Social norms are unwritten rules of behavior shared by members of a given group or society. Examples from western culture include: forming a line at store counters, saying 'bless you' when someone sneezes, or holding the door to someone entering a building right after you.

Values are beliefs that we have about what is important, both to us and to society as a whole. A value is a belief (right or wrong) about how something should be. Values are culturally defined standards that people use to decide what is desirable good and beautiful.

Examples of values include honesty, integrity, kindness, generosity, courage, and confidence.

Race, gender, sexuality, and ability are socially constructed cultural identities that developed over time in relation to historical, social, and political contexts. Race, gender, sexuality, and ability are cultural identities that affect our communication and our relationships.

The way in which people get our statuses can vary significantly in detail from culture to culture.  In all societies, however, they are either achieved or ascribed.  Achieved statuses are ones that are acquired by doing something.  For instance, someone becomes a criminal by committing a crime.  A soldier earns the status of a good warrior by achievements in battle and by being brave.  A woman becomes a mother by having a baby.  She also can acquire the status of widow by the death of her husband.  In contrast, ascribed statuses are the result of being born into a particular family or being born male or female.  Being a prince by birth or being the first of four children in a family are ascribed statuses.  We do not make a decision to choose them--they are not voluntary statuses.  We do not pick the family we are born into nor do we usually select our own gender. 

For example, a father is expected to fulfill a role for his children that in most societies requires him to nurture, educate, guide, and protect them.