Learning Our Identity » Culture, Norms, Values and Customs

Society is made by people

Think about a simple rule such as "wait your turn in a queue". No law of nature says people must do this. Nobody was born knowing it. People in a society created the rule, shared it and passed it on.

This is what sociologists mean when they say society is a product of social construction. The shared ideas, rules and ways of life in a society are not natural or fixed. They are built up by people over time, and they can change.

Key terms:

• Social construction: something that is created by people living together in society, rather than being natural or inborn.
• Social identity: how we see ourselves, and how others see us, as members of social groups such as a family, a religion, a nation or a school.

Four of the main building blocks are culture, norms, values and customs. Each one is explained below. Roles, status and stereotypes are the next lesson, Roles, Status and Stereotypes.

Culture

Key terms:

• Culture: the whole way of life of a society or group, including its language, beliefs, rules, food, clothing, music, art and customs.

Culture is the big idea. Norms, values and customs are all parts of it. When you speak your language, eat your food, celebrate a festival or follow the rules of your community, you are living your culture.

Cultures can be very different. In some societies people traditionally eat the main meal with their hands. In others they use chopsticks, and in others a knife and fork. Each one is part of the way of life of the people who use it.

Norms

Key terms:

• Norms: the rules, usually unwritten, about how people are expected to behave in a particular situation.

Norms tell us what is "normal" and acceptable. Most of the time we follow them without thinking.

Another example is how close people stand when they talk. In some societies people stand quite close. In others they keep more distance. These are different norms, not right and wrong.

Values

Key terms:

• Values: beliefs about what is important, good and worth having or doing. They are the general standards that norms are based on.

Values are the deeper beliefs behind our behaviour. A value is general, while a norm is specific.

• The value of respect for elders is very important in many societies. The norms that come from it include standing up when an older person enters a room or using a respectful title.
• The value of honesty leads to norms such as telling the truth in court and handing back money you find.
• The value of education leads to norms such as going to school and doing homework.

Different societies may rank values differently. In some societies, loyalty to the family or community is placed above personal ambition. In others, personal achievement and the freedom of the individual are stressed more.

Customs

Key terms:

• Customs: traditional ways of behaving that are passed down from one generation to the next, often linked to a special occasion or event.

Customs are the traditions of a society. They are usually linked to important events such as weddings, religious festivals, births and funerals.

A custom is a tradition that has been repeated for many years. A norm is a rule about what is expected. The two overlap, but a custom is about tradition, while a norm is about expected behaviour.

How they influence our behaviour

These four ideas guide how we act each day.

• They tell us what to do. Following the norms of a classroom, such as putting your hand up, helps lessons run smoothly.
• They guide our choices. A person who values honesty will think twice before cheating in a test.
• They create pressure to conform. If we break a norm, other people may stare or criticise, so most people go along with it.
• They give shared understanding. People who share a culture know what to expect from each other, so life is more predictable.

How they shape our social identity

Culture, norms, values and customs also help to make us who we are. They give us a sense of belonging to a group.

• Speaking a particular language or dialect shows that we belong to a certain community.
• Taking part in the customs of a religion or a family gives a feeling of being part of something bigger.
• The values we are brought up with become part of how we see ourselves, for example "I am someone who helps others".
• Sharing the same norms and customs with other people makes a group feel united and sets it apart from others.

So someone's social identity is made up partly of the culture they belong to. A person may belong to several cultures at once, such as a family culture, a school culture and a national culture.

How these norms and values are learned is covered later, in Nature or Nurture? How Identity Is Socially Constructed.

Exam-style question

(a) Define the term values. [2 marks]

(b) Give two examples of customs. [2 marks]

(c) Explain three ways in which norms influence the behaviour of individuals. [6 marks]