Final answer:
Actions with intentional symbolic meaning undertaken for a specific cultural purpose are typically known as rituals, which merge expressive and instrumental behaviors to convey cultural beliefs. Instrumental actions aim to achieve results, while expressive actions communicate identity. Rituals solidify cultural norms and identities through structured actions and symbols.
Step-by-step explanation:
Actions with intentional symbolic meaning undertaken for a specific cultural purpose are often referred to as rituals or symbolic behaviors. These actions are a blend of expressive and instrumental behaviors where the purpose extends beyond achieving a practical goal and involves conveying a deeper significance that reflects cultural values and beliefs. For example, in a religious context, rituals are a set of actions with symbolic meanings that affirm and reinforce shared beliefs and community bonds.
In analyzing human behavior, one can see the distinctions between instrumental and expressive actions. Instrumental actions are strategic and objective-driven, intended to achieve a specific result, while expressive actions are performed to communicate identity, culture, or social bonds. For instance, voting in an election can serve both an instrumental purpose, helping a candidate win, and an expressive one, identifying oneself as a civic participant.
The concept of rituals is crucial in understanding culturally meaningful actions. Through the repeated performance of structured activities and the use of symbolic objects and gestures, rituals cement cultural norms and communal identities, as seen in the diverse range of cultural practices from wedding ceremonies to mourning traditions.