Section 2
The Symbolic Nature of Culture
By Boundless
![Thumbnail](../../../../../../figures.boundless-cdn.com/994/square/polish-alphabet.jpg)
The symbolic systems that people use to capture and communicate their experiences form the basis of shared cultures.
![Thumbnail](../../../../../../figures.boundless-cdn.com/14478/square/1187646003-131057bc1c-z.jpeg)
The origin of language is a widely discussed and controversial topic due to very limited empirical evidence.
![Thumbnail](../../../../../../figures.boundless-cdn.com/997/square/oking-welsh-bilingual-sign.jpeg)
Language may refer either to the human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such.
![Thumbnail](../../../../../../figures.boundless-cdn.com/16848/square/edward-sapir.jpeg)
Various theories assume that language is not simply a representational tool; rather it fundamentally shapes our perception.
![Thumbnail](../../../../../../figures.boundless-cdn.com/1003/square/military-dog-barking.jpeg)
Language is a symbolic system of communication based on a complex system of rules relating spoken, signed, or written symbols.
![Thumbnail](../../../../../../figures.boundless-cdn.com/1007/square/250px-unclesamwantyou.jpeg)
A gesture is a form of non-verbal communication in which visible bodily actions communicate particular messages.
Cultures have values that are largely shared by their members, which identify what should be judged as good or evil.
![Thumbnail](../../../../../../figures.boundless-cdn.com/1012/square/same-sex-marriage-02.jpeg)
Social norms are the explicit or implicit rules specifying what behaviors are acceptable within a society or group.
![Thumbnail](../../../../../../figures.boundless-cdn.com/1016/square/n-state-prison-cell-blocks.jpeg)
As opposed to forms of internal control, like norms and values, sociologists consider sanctions a form of external control.
![Thumbnail](../../../../../../figures.boundless-cdn.com/1018/square/william-graham-sumner.jpg)
Folkways and mores are informal norms that dictate behavior; however, the violation of mores carries heavier consequences.