7 Elements of Culture

What is Culture? The ways of life & knowledge of a grp of ppl According to Ralph Linton: The knowledge, attitudes, & behavior patterns shared and transmitted by the members of a society Culture is passed on by parents, grandparents, teachers, etc & affects the way we think, what we believe (religiously & morally), what we eat, what we wear, how we behave, how our society behaves

#1= Social Organization The way a culture divides its society into smaller structures/ groups Sociology= the study of the development, organization, & functioning of society What is the most important social unit? Family Family patterns Nuclear family- wife, husb, kids. Typical to industrialized societies Extended family- Several generations in one household. Parents, kids, grandparents, aunts, uncles. Usually in developing nations. Patriarchal- family where the oldest male makes the decisions Matriarchal- family where the oldest female makes all the decisions

Kinship= concept that everyone is related to someone There are rules (ie uncles can’t marry nieces) Clan= ppl w/in an ethnic grp who claim to be descended from a common ancestor Social Classes= rank ppl according to status in society Can be based on $, occupation, heredity, education, etc Social mobility= chance to move up and down the social ladder.

#2- Customs & Traditions Rules of behavior (enforced by social pressures or by written laws) ways of doing everyday things Basic moral values Language Linguistics= the study of languages Language families- most langs have root in same source. Largest major language family is the Indo-European Language Clothes Foods Education Occupation

#3- Arts & Literature Products of human imagination teach us about cultural values. Can encourage pride or criticize. Includes: Painting Sculpture music Drawing Theatre Literature architecture

#4- Religion Helps ppl answer the basic questions about the meaning of life; supports the values of a culture; can shape morals & ethics of a grp of ppl Monotheism- belief/worship of 1 god Polytheism- belief/worship of more than 1 god Animism- belief that everything in nature has a spirit The 5 Major World Religions: Hinduism Buddhism Christianity Judaism Islam

#5- Language Cornerstone of Culture Culture passed through language All cultures have language Language reflects a culture’s identity Some countries have mixed languages

#6- Forms of Government Gov’t is designed to provide for ppl’s common needs- keeping order in society & protecting it from outside threats Refers to the person(s) who holds pwr and to society’s laws & institutions. Types of Gov’t: Democracy- the ppl have supreme pwr. Gov’t acts by & w/ their consent Republic- ppl choose the leaders who will represent them Dictatorship- a ruler (or grp acting as 1) holds pwr by force. Often uses military to stay in office.

#7- Economic Systems How ppl use limited resources to satisfy their wants & needs 3 questions: What goods & services should we produce? How should we produce them? For whom should we produce them? Traditional economy- ppl prod most of what they need to survive. Hunting/gathering or farming/herding societies. Market economy- indivs answer the econ questions by buying & selling goods & services Command economy- gov’t controls what goods are prod, how they are prod & what they cost. Indivs have little econ pwr Mixed economy- indivs make some decisions & gov’t makes others