SOC 102 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Organic Food, Birth Weight, Arson
Document Summary
Culture refers to the meanings and ways of life that characterize a society, including beliefs, values, norms, sanctions and symbols. Beliefs refer to the definition and explanations about what is assumed to be true; they influence not only how a social condition is interpreted but also the existence of the condition itself. Values are social agreements about what is considered good and bad, right and wrong, desirable and undesirable. Frequently, social conditions are viewed as social problems when the conditions are incompatible with or contradict closely held values. Norms are socially defined rules of behavior; they serve as guidelines for our behavior and for our expectations of the behavior of others. Sanctions are social consequences for conforming to or violating norms. The components of the structure of society are institutions, social groups, statuses, and roles. Institutions are an established and enduring pattern of social relationships and include family, religion, politics, economics, and education.
