Concepts of Culture and Society - Research Paper Example

Concepts of Culture and Society Before going into the discussion regarding concepts of culture and society, let us get a better understanding of what culture and society actually are. Culture is one of the most important elements of any society. It is a pattern of such characteristics and behaviors that a person exhibits living in a society. Culture marks our separation from animals (Muller, 2005, p. 15). Concepts of culture and society have a deep association. The existence of society and culture depend on each other in some ways.

There can be no society without cultures and no culture can survive without presence of a social group observing the traditions of that culture. Elements of Culture and Social Forces There are different elements of culture and social forces that continuously influence us as an individual in society. These elements not only differentiate us from people belonging to other cultures but also help us stick to our basic values and traditions. Some of the most important elements of culture and social forces influencing us include language, values, religion, social organization, and arts and literature.

Norms and Values Values are the cultural standards, which help us determine what is right and what is wrong whereas norms are the rules of a culture, which tell us how to behave in a society. Every culture has its own norms and values, which distinguish people from one another.Language Language helps us communicate our feelings to other people around us. People speaking the same language usually share a common culture. However, in some societies people speak different languages due to different cultural backgrounds.

This element of culture makes a person identified as a person belonging to some specific culture.Religion Religion also influences a person as an individual in a society. Different people follow different religions, which distinguish them from one another.Social Organization Social organization is another basic element of a culture. Social organization refers to the collection of institutions, social groups, classes, and social forces such as family and relatives, which form a society. Every individual has different social grouping and class in a society, which distinguishes him or her from other individuals living in a society.

Influence of Socializing Agents Socialization is a very complex process, which helps a person think and behave according to what is considered worthy (Berns, 2010, p. 12). Socializing agents such as family, school, peer groups, technology, workplace, religion, and state influence us as individuals in a society.Family Family plays a critical role in shaping our behavioral characteristics, which we need to show living in any particular society.School School, a secondary socializing agent, helps us improve our social skills, which we need to integrate with other members of a society in an appropriate way.

Peer Groups Peer groups help us improve our communication and interaction skills. This socialization agent continuously influences our line of thinking.Mass Media/Technology The social views, political views, and social norms and values portrayed by the mass media and technology put a deep impact on the thoughts of every individual distinguishing him or her from other individuals.Workplace and State Workplace is another socializing agent, which helps us take our place in any specific society. Similarly, a state also plays its role by enforcing laws, which need to be obeyed by the people living in that state.

ReferencesBerns, R. (2010). Child, Family, School, Community: Socialization and Support. Belmont, DC: Cengage Learning.Muller, A. (2005). Concepts of Culture: Arts, Politics, and Society. Canada: University of Calgary Press.