Page 35 - 3rd-year-tourism-2021_Neatترم اول

Beliefs, a component of nonmaterial culture, are conceptions of the world and
how it works and the individual's place within it. They define what people accept as
true or reject as false and exert powerful influence on people's actions and behavior.
An example of beliefs is the notion that illness is caused by disruptions to the flow of
the "qi," which is vital life energy that flows through the body. That belief gives rise
to certain specific actions and behaviors intended to cure the illness by removing
these disruptions and restoring balance to the body. Another example is the belief that
there is life after death. This belief results in certain specific actions and behaviors
intended to ensure a blissful and contended afterlife, free of suffering and torment.

Another component of nonmaterial culture is values. This concept has its roots in
beliefs and refers to the shared conceptions of what is good and what is bad, of what
is desirable and what is not desirable, of what is important and what is not. Values,
for example, result in people opting to dress in certain styles and to reject others. It is
values that determine an individual's behavior when his or her wishes conflict with
the group's wishes. The Japanese axiom that "the nail that sticks out gets hammered"
expresses the importance that Japanese society puts on maintaining harmony within
the group.

Norms are another component of nonmaterial culture. They are all the rules, both
written and unwritten, that guide behavior within the group and cover virtually every
aspect individual behavior. Norms are derived from values. Where harmony is a
social value, for example, an individual member of a group would win social
approval if his or her behavior were compatible with the group's needs and wishes
regardless of his or her own individual preferences. Actions that are regarded as
"rocking the boat" would result in social sanctions against the perpetrator of these
acts. Norms, for example, determine what appropriate modes of dress are for going to
the office, for attending a job interview, for playing a sport, and for all the different
social functions that an individual participates in.

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