7 ELEMENTS OF CULTURE

1. 7 ELEMENTS OF CULTURE

2. Culture includes the food, dress, language, traditions, and general way of life of a group of people that are passed along by communication and imitation usually from one generation to the next.

3. Social Organization Put a number above who you feel is the leader on down. Draw a picture of everyone in your home including yourself and any pets.

4. Social Organizations work together to meet needs of the group Family Patterns – most important – defines belief system and behavioral expectations • Nuclear families – • Extended families – Family Structure - • Patriarchal – • Matriarchal – Husband, wife, kids Same as above plus grandparents, aunts, uncles or other relatives Father or oldest male is the head of the family or leader Mother or female as the head of family or leader

5. Social Class – • Upper class – White Collar • Middle Class – Blue Collar • Lower class - Working Class In some cultures you can not move up or down – Can we in the US? • Can you think of other groups?

6. CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS Customs and traditions also provide us with rules of conduct or behavior – varies with cultures • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRdfX7ut8gw&feature=related Laws – rules we live by and are enforced Social pressures – enforces rules of life

7. CUSTOMS a practice handed down from the past • MANNERS (such as shaking someone’s hand when you meet them) • RELIGIOUS RITUALS (baptism, fasting, etc.) • ETHNIC PRACTICES

8. TRADITIONS special holidays, something done every year at a specific time (or may be more or less frequent) BIRTHDAYS ANNIVERSARIES NATIONAL HOLIDAYS OTHER HOLIDAYS Make a list of customs and traditions in your family.

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10. Language defines a culture El idioma define unacultura La langue définit une culture 言語が文化を定義します وتعرف لغة وثقافة भाषा की संस्कृति को परिभाषित

11. General Appearance & Dress • American culture puts large emphasis on dress and appearance • Different appearances and styles of dress communicate different ideas • Dress and appearance often times reflect one’s social status

12. 2. Body Movement • Desire to control one’s environment around them • Biting nails, tapping feet, clicking pens, playing with something in one’s hands are all examples of body movement being used to communicate

13. 3. Posture • Bowing (not done, criticized, or affected in US; shows rank in Japan) • Slouching (rude in most Northern European areas) • Hands in pocket (disrespectful in Turkey) • Sitting with legs crossed (offensive in Ghana, Turkey) • Showing soles of feet. (Offensive in Thailand, Saudi Arabia) • Even in US, there is a gender difference on acceptable posture

14. 4. Gestures • Some cultures tend to be more animated while others tend to be more restrained • USA: Pointing is done with the index finger • Germany: Pointing is done with the little finger • Japan: Pointing is done with the entire hand • Pointing is considered to be rude in many cultures

15. 5. Facial Expressions • Universal Expressions: Smiling, crying, laughing, disgust • Many Asian cultures suppress facial expression as much as possible. • Many Mediterranean (Latino / Arabic) cultures exaggerate grief or sadness while most American men hide grief or sorrow. • Some see “animated” expressions as a sign of a lack of control. • Too much smiling is viewed in as a sign of shallowness. • Women smile more than men.

16. 6. Eye Contact • USA: Eye contact signifies confidence, attentiveness, respect • Arab Cultures: Prolonged gazing and eye contact is considered essential in communication • Japan: Eye contact is seen as disrespectful towards higher ranking members of society

17. 7. Touch • USA — handshake is common (even for strangers), hugs, kisses for those of opposite gender or of family (usually) on an increasingly  more intimate basis. Note differences between African-Americans and Anglos in USA.  Most African Americans touch on greeting but are annoyed if touched on the head (good boy, good girl overtones). • Islamic and Hindu:  typically don’t touch with the left hand.  To do so is a social insult.  Left hand is for toilet functions.  Mannerly in India to break your bread only with your right hand (sometimes difficult for non-Indians) •  Islamic cultures generally don’t approve of any touching between genders (even hand shakes).  But consider such touching (including hand holding, hugs) between same-sex to be appropriate. • Many Asians don’t touch the head (Head houses the soul and a touch puts it in jeopardy).

18. 8. Smell • USA: Smell and scent of body odor is attempted to be masked (deodorants, cologne, perfume, etc.) • Many cultures see body odor as a natural occurrence and do not attempt to mask it • Some Asian cultures constantly bathe while other cultures rarely do

19. 9. Sounds (Paralanguages) • Vocal characterizers (laugh, cry, yell, moan, whine, belch, yawn).  These send different messages in different cultures (Japan — giggling indicates embarrassment; India – belch indicates satisfaction) • Vocal qualifiers (volume, pitch, rhythm, tempo, and tone).  Loudness indicates strength in Arabic cultures and softness indicates weakness; indicates confidence and authority to the Germans,; indicates impoliteness to the Thais; indicates loss of control to the Japanese. (Generally, one learns not to “shout” in Asia for nearly any reason!).  Gender based as well: women tend to speak higher and more softly than men. • Vocal segregates (un-huh, shh, uh, ooh, mmmh, humm, eh, mah, lah).  Segregates indicate formality, acceptance, assent, uncertainty.

27. EASTERN RELIGION • POLYTHEISTIC – MULTIPLE GODS • KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RELIGION – WORSHIP SOMETHING PHILOSOPHY – WAY OF LIFE TODAY’S STANDING OF RELIGION – CHRISTIANITY (WILL CHANGE) ISLAM HINDUISM

28. OLDEST RECORDED PRACTICING RELIGION HINDUISM3700-3500 BCE FOUNDER NONE STARTED IN INDIA a sacred and holy symbol CONTINUES TO EVOLVE

29. SUPREME BEING • MANY GODS UP TO 330 MILLION • MAJOR GODS • BRAHMA – CREATOR – WORK DONE – NOT WORSHIPPED • VISHNU – PRESERVER OF THE UNIVERSE • SHIVA – DESTORYER OF THE WORLD

30. NAME OF SACRED BOOK MANY SACRED BOOKS WRITTEN IN ANCIENT INDIAN LANGUAGE SANSKRIT TWO MAJOR TEXTS: VEDAS – PRIMARY TEXT – HYMNS, INCANTATIONS, RITUALS UPANISHADS – BRAHMA KNOWLEDGE ANCIENT EPIC POEMS शीघ्रम् अनुवर्तते !

31. METHOD OF REACHING PARADISE ENERGY OR LIFE FORCE CANNOT DIE OR FADE AWAY (REINCARNATION) ULTIMATE GOAL: ENERGY (SOUL) IS ON A CONSTANT JOURNEY TO NIRVANA (BECOME ONE WITH BRAHMA) MOKSHA

32. BELIEFS • YOUR KARMA (EVERY DEED AFFECTS YOUR FUTURE) AND DHARMA (DUTY) IMPACTS YOUR NEXT LIFE CASTE SYSTEM – DETERMINED BY YOUR PAST LIFE

33. NON-THEISTIC 600 BCE LIFE =SUFFERING BUDDHISM FOUNDER SIDDHARTHA GAUTAMA = BUDDHA = “ENLIGHTENED ONE OR AWAKENED ONE” – LIVED IN INDIA HE WAS BORN RICH AND COULDN’T UNDERSTAND THE SUFFERING HE WAS SEEING – SAT UNDER BODHI- TREE OF PERFECT KNOWLEDGE HE WANTED TO UNDERSTAND THE CAUSE OF SUFFERING OTHER INFO – OFF SHOOT OF HINDUISM

34. SUPREME BEING • NO CREATOR • 2 FORMS OF BUDDHISM • THERAVADA – NO GOD – HAPPINESS • MAHAYANA – HUMANITY FOCUS – BELIEVES BUDDHA IS A GOD

35. NAME OF SACRED BOOK • HANDED DOWN IN A COLLECTION OF WRITINGS CALLED TRIPITAKA IN THE THERAVADA TRADITION METHOD OF REACHING PARADISE • SOUL IS REINCARNATED TIL REACH STATE OF NIRVANA • STRIVE TO REACH NIRVANA – STATE OF WANTING NOTHING • GOOD CONDUCT BRINGS HOPE FOR A BETTER FUTURE

36. BELIEFS • BUDDHA EXCEEDED THE GODS – GODS ARE NOT IMPORTANT, BUT REMOVING THE SORROW FROM THE MASSES IS • FOLLOW THE 4 NOBLE TRUTHS AND THE EIGHT FOLD PATH – THESE ARE THEIR RULES AND GUIDELINES FOR LIVING • LIVE A MODERATE LIFE WITHOUT EXTREME • KINDNESS, GOODNESS, TRUTHFULNESS • LIVE A LIFE OF COMPASSION AND NON-VIOLENCE • REJECTS THE CASTE SYSTEM • BELIEVE IN KARMA (EVERY DEED AFFECTS YOUR FUTURE) AND DHARMA (DUTY)

37. FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS • LIFE IS FILLED WITH PAIN AND SUFFERING IS UNIVERSAL (ALL CAN FEEL IT) • THE CAUSE OF SUFFERING IS DESIRE • THE ONLY WAY TO END SUFFERING IS TO END DESIRE • FOLLOW THE EIGHTFOLD PATH TO ELIMINATE DESIRE

38. Western Religions

39. Judaism • Around 1800 BCE, Hebrews migrated from Palestine to Egypt due to drought • Moses: Leader of the Hebrews who led them out of Egypt to Canaan • Covenant: Holy and binding agreement • Moses made a covenant with God that if the Hebrews accepted Him as their ruler then they would be earth’s chosen people • Eventually, the Hebrews settled in Judea in Canaan and the Hebrews began to refer to themselves as Jews

41. Kingdom of Israel • King David: Skilled general who united Israel • Solomon: Son of David, who was a tolerant ruler who helped transform the city of Jerusalem into a great capital • Eventually, revolts broke out and foreign invaders forced the Jews out of Israel • In 500 BCE, Persians conquered allowing the return of the Jewish people • Diaspora: (70 CE) Jews revolted against Roman rule and were forced out of Palestine, scattering all over the world • Over time, Judaism evolved from these people with the Yahweh being their God and the Torah their holy text

42. Christianity • Jesus: Founder of Christianity, was born a Jew under Roman rule in Palestine • Jesus became a preacher at about age 30, helping the poor and was said to have performed miracles like healing the sick and raising the dead • Messiah: Prophets predicted the chosen one would lead the Jews back to Israel • Some believed Jesus was the messiahs, most Jewish leaders did not • In 33 CE, Jesus was arrested by Roman officials for rebelling and was sentenced to death by crucifixion

43. Spread of Christianity • Christians: Followers of Jesus named after the Greek word for “anointed” • Romans typically tolerated all religion but they saw Christians as dangerous because they ignored Roman gods, thus, they were persecuted • Martyrs: Someone who dies for their beliefs • In 313 CE, Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity and by 395 CE it became the official religion of Rome • Pope: Bishop of Rome/ Father of the Church • Eastern Orthodox: Practiced in Byzantine Empire; Emperor controlled the Church not the Pope

46. Islam • Muhammad: Born in 570 CE in Mecca (Saudi Arabia) he became the founder of Islam • The angel Gabriel came to him while praying and told him to proclaim the word of God • Koran: Muslim holy text of the word Gabriel spoke to Muhammad over a 12 year span • After the death of his wife, Khadija, Muhammad left for the city of Yathrib which later became known as Median (“City of the Prophet”)

47. Muhammad’s Journey • Hejira: The migration of Muhammad and his followers from Mecca to Medina • This journey marked the official start of the spread of Islam and became the first year on the Muslim calendar • In 630 CE, shortly before his death Muhammad returned to Mecca • In Mecca, Muhammad destroyed all idols and images and proclaimed that there was only one, true god

49. 5 Pillars of Islam • There is only one god, Allah, and Muhammad is the last prophet • Muslims must pray five times a day towards Mecca • Paying charity or alms • Fasting during Ramadan, the ninth month where Gabriel spoke to Muhammad • Hajj: Pilgrimage to Mecca • Muslims believe in the same God that Christians and Jews do • Abraham, Moses, and Jesus are seen as prophets of Islam

50. Government & Economics