Personal Values Card Sort

Authors: William R. Miller, PhD, Janet C’de Baca, PhD, Daniel B. Matthews, PhD,
& Paula L. Wilbourne, PhD
from the University of New Mexico Department of Psychology

Update: 2011
User Information

The Personal Values Card Sort is intended to help people clarify their own central values
and consider how they might reflect those values in their daily lives. The usual
procedure is to have the person sort the cards into 3-5 piles based on how important
each value is. This set provides five cards to designate piles:

Not important to me

Somewhat important to me

Important to me

Very important to me

Most important to me

Next, have the person identify the 5-10 values that are most important to him or her.
This might simply be the “most important” pile unless it contains more than 10 or fewer
than 5 cards. Then have the person rank order these top values, with 1 being the most
important or central to the person, 2 for the next most important and so on. There is a
serial number on each card to facilitate recording and retaining a person’s rated
priorities.

The value of this process is often in the interview that follows, although the card sorting
process can be useful in itself. You can find out more about the person’s core values by
asking open questions and following with reflective listening. Some examples of
evocative questions you might ask include:
What does [value] mean to you?

Why did you choose this as an important value for you?

In what ways is this important to you?

How have you shown this core value in your daily life?

In what ways could you be even more true to this value?

This process can strengthen your understanding of the person and teach you much about
the person’s guiding principles for living.

Designed for Avery 5371 Business Card Template

The Personal Values Card Sort is in the public domain and may be copied or adapted without
further permission
 Designed for Avery 5371
Personal Values Card Sort Business Card Template

William R. Miller Janet C’de Baca

Daniel B. Matthews & Paula Wilbourne

The Personal Values Card Sort is in the
University of New Mexico, 2011
public domain and may be copied or
adapted without further permission.

Not Important to Me Somewhat Important to Me

Important to Me Very Important to Me

Most Important to Me Other value:

Other value: Other value:

 ACCEPTANCE
ACCURACY

to be accepted as I am
to be correct in my opinions and beliefs

1 2

ACHIEVEMENT
ADVENTURE

to have important accomplishments

to have new and exciting experiences

3 4

ART ATTRACTIVENESS

to appreciate or express myself in art to be physically attractive

5 6

AUTHORITY
AUTONOMY

to be in charge of others
to be self-determined and independent

7 8

BEAUTY
BELONGING

to appreciate beauty around me

to have a sense of belonging,
being part of

9 10
 CARING
CHALLENGE

to take care of others

to take on difficult tasks and problems

11 12

COMFORT COMMITMENT

to have a pleasant and comfortable life to make enduring, meaningful

commitments

13 14

COMPASSION
COMPLEXITY

to feel and act on concern for others

to embrace the intricacies of life

15 16

COMPROMISE CONTRIBUTION

to be willing to give and take in to make a lasting contribution

reaching agreements in the world

17 18

COOPERATION
COURAGE

to work collaboratively with others

to be brave and strong in the
face of adversity

19 20
 COURTESY CREATIVITY

to be considerate and polite to create new things or ideas

toward others

21 22

CURIOSITY DEPENDABILITY

to seek out, experience, and learn to be reliable and trustworthy

new things

23 24

DILIGENCE DUTY

to be thorough and conscientious in to carry out my duties and obligations

whatever I do

25 26

ECOLOGY EXCITEMENT

to live in harmony with the environment to have a life full of thrills

and stimulation

27 28

FAITHFULNESS
FAME

to be loyal and true in relationships

to be known and recognized

29 30
 FAMILY FITNESS

to have a happy, loving family to be physically fit and strong

31 32

FLEXIBILITY FORGIVENESS

to adjust to new circumstances easily to be forgiving of others

33 34

FREEDOM FRIENDSHIP

to be free from undue restrictions to have close, supportive friends

and limitations

35 36

FUN GENEROSITY

to play and have fun to give what I have to others

37 38

GENUINENESS GOD’S WILL

to act in a manner that is true to seek and obey the will of God
to who I am

39 40
 GRATITUDE GROWTH

to be thankful and appreciative to keep changing and growing

41 42

HEALTH HONESTY

to be physically well and healthy to be honest and truthful

43 44

HOPE HUMILITY

to maintain a positive and to be modest and unassuming

optimistic outlook

45 46

HUMOR IMAGINATION

to see the humorous side of myself to have dreams and see possibilities
and the world

47 48

INDEPENDENCE INDUSTRY

to be free from depending on others to work hard and well at my life tasks

49 50
 INNER PEACE INTEGRITY

to experience personal peace to live my daily life in a way that is

consistent with my values

51 52

INTELLIGENCE
INTIMACY

to keep my mind sharp and active

to share my innermost experiences
with others

53 54

JUSTICE KNOWLEDGE

to promote fair and equal to learn and contribute

treatment for all valuable knowledge

55 56

LEADERSHIP
LEISURE

to inspire and guide others

to take time to relax and enjoy

57 58

LOVED
LOVING

to be loved by those close to me to give love to others

59 60
 MASTERY MINDFULNESS

to be competent in my to live conscious and mindful of

everyday activities the present moment

61 62

MODERATION MONOGAMY

to avoid excesses and find to have one close, loving relationship

a middle ground

63 64

MUSIC
NON-CONFORMITY

to enjoy or express myself in music

to question and challenge
authority and norms

65 66

NOVELTY NURTURANCE

to have a life full of change and variety to encourage and support others

67 68

OPENNESS ORDER

to be open to new experiences, to have a life that is well-ordered

ideas, and options and organized

69 70
 PASSION PATRIOTISM

to have deep feelings about ideas, to love, serve, and protect my country

activities, or people

71 72

PLEASURE POPULARITY

to feel good to be well-liked by many people

73 74

POWER
PRACTICALITY

to have control over others

to focus on what is practical,
prudent, and sensible

75 76

PROTECT
PROVIDE

to protect and keep safe those I love

to provide for and take care of my family

77 78

PURPOSE RATIONALITY

to have meaning and direction in my life to be guided by reason, logic,

and evidence

79 80
 REALISM RESPONSIBILITY

to see and act realistically to make and carry out

and practically responsible decisions

81 82

RISK ROMANCE

to take risks and chances to have intense, exciting love in my life

83 84

SAFETY SELF-ACCEPTANCE

to be safe and secure to accept myself as I am

85 86

SELF-CONTROL SELF-ESTEEM

to be disciplined in my own actions to feel good about myself

87 88

SELF-KNOWLEDGE SERVICE

to have a deep and honest to be helpful and of service to others

understanding of myself

89 90
 SEXUALITY
SIMPLICITY

to have an active and satisfying sex life to live life simply, with minimal needs

91 92

SOLITUDE SPIRITUALITY

to have time and space where I can to grow and mature spiritually

be apart from others

93 94

STABILITY TOLERANCE

to have a life that stays fairly consistent to accept and respect those
who differ from me

95 96

TRADITION VIRTUE

to follow respected patterns of the past to live a morally pure and excellent life

97 98

WEALTH
WORLD PEACE

to have plenty of money

to work to promote peace in the world

99 100