Axiology Overview

Dr Robert S. Hartman

11 Ways to Judge the Accuracy of an Assessment Tool

Validation Studies for the Hartman Value Protocol

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Axiology is a relatively new science discovered by Dr. Robert S. Hartman while researching concepts relating to value and how people perceive and value all things. Dr. Hartman constructed the original edition of the Hartman Value Profile (HVP) according to the 'Hierarchy of Values' which he developed and documented in his writings, "The Structure of Value". The HVP is an axiological instrument, an inventory that measures a person's capacity to make value judgments concerning the world and the self. There are two parts to the profile. The first is a list of 18 items pertaining to the world, while the second consists of 18 phrases related to the self. Axiology measures your ability to value. Your capacity to value is a talent or ability by which you organise your thinking and emotions to make decisions or value judgments. Your value talent is a measure of your ability to: See and filter what is happening around you, and in yourself Build concepts and ideas by focusing on what is important to you Translate your ideas and expectations into decisions. These three activities are the keys to understanding how we all make decisions.  Your ability to make value judgments is a natural activity of the mind and is similar to musical talent and ability. Each person has certain inborn skills or aptitudes. Some individuals have an ear for musical notes, while others can be taught to recognise the notes. Both types of individuals can develop their natural talent and apply this talent as musicians. In the same way, some individuals have better developed natural talent for making value judgments and can make better decisions. These individuals have a clearer idea of what is important, can see things which others miss, are very creative problem solvers, make decisions which always seem to be on target, and are sensitive to the needs and concerns of others.  Value talent, like musical talent or sports talent, can be learned and improved. The first step in developing your value talent is to identify your level of development, and to identify the specific types of talent you have. A value analysis is designed to let you come into contact with your ability to think and make value judgments about yourself and the world around you. This analysis will give you an opportunity to experience the biases that focus your thinking, the natural skills that your mind uses on a day to day basis to make decisions, the strengths that belong to you, the areas of development that can improve your ability to be you, and the combination of talent that defines your uniqueness.  To complete the HVP, a person is asked to rank the items in the first part from best to worst, and then to rank the phrases in the second part from those you most agree with to those you least agree with. The results reflect an individual's own preferences, which are measured against the objective scale given by formal axiology. The measurement is very precise, yet allows for nearly infinite variety.  The results of the HVP are derived from logical, mathematical norms, and are not based on the values of any specific population or group. Consequently, it is not a "test" to be passed or failed and the results have no bias with respect to sex, age, race, creed, or any other socio-cultural classification. Honesty is the best criterion for obtaining accurate results.

The Hartman Value Profile is especially useful for the following purposes:

• It complements interest and aptitude tests for high school and college-aged students to help discover their strengths and weaknesses and to help with their choice of career paths.

• Executives, managers, and employers responsible for others will find it useful for:

• discovering the strengths and weaknesses of their associates and potential employees,

• identifying areas where additional training may be needed,

• building work teams and groups,

• measuring group morale and spirit,

• determining suitability for promotions and job reallocations,

• retaining existing employees, and

• the prevention of accidents

• Counsellors and therapists will find it helpful in:

• identifying compatibility when matching potential partners in marriage,

• marriage counselling,

• preventive mental health programs,

• psycho- and axio-therapy to guide the direction of treatment and to pinpoint results and progress, and

• identifying stages of and facilitating moral and religious growth and development.

Courtesy of AxioMetrics Intl.

 

What is Axiology?

The term “Axiology” is derived from the Greek word axiā meaning “value, worth” and logos, the Greek for study.

Axiology, the science of human values, enables us to identify the internal valuing systems that influence our perceptions, decisions and actions – to clearly understand “why” we do what we do!

Axiological profiling is a complex and extraordinary profiling tool which is based on axiology and the attribution of numerical values to human values.

It can be undertaken on line in approximately 15 minutes and is an excellent tool for Board level, team and individual selection and development needs. It identifies both areas of strength and those for development; it can be tailored to focus on specific areas and given contexts.

 3 Dimensions of Value

 

Dr Robert S Hartman – the Founding Father of Axiology

1910 -  Born as Robert Schirokauer in Berlin. Studied at the German College of Political Science, also at the University of Paris, the London School of Economics and the University of Berlin, from which he received an LL.B. degree.

1932 -  Fled Nazi Germany, changed his surname to Hartman and worked for Disney.

1941 -  Migrated to United States, became a citizen and did his doctoral work in philosophy at Northwestern University in 1946.

1955-1956 – Visiting Professor at Yale University.

1950-1957 – Chairman of the Commission on Peace, International Council of Community Churches. Served as Executive Director of the Council of Profit-Sharing Industries and wrote its first manual. Founder of the Deutsche Institute fur Social-Wirtschaftliche Betriebsgestaltung (industrial organisation).  Also was the Founding sponsor of American Association for Humanistic Psychology.

Late 1950s – Among first members of the Society for General Systems Research.

1971 – First President of the American Society for Value Inquiry, founded by Dr. James Wilbur, Research Professor of Philosophy at the University of Tennessee & National University of Mexico.  Served as consultant for the practical application of Value Theory with AT&T, General Foods, General Electric and IBM.

1973 – Nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in 1973 but died later that same year.

Dr Wayne Carpenter – From Axiology to AxiaMetric Profiling

Wayne Carpenter was a student of Dr. Hartman at the University of Tennessee.

Carpenter devoted himself totally to extending Hartman’s work, his life’s passion using Hartman’s unfinished papers.

Hartman researched all decision theories and models from Aristotle to the present. His Value Science Theory formed the basis of all the decision theories – ‘A Universal Value Theory’.

During 30 years of research Carpenter successfully expanded the mathematics of Dr. Hartman to account for ‘real life’ variables.

This extension of Axiology is called Axiometrics(TM) and is used to mathematically measure and assess specific capacities of an individual.

Axiometrics(TM) can be used not only to predict the subject’s future performance but also to provide insight into their core competencies, talents and developmental needs

Why Use Axiological Profiling?

It is a scientifically proven, mathematically accurate assessment that objectively identifies how our mind analyses, interprets our experiences and it identifies how we are most likely to react in any given situation.  Understanding how people think is critical to knowing how they will perform.

It offers a simple and powerful way that shows you exactly why your people perform the way they do and provide the user, and organisation, with an accurate diagnostic tool upon which to build and deliver the most appropriate solution, be it learning or advisory.

It can accurately identify the talents, performance problems and potential of people before you make critical decisions on recruitment, training and succession planning.  (Knowing the underlying “thinking patterns” that influence performance allows you to put the right people in the right place for the right reasons.)

Why Choose AxiaMetrics Over Other Types of Profiling?

Not subjective – other personality assessments only give you what people are willing to say about themselves.

No attempt to classify or group someone.

A single Universal Norm, not one ‘created’ from a selection to validate a result.

Highly validated worldwide.

Not discriminatory for age, sex, creed or culture.

Organising the statements takes most people less than 15 minutes, yet there are 6 quadrillion (600,000,000,000,000,000,000) possible outcomes.