© Dr. William DeMarco, 1993

This model defines culture as the sum of the history, folklore, and values that, taken together, make up the unique identity of a society at a given point in time.

HISTORY: The people, events, and institutions that collectively impact a society’s unique identity.

•People: Individuals, both inside and outside the society, who impact its direction and values over a period of time.

•Events: Incidents both inside and outside a society that impact its direction and values over time.

•Institutions: Systems, structures, and formal/informal relationships that impact a society’s direction and values over time. 

FOLKLORE: The body of knowledge concerning what the society stands for, has been handed down from one generation to the next in oral and written traditions, and lives in the society’s heroes, myths, and symbols.  

•Heroes: Individuals whose exploits are viewed as outstanding examples of what the society values most.

•Myths: Stories about people, events, or institutions, loosely based on reality, which are commonly given as examples of what the society values most or least. 

•Symbols: Visual, musical, spoken, and culinary traditions which reflect the society’s essence.

VALUES:  The unique blend of perceived beliefs, needs, and attitudes that live in the behaviour of most members of the society.

•Beliefs:  Ideas viewed as being true by most members of the society.

•Needs: Conditions or situations perceived by most members of the society as being required for survival/success.

•Attitudes: Predisposition of most members of the society that an idea has special merit. 

© Dr. William DeMarco, 1993