Ultimate values can be defined as abstract rules or goals transcending specific contexts and defining the utmost purposes of existence. Although the literature about human values is vast, several fundamental questions about ultimate values remain open. What are the processes responsible for the formation of ultimate values? What is the impact of inbuilt affective processes and of learning, respectively? Regarding learning, what is the role of society? Empirical evidence shows dramatic variability in ultimate values pursued by different people. Why? These open questions suggest that a precise picture of ultimate values is lacking. This paper offers a computational theory of ultimate values. The key idea is that our brain represents values along a hierarchy where ultimate values are built upon experiences with inherent affective nature (basic values). Based on these representations, the proposal is that the brain infers the rules that foster basic values in a variety of contexts. These would become ultimate values and drive human behaviour independent of the ongoing context. We discuss how the theory can contribute to understanding a variety of aspects of human values, including morality, to what degree values are innate or culturally determined, and how values shape and are shaped by society.

中文翻译：

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终极价值心理学：计算视角

终极价值可以被定义为抽象的规则或目标，它超越了特定的背景，定义了存在的最大目的。尽管关于人类价值观的文献非常丰富，但关于终极价值观的几个基本问​​题仍然悬而未决。最终价值形成的过程是什么？内在情感过程和学习的影响分别是什么？关于学习，社会的作用是什么？经验证据表明，不同人所追求的终极价值观存在巨大差异。为什么？这些悬而未决的问题表明，缺乏对终极价值的精确描述。本文提供了一个极限值的计算理论。关键思想是，我们的大脑代表了一个等级制度中的价值，最终价值建立在具有内在情感性质的经验（基本价值）之上。基于这些表示，该提议是大脑推断出在各种情况下培养基本价值观的规则。这些将成为终极价值观，并推动人类行为独立于当前环境。我们讨论了该理论如何有助于理解人类价值观的各个方面，包括道德、价值观在何种程度上是与生俱来的或文化决定的，以及价值观如何塑造和被社会塑造。