Abstract : Decision making requires two sequential actions: assessing what one wants and then figuring how best to obtain that goal. Typically it is assumed that people know what they want and that, with a little care, those values can be elicited. Furthermore, it is assumed that people's values are sufficiently well developed to be elicited in whatever form is most convenient for the elicitor. Research reviewed here suggests that this may not be the case and that a fundamental change may be called for in the way we study and elicit values. The elicitation procedures used may be a major factor in shaping the values of people who do not hold well-formulated values. An elicitor can induce random error, systematic error or unduly extreme judgements. There may be no substitute for an interactive, dialectical elicitation procedures that acknowledges the elicitor's role in helping to create and enunciate values. Respondents might be provided with analytical tools to deepen their perspective and help them make values judgments in their own best interests. However, there is no guarantee that even the greatest of care will resolve fundamental inconsistencies in values, and it may, at times, be necessary to acknowledge that we do not know what we want and structure our actions accordingly.
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