THE 10 MOST IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIETY - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

Some of the characteristics of society are the sense of similarity between individuals, interdependence between human beings, cooperation, division of labor, among others.

Society can be defined as the set of human beings who live under a certain system of government, laws and culture. Some of its functions are the survival of the group, the improvement of the quality of life, education, health and training.

As a species, we are social beings who live our lives in the company of other human beings. We organize ourselves into various types of social groupings, such as nomadic gangs, towns, cities and countries, where we work, trade, play, reproduce and interact in many other ways.

Within a large society, there may be many groups, with different subcultures associated with region, ethnicity, or social class. For example, within Mexican society there are different ethnic groups, ideologies, socioeconomic classes, and subcultures.

If a single crop is dominant in a large region, its values ​​can be considered correct and can be promoted not only by families and religious groups, but also by schools and governments.

Main characteristics of a society

1- Sense of similarity

Similarity is the most important characteristic of society. Without a sense of similarity, there could be no mutual recognition of "belonging together" and therefore no society.

Societies are made up of like-minded individuals, associating with each other, developing friendships, and trying to understand each other. Without the similarity all this would be impossible.

2- Differences

A society implies differences and depends as much on it as on similarity. Differences make the division of labor possible and complement social relationships since if all people were equal there would be little reciprocity and relationships would be limited.

The family is the first society based on biological differences and differences in aptitudes, interests and capacities. Differences are necessary for society, but differences by themselves do not create a society, therefore differences are subordinate to similarities.

If all men thought the same, felt the same and acted the same, if they had the same standards and the same interests, if they all accepted the same customs and echoed the same opinions without question and without variation, civilization would never have advanced and culture would remain rudimentary.

3- Interdependence

As a social animal, all human beings depend on others. The survival and well-being of each member is highly dependent on this interdependence since no individual is self-sufficient. Members of a society depend on others for food, shelter, security, and many other necessities.

With the advancement of society, this degree of interdependence multiplies, not only individuals being interdependent, but also groups, communities and societies.

4- Cooperation and conflict

Citizens collaborating in the catastrophe produced by an earthquake in Ecuador.

Cooperation avoids mutual destructiveness and allows cost sharing. In addition, the conflict acts as a consolidation factor for the strengthening of social relationships since direct or indirect conflicts make cooperation significant.

If there is no conflict, even to a small extent, society can stagnate and people can become inert and inactive. However, the expression of disagreement in the form of conflict should always be kept within tolerable limits.

5- Society is a network of social relationships

Social relations are the basis of society, they are based on mutual awareness and recognition of other members of society as important and essential members.

Since social relations are abstract in nature, society is also abstract in nature. Different types of social processes such as cooperation or conflicts constantly occur in society. Therefore, a network of social relationships between members constitutes society.

During these social relationships, people meet and interact with others to exchange ideas, offer support, and receive a sense of belonging.

6- Sense of belonging

Membership is the human emotional need to be an accepted member of a group. Whether it's family, friends, co-workers, a religion, or something else, people tend to have an "inherent" desire to belong and be an important part of something bigger than themselves.

This implies a relationship that is greater than simple knowledge or familiarity. The need to belong is the need to give and receive attention from others.

The sense of belonging develops when a person accepts himself as a natural member of something. The sense of belonging provides a close and secure relationship with the other members of society. Permanence allows the society to continue to exist even after the death of individual members.

The sense of belonging is a strong and inevitable feeling that exists in human nature. To belong or not to belong does not depend only on one but also on the other members of society.

Not everyone has the same interests, therefore not everyone feels they belong to the same. Without belonging, one cannot clearly identify oneself, thus having difficulty communicating and relating to their environment.

7- Society is abstract

Society is spoken of as an abstract concept since various relationships develop that cannot be seen but can be felt.

Society in essence means a state, condition, or relationship, therefore necessarily an abstraction. Furthermore, society consists of customs, traditions and culture that are also abstract manifestations.

8- Society is dynamic

The very nature of society is dynamic and changing, no society is static as it changes continuously. Old customs, traditions, values, and institutions are modified and new modern customs and values ​​develop.

Social dynamics refers to the relationships and behavior of societies that results from the interactions of individual members of that society.

9- Integral culture

Each society has its own culture that distinguishes it from the others. Culture is the way of life of the members of a society and includes their values, beliefs, art, morals, etc.

Therefore, culture is integral because it meets the needs of social life and is culturally self-sufficient. Furthermore, each society transmits its cultural pattern to future generations.

Culture consists of beliefs, behaviors, objects, and other characteristics common to members of a particular group or society.

Through culture, individuals and groups define themselves, conform to the shared values ​​of society and contribute to enriching it.

Thus, culture includes many social aspects: language, customs, values, norms, customs, rules, tools, technologies, products, organizations and institutions. Common institutions are family, education, religion, work, and health care.

The cultural bond in societies can be ethnic or racial, based on gender, or due to shared beliefs, values ​​and activities. The term society can also have a geographical meaning and refer to people who share a common culture in a particular place.

Culture and society are intricately related. A culture consists of the "objects" of a society, while a society consists of people who share a common culture.

10- Division of labor

The division of labor is essential to economic progress because it allows people to specialize in particular tasks.

This specialization makes workers more efficient, which reduces the total cost of producing goods or providing services.

Also, by making people skilled and efficient at fewer tasks, the division of labor gives them time to experiment with new and better ways of doing things.

References

1. Andersen M, Taylor H. Sociology, understanding a diverse society (2008). Thomson Wadsworth.
2. American Association for the Advancement of Science. Science for all Americans (1990). New York: Oxford University Press.
3. Bauemeister R, Leary M. The need to belong: desire for interpersonal attachments as a fundamental human motivation (1995). Psychological Bulletin.
4. Culture and society (2017). Boundless Sociology. Recovered from: www.boundless.com.
5. Macionis J. Society: the basics (2009). New Jersey: Prentice Hall Publishers.
6. Mondal P. Society: sociologist views, characteristics and definitions. Recovered from: yourarticlelibrary.com.
7. Peterson T, Van Til J. Defining characteristics of civil society (2004). The International Journal of Not-for-Profit Law.