• Culture influences personal values. Through the processes of imprinting, modeling, and socialization, people learn to place higher importance on some values over others. Thus, the prestige afforded the monarch, priest, businessperson, scientist, artist, and teacher depends on the values promoted by each society. In the Pygmy culture, for example, the male with the greatest social esteem usually is not the strongest, wealthiest, most spiritual, most artistic, or most intelligent; rather, he is the one who shares most generously. Consider American society: What are the primary values for people in the United States today? Are they the same for men and women? Do they reflect your personal values?