Abstract:

 the values had an important guiding role for human’s psychology and behavior. This paper analyzed the concept structure, methods and existing problems of previous values research. The concept of values were different in different periods and cultural backgrounds, but still can be extracted with the essence. In the early, values structure existed many types, and existed confusion and unclear definition problems, values structure research began gradually highlights the cultural characteristics in later. The methods of values from the philosophical speculation method, literature analysis method, field surveys method and interviews method of Cultural Anthropology in later, development to the measurement method and experimental method, and now is racing ahead to the brain imaging method of neuroscience. Future research can be researched in the cultural level, social level and individual level, and we can reveals the internal mechanism of the values for people based on inherit and break through the existing research.

Key words: cultural change, values, behavior guide, research method, values structure