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Cultural Variation

Cultural Variation . Chapter 2, Section 2. Common Features of Culture. Cultures are vastly different, even though societies all have the same basic needs to meet . Features common to all cultures are known as cultural universals .

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Cultural Variation

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  1. Cultural Variation Chapter 2, Section 2

  2. Common Features of Culture • Cultures are vastly different, even though societies all have the same basic needs to meet. • Features common to all cultures are known as cultural universals. • Societies meet these features differently, depending on biological features and environment. • George Murdock (anth.) came up with a list of over 65 of these. • While they may look different, their purpose is similar across cultures.

  3. Societal Variations • Margaret Mead (anth.) conducted a study in the 1930s to determine whether temperament resulted from inherited characteristics or cultural influence. • Mead looked at two societies from Papua New Guinea– The Arapesh and Mundugumor.

  4. The Two Societies • Arapesh • Cotented, gentle, nonagressive. • Both men and women are involved in childcare • Children are raised by many, and taught to take out their aggressions w/o harming others. • Mundugumor • Aggressive • Men and women are both competitive and jealous • Hostility between own family members

  5. Mead’s Findings • Temperament resulted more from culture than inherited traits. • Differences between the two societies were much greater than between men and women of the same tribe that’s from which she based her conclusion.

  6. Studying Variation • When examining other cultures, it can be tempting to draw inaccurate conclusions based on our own biases. • Ethnocentrism= the tendency to view one’s own group as superior. • Cultural relativism= belief that cultures should be judged by their own standards rather than applying them to the standards of another.

  7. Variation within Society • Subculture= a group of individuals who share values, norms and behaviors not shared by the entire population. • Edwin Sutherland. • Benefits? • Society is dependent on subcultures to provide different functions. • Subcultures make societies more open to change. • Counterculture= rejection of major values, norms, and practices and replacement with own. • Ex: Anarchists, organized crime families, Hippies

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