Aspects of Culture: Material vs Nonmaterial Culture

Cultural Terminology and Concepts

• Human-made objects such as tools, buildings, and automobiles are referred to as artifacts.
• The aspect of culture that encompasses language, beliefs, and habits is known as non-material culture.
• Material culture focuses on external, mechanical, and utilitarian objects that people engage with in daily life.
• The inward nature of human beings, addressing beliefs, virtues, and attitudes, is described as values.

Societal Standards and Norms

• Norms are the standards that members of a society use to determine what is considered good, bad, beautiful, or ugly.
• Folkways are customary habits and practices that govern everyday behavior, typically not associated with moral significance.
• Mores are a type of norm regarded as essential to the welfare of society and have moral implications.

Enforcement of Mores and Social Beliefs

• Violating mores often results in severe punishment due to their perceived importance in maintaining social order and moral standards.
• An example of a belief rather than a value in American society might involve the belief in personal freedom, as it does not prescribe how one ought to act but reflects a certain worldview.