The Four Main Elements Of Culture In College Students

Culture can come in many different shapes and sizes throughout the world. It is defined by the ideas, values, practices, and the material and nonmaterial objects that compose a society or a group. These elements allow its members to live life smoothly.

There are four main elements of culture. The first is values. Values are what a group considers to be morally good or important. A value for many college students is to earn good grades. However, there are some students who may value other aspects of the college experience more than their education like socializing. This exemplifies that even within college culture, there can be a division of values. Another central element of culture are norms. Norms are informal rules, or unwritten laws to guide one through everyday life. Some norms have little importance, these are called folkways. An example can be found in college student attire. At Loras, it is normal for students to wear athletic or business casual clothing. If someone were to wear a ball gown or tuxedo to class it would break the dress code norm. They may get some stares from fellow students, but they will not get in trouble. Mores are important norms, which when broken result in severe negative sanction. An example would be if one came to class naked. Although it may be acceptable to be naked in some areas of the world, on a college campus it is not. The third element is material culture, which encompasses all the tangible objects that make up a