THE ELEMENTS OF CULTURE
WHAT IS CULTURE ? It is a system of living ,with many parts working together to achieve the goal of survival. It is learned - you are not born with it! It is passed on from generation to generation.
Culture has TWO main divisions Material Culture - physical objects and things created and used by a culture. Non Material Culture - Ideas, Beliefs, Customs, Values, Attitudes, Folkways etc.
Culture Has Seven Elements Social Organization Customs and Traditions Language Arts and Literature Religion Government Economic Systems
SOCIAL ORGANIZATION Purpose: To create social structure by organizing culture into smaller units. Also to help people work together to meet their basic needs.
Parts of Social Organization Family : Most important unit of Social Organization - provides security and training of the young. Nuclear Family - Most basic unit, composed of husband, wife, their children. Extended Family - Composed of several generations living in one household,(several nuclear families and relatives).
Other Forms of Social Organization Social Class - The ranking of people in terms of Status. Status is the importance/standing of an individual in his/her society. Status can be based upon - money-occupation -education -ancestry etc. The movement between social classes is called Social Mobility.
Customs and Traditions Purpose : To provide a culture with rules of behavior. Also: to provide for the enforcement of rules through Social Pressure and Laws. Usually found as Folkways - common customs, rules, special behavior that belong to, and identify a specific culture.
Language Purpose : To provide communication of thoughts, feelings, and knowledge. Also : Is the main way culture is transmitted to new generations. Countries with many languages often choose one language for business/education/government.(lingua franka) Language often reflects a cultures identity .
Arts and Literature Purpose: To please, entertain, and teach about the values and beliefs of a culture. Examples : Folktales - help pass on a cultures’ beliefs/values.(“Tortoise and the Hare”) Art, music, literature - create sense of belonging and identity.
Religion Purpose: To answer basic questions about the meaning and purpose of life. Also : To support the values and beliefs a society considers important for moral living.(right&wrong) Note: - Many world conflicts involve religious differences.
Government Purpose: To provide for common needs of keeping order in a society. Also : Provides protection from outside threats. Largest form of government is the Nation,it has many diverse peoples following a common set of rules.
Economic Systems Purpose : To use limited resources to satisfy wants and needs. Also : to answer the three basic economic questions - What to Produce, How to produce, For Whom to produce. Major types of Economies: Traditional, Market, Command, and Mixed.