The role of value(s) in theories of human behavior

Many discourses, both academic and public, assume that values, understood as principles (e.g. fairness, loyalty), lead to behavior. We analyze how 134 theories of human behavior treat values, which we define broadly to include value(s) related to both principles (e.g. moral values) and value(s) related to importance (e.g. cost or priorities). We find that values and closely related constructs comprise roughly a third of all constructs (n = 2232) in analyzed theories. The nuanced portrayal of values–behavior links offered here is crucial for understanding how values may be associated with transformative change: values must be considered holistically (including principles and importance), alongside other factors. •Human behavior theories elucidate relationships between values and behavior change.•Values transcend principles: they also refer to importance.•Value-related constructs comprise ∼one-third of constructs in 134 behavior theories.•Conceptualizing values more broadly might fill the value–action gap.•Attending to diverse value types may reveal values’ role in transformative change.