Chapter 6
Personal and Professional Values
Fill-in-the-Blank Questions
1. Those who control the nation’s stories control the nation’s ___________.
2. Milton Rokeach described “instrumental” values as those that help us reach our
desired goals. Those desired goals we’d like to reach during our lives are known as
____________ values.
Answers to fill-in-the-blank questions
1. Media practitioners all share the same definition of truth as a value.
2. Values can be both moral and non-moral in nature.
3. It is correct to say that we value something, and that something has value.
4. The term “value” comes from the Latin, meaning “to be of worth.”
5. A moral dilemma exists when values conflict.
6. Social scientists agree that moral values cannot be measured.
7. The United Nations tried, but failed to define a set of core universal values because it
was impossible to reach agreement.
8. Media ethics codes say little about values, because they are more focused on loyalties.
9. Journalism’s focus on objectivity means that news is value-free.
10. Protonorms are values that focus on individual cultures, and are different
depending upon the culture.
11. Traditional news values (such as impact, proximity, etc.) are examples of amoral
values.
Answers to true/false questions
1. Which of these statements is NOT true about values?
A. They are things or properties that are worth having.
B. They are necessary for, or contribute to, a person’s ability to be, thrive, or well-being.
C. They emerge from beliefs, attitudes, and opinions.
D. They are the bedrock concepts that guide people, sometimes unknowingly, to their
actions.
E. can be a noun and a verb.
2. A nice place to live, independence, financial security, good health, etc., are examples
of:
A. moral values.
B. immoral values.
C. professional values.
D. non-moral values.
E. amoral values.
3. A mass communicator’s desire to meet a deadline is an example of:
A. a moral value.
B. an immoral value.
C. a professional value.
D. an anti-moral value.
E. an amoral value.
4. Rokeach’s list of terminal values would include all of these EXCEPT:
A. equality.
B. wisdom.
C. freedom.
D. mature love.
E. ambition.
5. Rokeach’s list of instrumental values would include all of these EXCEPT:
A. salvation.
B. broadmindedness.
C. logic.
D. politeness.
E. cleanliness.
6. Schwartz and Bilsky said that values ultimately emerge as we resolve conflicts
between both of these EXCEPT:
A. being open to change/opportunity vs. holding on to the status quo.
B. being open to transparency vs. holding on to secrecy.
C. being motivated by self-interest vs. motivated by the interests of others.
7. Most mass communication codes of ethics focus greatly on values that Schwartz says
are tied to:
A. Self-direction
B. Tradition
C. Benevolence
D. Power
E. Achievement
Answers to multiple choice questions
1. Describe the difference between “terminal” values and “instrumental” values, as
defined by Milton Rokeach.
2. What are the key sets of values that emerge from mass media codes of ethics?