Define This
Define "Culture" and "Society". Then, explain their relationship
Culture is the learned and shared behaviors, beliefs, attitudes, values and material objects that characterize a society.
Society is a group of people who live in a defined territory and see themselves as a social unit
Every society has a culture (mutually dependent)
List at least three basic characteristics of culture
Culture is:
1. learned, 2. transmitted from one generation to the next, 3. shared, 4. adaptive
In the United States, individualism is important.
Young adults are expected to move out of their parents' home and to become independent after they graduate from high school.
What is the relationship between the two sentences above?
The first represents an American value and the second is a norm that reflects the value.
How do we differ from other animals in our strategy for survival?
We use culture, animals use instincts
People who travel to other countries often experience a sense of disorientation,confusion, uncertainty or anxiety when exposed to unfamiliar ways of life. What is this called and why do people experience it?
Define and give specific examples of material and nonmaterial culture
material culture - tangible objects that members of a society make, use and share (Ex: symbols, values, beliefs, rules of behavior)
non-material culture - the shared set of meanings that people in a society use to interpret and understand the world (Ex: technology etc.)
Name the five major components of culture
language, symbols, norms, values, material culture
What are the three major mechanisms through which cultures change?
Invention, Discovery, Difusion
What is special about language?
It allows us to classify knowledge into concepts. It shapes our perceptions, it allows us to transmit culture
What do the Amish, fraternities, teachers, atheists, lesbians, jazz aficionados, people who are deaf... have in common?
They are all examples of subcultures
Standards by which members of a particular cultur define what is good or bad, moral or immoral, proper or improper, desirable or undesirable. They provide general guidelines for everyday behavior
Describe the relationship between language and symbols. Why is language so crucial to culture
Language is a system of shared symbols. It enables people to communicate and to transmit culture
Material culture often changes faster than our values and norms can keep up with. It generally takes non-material culture some time to adjust to new technology, for example. What do we call this?
Cultural lag
Explain the distinction between high culture and popular culture and give an example of each
High Culture - cultural patterns that distinguish a country´s elite.
Popular Culture - cultural patterns that are widespread among a society´s population
Knock before entering someone´s office. Say please and thank you. Be punctual. These are examples of _________
Folkways!
Define norms, identify the two major types and give an example of each
Rules of conduct that help society enforce its values. Mores are more serious norms that, if broken, threaten social stability. Folkways are less serious. They define what is appropriate and inappropriate behavior.
Ex. Murder v. Picking your nose
Describe the relationship between values and norms.
Values are more abstract principles about what is right and wrong. They represent general guidelines, while norms are more specific rules of behavior that help societies enforce values.
We should avoid imposing our own standards of right and wrong on others. When confronting an unfamiliar cultural practice, we should resist making judgments before grasping what "they" think of the issue. This way, we can avoid being _______________.
Ethnocentric
What is a symbol and why is it important to culture? Give an example of a symbol that has changed through time.
Symbols are anything that carries a particular meaning recognized by people who share a culture. Symbols change all the time!
Ex: miniskirts, cigarettes, airplanes, language
In many countries, U.S. products such as Coca-Cola, Pepsi, hamburgers and KFC are viewed as parasites. Why (and how does this relate to something we´ve learned about culture!)?
Because they are seen as a symbol of American consumerism and cultural dominance that undermine traditional cultural values.
Specific customs and practices that are common to all societies. Can you name one?
Subcultures are groups that share cultural patterns that set them apart from society
Countercultures are groups that share social patterns that strongly oppose those accepted by society
Each culture determines what is morally right and wrong and has its own set of moral values. It doesn't make sense to try and identify universal moral standards that apply to everyone..
Examples: cannibalism, slavery, child labor.....
What is cultural capital? Give an example of why this concept is important.
In Islamic societies, many women wear a veil to hide part of the face or even cover the entire body.
What can we say about this cultural norm from a functionalist perspective?
What could we say about this cultural norm from a conflict perspective?
Functionalism - veiling can provide safety during crises. It also can symbolize modesty and religiosity
Confict - veiling symbolizes the segregation of women and men in a patriarchal society where men hold all the power