Assignment

1. Assignment • On page 20 Complete the Chapter 1 Review • Only Identifying People and Ideas, Understanding the Main Idea, AND Thinking Critically • You must do this on a hard copy • You have 30-35 minutes to complete this, if it is not finished it will be homework

2. Chapter 2 Cultural Diversity

3. Buy or Sell All Cultures are the same? Cultural practices are only dictated by wealthy in societies Sociologist consider western culture superior to all other culture

4. What is Culture • Culture- consists of all shared products of human groups. These products include both physical objects and beliefs, values, and behaviors of a shared group • Material culture- physical objects that people create and use • Ex; cars, books, buildings, clothing utensils • Nonmaterial culture- abstract human creations • Ex: beliefs, family patterns, ideas, language • Society Vs. Culture • Society consist of people culture consist of the material and nonmaterial products that people create

5. The Components of Culture • Culture is learned and shared • People in a society choose from among the same broad set of material and nonmaterial elements in their culture • The specific material and nonmaterial elements vary from culture to culture • All cultures have the same basic components • Technology, symbols, language, values, and norms

6. Technology • There are rules for using material and nonmaterial elements in each culture • Technology- is the combination of objects and rules • Using items of material culture, particularly tools, requires knowledge of various skills which is part of nonmaterial culture • Ex: Computer languages, how to use the internet • Sociologist are interested in the rules and behaviors when using these materials in culture • Ex: hacking someone’s computer is unacceptable

7. Symbols Use of Symbols is the basis of every culture How we communicate to members in our society Any object, gesture, image, sound, event, or element can mean something as long as we attach and agree on it’s meaning All cultures communicate symbolically

8. Symbol • Anything that represents something else • What are some symbols you can think of? • Create a list of 10 symbols from society.

19. Language Language- the organization of written or spoken symbols into a standardized system Used to express ideas In America most people use English to communicate. It is the principle language American culture uses in schools, books, and speech.

20. Values Language and symbols help us communicate our values Values- are shared beliefs about what is good or bad, right or wrong, desirable or undesirable Values help determine a value system on which on is judged by Values help determine material and nonmaterial elements in culture

21. Norms All groups create norms to enforce their cultural values Norms are shared rules of conduct that tell people how to act in specific situations Norms are expectation not actual behaviors We have various norms in our society to the important to unimportant Some norms are directed at selective groups

22. Norms • Norms vary in the strictness in which they are enforced • Folkways are norms that describe socially acceptable behaviors but do not have moral significance attached to them • Shaking hands as a greeting, eating with a fork and a knife, do your homework • Failure to abide by folkways will usually only result in a minor reprimanding • Mores- have great significance attached to them. This relation exists because the violations of such rule endanger society’s well being and stability • Fraud, murder • Society has developed punishments for violating mores, serious mores are enforced by laws. Most laws enforce mores but some also enforce folkways

23. Examining Culture • Culture is continually changing (dynamic culture) • Sociologist study culture on the levels of traits, complexes, and patterns • Cultural Traits- (the simplest level of culture) it is an individual tool, act, or belief, that is related to a particular situation or need • Types of utensils or types of greetings • Culture Complexes- (next level) is a cluster of interrelated traits • A trait that involves various traits such as the NFL and football games • Culture Patterns- (biggest level) is the combination of a number of culture complexes into an interrelated whole. They form the important components of a society’s culture. • Such as American athletic patterns, education, family life, or religion.

24. Cultural Variations • What do we have in common? • Why are cultures when all humans have the same basic need • Humans have the abilities to meet their basic needs in various ways • Cultural universals- are features of culture that are common to all cultures • Cooking, dancing, family, feasting, forms of greetings, funerals, music, religion, myths, sports… ect

25. Variations Among Societies Turn to page 32. We will read in Chapter 2 section 2 “Variation Among Societies” together

26. Studying Variations Cultural variations are differences among societies and cultures Sociologist must be careful when studying the differences between cultures to not become biased in their observations and conclusions Ethnocentrism- the tendency to view one’s own culture and group as superior All people are ethnocentric, the idea that one’s beliefs and ideas are right and good helps build unity within a group We all struggle with seeing other’s cultures through our own on cultural lens

27. Studying Variations Cultural Relativism- the belief that cultures should be judged by their own standards rather than applying the standard of another culture Understand the culture from the point of view from someone within side that culture

28. Variations Within Societies Cultural variations can occur within a society With unique subculture As an American culture we share a collection of traits, complexes, and patterns. However, different subgroups with in American culture have different value and norms Most subculture do not reject all values and practices of the larger society Many subcultures help society like the military, teachers, police, lawyers, doctors and subculture that vary from ethnic groups help diversify our larger culture

29. Variations within Societies • Some subcultures practices are consciously intended to challenge the values of the larger society • Counterculture- Sometimes a group rejects the major values, norms, and practices of the larger society and replaces them with a new set of cultural patterns • Hippies of the 1960’s, organized crime families, anarchists • Sociologists must apply cultural relativism when studying any time of subculture

30. Assignment • 1. Draw, write, or compose • Either draw a comic strip(s), write a poem, or compose a song that explains the American culture. Explain and give examples of the use of a material culture, non-material culture, technology, symbols, language, values, norms, folkways, mores, culture traits, culture complexes, and culture patterns in American culture. • 2. Chapter 2 Review • Understanding the Main Ideas • Writing About Sociology

31. Assignment