Elements of Culture (Mga Elemento ng Kultura)

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Elements of Culture

1. Language

• Language means of communicating information and experiences and passing on values and tradition.
• One of the strongest unifying forces for a culture.
• Language differences within culture: Dialect - local form of a language used in a particular place or by certain group. 

2. Religion

• System of belief and worship.
• It can serve as a unifying and dividing force.
• it shapes daily life in the aspect of moral values, religious celebration and holidays as well as cultural expressions such as painting, sculpture, architecture music and dance.
• Monotheism is a belief in one god.
• Polytheism is a believe in many gods.
• Atheism is a belief in no god.  
• Major world religions are Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism.

3. Norms

• Standard behavior which each society establishes.
• Formal norms: written and severe.
• Informal norms: understood but not written, generally not severe.
• Mores: necessary for the welfare of the society.
• Folkways: which govern every day behavior.

4.  Sanctions

• Penalties and rewards for conduct concerning social norms.
• Positive: pay, praises, incentives, word of gratitude, acknowledgment, awards and rewards.
• Negative: fines, penalties, suspensions, threats, imprisonment, exile. 

5. Values

• Collective concepts of what is good, bad, desirable, proper, improper, etc.
• Influence people's behavior.
• Criteria by which we evaluate others.
• Values change over time. 

6. Art and Literature

• Teach about a culture's values.
• Promotes cultural pride and unity.
• Be careful of:

1. Ethnocentric : judging other culture by the standards of your own. Assuming your culture to be the best.
2. Racism : belief that one racial group is naturally superior to another. Race is a culture thing it does not actually exist.

7. Social Groups

      Primary social groups are:

• Family
• Social classes
• Ethnic group

8. Government

• A system through which society maintains social order, provides public services, ensures national security and supports its economic well being.
• Types:

1. Democracy : people have supreme power.
2. Republic : people choose leaders to represent them.
3. Dictatorship : a ruler or a group holds power by force.

9. Economic System

• Four types:

1. Traditional : people produce most of what they need to survive.
2. Market : basic economical questions are answered by buying / selling goods and services.
3. Command : government controls answers to economic questions.
4. Mixed : individuals makes some economic decisions, the government make others. 

10. Economic Activity

• people in all cultures participates in economic activities in order to ensure that their needs are met - food, shelter, water, etc.
• Geographers analyze how a culture

1. utilizes its natural resources to meet their needs.
2. produce, obtain, uses, and sell goods and services.