The 7 Elements of Culture

1
The 7 Elements of Culture
2
Customs and TraditionsArts and
EntertainmentReligionLanguageEconomic
SystemsGovernmentSocial Organizations
The 7 Elements of Culture
3
What is Culture?

• The way of life for an entire society. Culture
  includes such things as what we eat, the way we
  dress, the music we listen to, and how we greet
  each other.

4
Social Organization

• Cultures organize members into smaller units so
  people can work together to meet basic needs.
  The family is the most important unit.

5
Social Organization

• There are 2 types of Families
• A. Nuclear Family Wife, Husband, and
  Childrenor a Mother and her Son.
• .

6
Social Organization

• B. Extended Family Many generations in one
  house.Children, Parents, and Grandparents.

7
Social Organization

• Social classes a way to rank people in order of
  status
• What can social class be based on?
• Money
• Occupation
• Education
• Race
• Etc.

8
2. Customs and Traditions

• Rules of Behavior.handshakes, hugs, making eye
  contact, eating with a fork, holding a door for
  someone, wearing your good clothes.

9
2. Customs and Traditions

• Social Pressure enforces the rules of behavior.
  (Our family and friends let us know if we are
  doing the right thing or not.)

10
3. Language

• How people communicate.

11
Language

• Language is the cornerstone of culture. It holds
  a culture together.
• People speak about 6,000 languages in the world.
• About 20 of the world speaks English.

12
4. Arts and Entertainment

• Things that entertain, please, and teach us about
  a culture.
• Movies, Books, Plays, Games, Sports, TV Shows,
  Paintings.

13
Arts and Entertainment
14
5. Government
15
Government

• Governments keep order and protect their
  citizens.
• People form governments to provide for their
  common needs
• Laws are created by governments.
• Some countries elect people to lead themother
  leaders force their way into power.

16
Government

• Some Forms of Government
• Democracy people have supreme power.
• Republic people choose leaders to represent them
  (the United States).
• Dictatorship a ruler who holds power by force.

17
6. Religion

• Helps people answer questions about the meaning
  and purpose of life.

18
Religion

• Monotheism worship
• of one god.
• Polytheism worship
• of many gods.

19
Religion

• What are some of the major religions in the world?

20
Christianity 2.1 billion Islam 1.3
billion Nonreligious/Agnostic/Atheist 1.1
billion Hinduism 900 million Chinese traditional
religion 394 million Buddhism 376
million primal-indigenous 300 million African
Traditional Diasporic 100 million Sikhism 23
million Juche 19 million Spiritism 15
million Judaism 14 million Baha'i 7
million Jainism 4.2 million Shinto 4
million Cao Dai 4 million Zoroastrianism 2.6
million Tenrikyo 2 million Neo-Paganism 1
million Unitarian-Universalism 800 thousand
21
7. Economic Systems

• How people use limited resources.
• What goods should we produce?
• How should we produce them?
• Who should get the things we make?

22
Economic Systems

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

23
Ways Cultures Change

• 1. Technology
• Cars, telephone, computers, TV dinners
• 2. Environment Changes
• 3. New Ideas (like recycling)
• 4. Diffusion movement of customs and ideas from
  one place to another

24
Be Careful of

• Ethnocentrism judging other cultures by the
  standards of your own
• Assuming your own culture to be the best
• Racism belief that one racial group is naturally
  superior to another
• Race is a culture thing. It does not actually,
  physically exist.