SOC2205

CULTURE AND PERSONALITY

GROUP3 .

MODULE TWO
COMPONENTS OF CULTURE
LECTURE 3
(JANUARY, 2024)
DAY:THURSDAY TIME: 2 – 4PM
VENUE: AMJ THEATRE (B)
 COMPONENTS OF CULTURE:
• Components of culture can be broadly categorized into three: cognitive, normative and symbolic.
• In general component of culture include but not limited to: norms, values, beliefs, language, symbols/signs,
knowledge, gesture, sanctions, and laws, etc.
• While knowledge and belief are cognitive in nature; norms, values, laws, sanctions are normative and, language,
symbols and signs are symbolic components of culture
• Norms: These are sort of blue print or cultural map that guide us into rightful behaviour
• They are social rules that specify behaviour as appropriate or inappropriate, acceptable or unacceptable and,
socially approved or socially disapproved.
• Norms tell us what we should do or should not do, ought to do or ought not to do and must do or most not do
within the context of our culture.
• Norms are broadly divided into mores and folkways.
• Mores: These are strongly held social norms. Their violations arouse a sense of harsh punishment or moral resistance.
• Deviation from mores involves punishment/legal sanctions.
• Rape, homicide, armed robbery, alcoholism, are few instances of violation of society’s mores and attracts
punishments ranging from alienation, imprisonment, death sentence and fines, etc.
 COMPONENTS OF CULTURE:
• Folkways: This has to do with customary ways and ordinary conventions by which we carry our
daily activities.
• In contrast to mores, violation of folkways does not attract severe moral resistance or
punishment.
• A person who violates societal folkways could only be ridiculed, mocked at and considered
‘eccentric’ ‘different’, ‘odd’, or ‘strange’ rather than being incarcerated or utterly rejected.
• For example, it is culturally expected that when we walk, we walk with our heads up and two
legs down, if you like you can however walk with your head down and legs up.
• Wrist watch is culturally required to be applied on the wrist but if you like you can apply it on your ankle.
• Taboo: This is a strongly prohibited social practice.
• It is the strongest form of social norms
• The most closely universal rule in all known human societies is the incest taboo
• i.e. the prohibition of sexual intercourse between fathers and daughters, mothers and sons, brothers
and sisters and sometimes other relatives as well.
 COMPONENTS/ELEMENTS OF CULTURE:
• Values: These are the culturally defined standards of desirability that deal with issue of goodness, beauty and
many other things that serve as broad guidelines for social life.
• They are moral principles that define what is right or wrong, good or evil, desirable or undesirable, acceptable
or unacceptable.
• Values often come in pairs of positive and negative; e.g. we value freedom and dislike oppression, education
and dislike ignorance, etc.
• In essence, values define general moral qualities of behaviour expected from members of society.
• These include, honesty, integrity, patriotism, hospitality, self discipline, hard work, virginity, etc.
• Thus, Values are sentiment about what is cherished, desired and accepted.
• Hence, values are ‘general standards concerning worthy behavior’.
• Sanctions: Sanctions are simply penalties, rewards or punishment directed at appropriate or inappropriate
behavior.
• Conformity to a norm leads to such positive sanctions as National Honor Award, Gold Medal, Salary Increment,
Smile or Pat on the back.
• Negative sanctions ranges from threats, fines, imprisonment to death sentence
 COMPONENTS/ELEMENTS OF CULTURE:
• Laws: These are rules, which are enforced by a special political, administrative or legal organizations
composed of individuals who have the rights to use force.
• Laws tend to be the result of conscious thought, deliberate planning and formal declaration.
• They can be changed more readily than folkways.
• Language: This is the major and most significant element of culture in human society.
• It is the foundation of every culture.
• It is a symbolic system used in communication in human society.
• It is a group of words or ideas having common meaning and is shared by a social situation.
• It is the entrance to culture; without which there will be no culture.
• It is the main vehicle by which communication of ideas, information, attitudes, emotions, etc., are made possible.
• It is the principal means through which human create culture and transmit it from generation to generation.
• Through language we are able to create, share, preserve and transmit cultural meanings such as
knowledge and beliefs.
 COMPONENTS/ELEMENTS OF CULTURE:
• Symbols/signs/gesture: They are acts of objects which have come to be socially accepted as standing
for something else.
• They are anything that carries particular meaning recognized by people who share the same culture.
• They are short expressions for the identification of an object or situation
• Symbols can be used to produce royalty or hostility; as such the meaning attached to symbol may
depend on the use or situation of its use.
• Gesture: this is simply a movement of part of the body, especially a hand or the head, to express an
idea or meaning.
• Knowledge: Literally, the psychological result of perception and learning and reasoning.
• Knowledge is understanding gained through learning or experience.
• Knowledge can mean information and also deeper understanding.
• Knowledge is often understood as awareness of facts or as practical skills, and may also mean
familiarity with objects or situations.
 COMPONENTS/ELEMENTS OF CULTURE:
• Beliefs: These are the specific statements that people hold to be true.
• ‘Beliefs are ideas concerning facts and, as such are distinguished from
values by the possibilities of testing them’.
• The concept has to purely do with religious implications.
• They also entail people’s perception of reality about the universe.
• Beliefs are responsible for the spiritual fulfilment of needs and wants.
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QUESTIONS AND ANSWER SESSION

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