritise these values, what they base them on and in what way they
hope to achieve them. The present study made usc of a values questionnaire standardised
specifically for the unique population inhabiting South Africa namely the Values Scale
(Langley, 1993a). The stucv was perfcrmed ill seven schools and consisted of 356 pupils
158 of which were male and 163 female. Demographic variables that were used tc depict
differing life circumstances of pupils included socio-economic status. W·IHkr. race,
language, the type of school attended and residence (i.c, if the pupil lived with both
parents or some 0110 ohm). Socio-economic status Was measured by means of several
variables which resulted in It composite measure. Statistical analysis made usc of
ANOVA's and It principle component analysis. Results of the principle components
analysis indicated that the 22 values in the Values Scale (Langley, 19950) could be
condensed into five factors which were labeled; Intrinsic, Collectivistic; Individualistic;
Social and Extrinsic values. Significant differences occurred on both the original 22
values and the alternate factors between the different socio-economic status groups,
genders, languages, race and school groups, Intrinsic and extrinsic values were found to
be orthogonal and not dichotomous in nature and the Values Scale (Langley, 1995a) was
found to be a useful instrument with high reliability scores and ability to diacriminutc
between groups.
Description
A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Arts, University of the
Witwatersrand, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Masters of Arts.
Johannesburg 1998.