Defining Societal Behavior through Cultural Products

The question asks for the term that represents learned and shared cultural products guiding behavior in a society.

Understanding Cultural Values

Values are fundamental, abstract beliefs about what is desirable or undesirable, right or wrong, and important in a society. They are learned and shared within a culture and serve as broad guidelines for social living. These underlying principles help justify and shape specific types of behavior that are considered acceptable or ideal.

• Learned and Shared: Values are acquired through socialization and are common within a group.
• Cultural Products: They are abstract concepts embedded within a culture.
• Justify Behavior: Values provide the rationale or basis for why certain actions are encouraged or discouraged.

Analyzing Other Options

While related, other terms don't fit the definition as precisely:

• Norms: Specific rules and expectations for behavior, derived from values.
• Culture: The broader set of beliefs, practices, artifacts, and social norms shared by a group, encompassing values but not exclusively defined by them.
• Customs: Traditional ways of behaving or doing something specific, often rooted in cultural values but are concrete practices rather than abstract justifications.

Therefore, learned and shared cultural products that justify certain types of behaviour are best described as Values.