Understanding Social Structures: Culture, Values, and Change
Social Structure
Theme 3: Social Structure
Culture is conceptually distinct from society, but there is a close relationship between both concepts. A society is a system of relationships that bind individuals. In all societies, members are organized on the basis of structured social relations that are based on a single culture. No culture can exist without society, nor can there be a society without culture. Cultural variations that distinguish human beings are related to the types of societies.
Values are abstract ideas that give meaning and guidance to humans when they interact with the social world. Rules are rules of behavior that reflect the values of a culture. Values and standards work together within their environment. These two elements are deeply entrenched but may change over time.
Beliefs and cultural practices are very diverse. Ethnocentrism is judging other cultures by comparison with one’s own, while cultural relativism involves studying a culture from its own meanings and values.
Human beings learn cultural characteristics through the process of socialization. The agents of socialization are the groups where important socialization processes occur. Phases include primary socialization (family), school socialization (schools, peers), organizations, media, and the workplace.
Social roles are socially defined expectations that accompany a person in a particular social position. According to the functionalist school, roles are relatively fixed and unchanging, forming the culture of a society. Through socialization, individuals internalize social roles and learn to apply them.
Identity involves interpreting who people are and what makes sense for them. Social identity refers to the characteristics that others attribute to an individual. This allocation is usually based on social groups (e.g., men, Asian) to which that individual belongs. Personal identity refers to the process of individual personal development.
Society: A set of relationships that connects and unites individuals. In modern societies, there were previously hunters and gatherers, pastoralists, and agricultural societies (fixed crops). In industrialized societies, industrial production is the mainstay of the economy, and most of the population lives in urban areas. Organizations and nation-states are distinguished by boundaries.
Global Development
Colonialism:
Third World
- Developing countries (18th century-present)
- African and South American countries, China, and India.
First World
- Western industrialized countries, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand (18th century-present)
Second World
No longer exists after the Cold War.
NICs (Newly Industrialized Countries) (1970s-present)
South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Brazil, and Mexico.
Social Change
It is difficult to define because everything is constantly changing. Influences on Social Change:
Physical environment: Living arrangements depend on weather conditions.
Political organization: Military.
Cultural factors: Religion, Leadership, and Communication Systems.