3.2 Elements of Culture

You are a sociologist studying a particular society. You come across the term 'value' in your research. In the context of sociology, what does this term mean?

• The monetary worth of something in that society

• The ideals or principles that the society holds

• The standards of behavior expected in that society

• The cultural beliefs prevalent in that society

You are part of a research team studying different cultures. Your task is to identify what beliefs in a culture represent. What would you consider as beliefs in a culture?

• Shared collective values

• Tenets or convictions

• Standards of behavior

• Cultural norms

What do values do in a society?

• Shape a society's beliefs

• Define cultural norms

• Encourage conformity

• Reflect individuality

John is moving to the U.S. and wants to adapt to the local culture. Which of the following values should he adopt to fit in?

• Having many healthy children

• Placing importance on wealth

• Valuing individuality

• Embracing cultural diversity

A company is trying to understand the difference between ideal culture and real culture. Which of the following scenarios best illustrates this difference?

• A company promotes individuality in its ideal culture, but in reality, employees conform to a specific way of working

• A company's ideal culture embraces cultural diversity, but in reality, the workplace is quite uniform

• A company's ideal culture emphasizes certain values, but in reality, employees' actual behavior does not always align with those values

• A company's ideal culture is based on personal beliefs, while the real culture is driven by collective values

In a school, a student is caught cheating on an exam. What is the purpose of the school's policy to reward honesty and punish dishonesty?

• To encourage conformity to the school's values

• To enforce laws within the school

• To promote individuality among students

• To challenge cultural norms within the school

You are writing a constitution for a newly formed society. You need to establish some formal norms. What would these be?

• Written rules in society

• Casual behaviors

• Moral views and principles

• Day-to-day practices

You are attending a formal event. Which of the following actions would be considered a violation of formal norms?

• Driving to the event while intoxicated

• Greeting people at the event by shaking hands

• Wearing a tie to the event

• Holding the door open for a stranger at the event

What are mores?

• Norms without moral underpinnings

• Behaviors that reflect compliance

• Norms that embody moral views

• Casual behaviors that are widely conformed to

What are folkways?

• Norms with moral underpinnings

• Behaviors that reflect compliance

• Norms that embody moral views

• Day-to-day practices and expressions