An Interpretive Review of Social Science Research On Behaving-Valuing Patterns of Low Status People

Abstract

This study extracts from scholarly studies of behaviors of low- status Americans a theory-based perspective for interpreting their behaving-valuing patterns. Valuing is defined, from the point of view of the valuing subject, as an activity tied to satisfaction of needs and assuagement of desires. Kreiberg's hypothesis that be haviors and values can be modified to the extent that they are serially independent, non-central to self-concept, monitored by peers, and dependent upon external circumstances was found to be particularly useful in accounting for the malleability of conven tional behaviors and values and the formation of new adaptive problem solving ones among low status people. Implications for the purposes of adult basic education are specified.