Elements of Culture
Elements of culture
- Language: set of symbols used to assign and communicate meaning. It allows us to name or identify the things in our world so we can think and communicate about them.
- Norms: every society or every civilization has a set of norms, which are the rules of behavior; this can include the folkways, mores, taboos and rituals in a culture.
- Values: things to be achieved or the things which are considered of great worth or value in a particular culture.
- Beliefs and ideologies: beliefs are the things members of a culture hold to be true; they are not limited to religious statements, but include all the things a people know and accept as true, including common sense everyday knowledge. Ideologies are the sets of beliefs and expectations connected by a common theme or focus. They are often are associated with specific social institutions or systems and serve to legitimize those systems.
- Social Collectives: refers to the social groups, organizations, communities, institutions, classes, and societies, which are considered as symbolic social constructions.
- Status and Role in Society: a status is a slot or position within a group or society. They tell us who people are and how they "fit" into the group. Roles are norms specifying the rights and responsibilities associated with a particular status. This can also include traditional gender-based or age-based roles.
- Cultural Integration: this includes the degree of harmony or integration within the various elements of culture. This can include elements like sub-cultures, local cultures and the difference between historical and cultural traditions.
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- Language: set of symbols used to assign and communicate meaning. It allows us to name or identify the things in our world so we can think and communicate about them.
- Norms: every society or every civilization has a set of norms, which are the rules of behavior; this can include the folkways, mores, taboos and rituals in a culture.
- Values: things to be achieved or the things which are considered of great worth or value in a particular culture.
- Beliefs and ideologies: beliefs are the things members of a culture hold to be true; they are not limited to religious statements, but include all the things a people know and accept as true, including common sense everyday knowledge. Ideologies are the sets of beliefs and expectations connected by a common theme or focus. They are often are associated with specific social institutions or systems and serve to legitimize those systems.
- Social Collectives: refers to the social groups, organizations, communities, institutions, classes, and societies, which are considered as symbolic social constructions.
- Status and Role in Society: a status is a slot or position within a group or society. They tell us who people are and how they "fit" into the group. Roles are norms specifying the rights and responsibilities associated with a particular status. This can also include traditional gender-based or age-based roles.
- Cultural Integration: this includes the degree of harmony or integration within the various elements of culture. This can include elements like sub-cultures, local cultures and the difference between historical and cultural traditions.
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