The non - material culture are the creations of human beings who are not incorporated into physical objects. They are for example the norms, the values, the symbols, the beliefs and the language.
Norms are the rules and expectations through which society forms the guide of conduct for its members. They can be proscriptive, for they prohibit what is not allowed to be done. They can also be prescriptive, explaining what is allowed to be done.
The standards that matter most are applied at all times, anywhere. Although the rules are mandatory, especially when it comes to conduct, they are not always followed.
Values cannot always be defined in general terms, as they vary according to different traditions and societies with their cultural heritage.
Values are principles of action that tell us what is right and what is wrong, and as said before, they vary with different cultures.
Nor is there a uniformity of cultural values, even in the same society. There are majority and minority values, hegemonic and marginal, inherited or innovative.
For example, national identity is the feeling of belonging to the country of birth. Other examples are tradition or religion. These vary according to the culture of each region, what is true for some is not true for others.
Non-material culture and societies
Symbols
Different societies transform some elements into symbols. A symbol is any item that contains a special meaning and is recognized by people who share the same culture.
People are so used to the symbolism of their culture that they don't pay their full attention to it. But when they are inside a strange culture, they are lost for not understanding the symbolism of the place.
Beliefs
Beliefs are certain statements that people hold to be true. These are matters that, according to the individual, can be considered true or false.
Those that are cultural determine how the environment is perceived, and are part of how a certain society views the world from its moral point of view.
Most beliefs are inherited from one's own family, as is the case with religious values.
Language
Language is a system of symbols that allows society to identify and communicate. It is the most important instrument of any culture.
The word, oral or written, is culturally variable, due to language differences and also due to different alphabets.
The different alphabets or ideograms that are used also differ in the way of writing. From right to left, left to right, or top to bottom, depending on the culture and tradition.
It is estimated that in the world there are more than 6,900 different languages, with Chinese being the most widely spoken, as China is the country with the most population.
English follows, and Spanish. There are also thousands of languages or dialects that are spoken in different regions by minority groups. Most of these are not the official language of the country to which they belong.
References
- "Intangible culture" in Wikipedia. Retrieved in October 2017 from Wikipedia at: es.wikipedia.org
- "Intangible culture" in The elements of culture. Recovered in October 2017 from My technology in: mitecnologico.com
- "Organizational culture" in Perio UNLP (2007). Retrieved in October 2017 from Perio UNLP at: perio.unlp.edu.ar
- "20 examples of cultural values" in Examples. Retrieved in October 2017 from Examples at: examples.co