Sociology of Culture - The Elements of Culture

The Elements of Culture

1. Symbols: Anything that carries particular meaning recognized by people who share the same culture.

2. Language: A system of symbols that allows people to communicate with one another.

3. Values: Culturally defined standards of desirability, goodness, beauty and many other things that serves as broad guidelines for social living.

4. Beliefs: Specific statements that people hold to be true.

5. Norms: Rules and expectations by which a society guides the behaviour of its members. The two types of norms are mores and folkways. Mores are norms that are widely observed and have a great moral significance. Folkways are norms for routine, casual interaction.

Read more about this topic:  Sociology Of Culture

Famous quotes containing the words elements and/or culture:

    Icebergs behoove the soul
    (both being self-made from elements least visible
    to see them so; fleshed, fair, erected indivisible.
    Elizabeth Bishop (1911–1979)

    When a culture feels that its end has come, it sends for a priest.
    Karl Kraus (1874–1936)