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:

    Nature confounds her summer distinctions at this season. The heavens seem to be nearer the earth. The elements are less reserved and distinct. Water turns to ice, rain to snow. The day is but a Scandinavian night. The winter is an arctic summer.
    Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)

    Letting a hundred flowers blossom and a hundred schools of thought contend is the policy for promoting the progress of the arts and the sciences and a flourishing culture in our land.
    Mao Zedong (1893–1976)