American Value System: Traditional & Changing Values

1. Chapter 3Cultural Conformity and Adaptation

2. Section 1: The American Value System Read to Discover • What are the basic values that form the foundation of American culture? • What new values have developed in the United States since the 1970s?

3. Section 1: The American Value System Question What basic values form the foundation of American culture?

4. Traditional American Values Section 1: The American Value System •  Personal achievement •  Individualism •  Work •  Morality and humanitarianism •  Efficiency and practicality  Progress and material comfort • Equality and democracy • Freedom

5. Section 1: The American Value System • Personal Achievement—nation built primarily by people valued individual achievement, as in the area of employment • Individualism—success comes through hard work and initiative • Work—discipline, dedication, and hard work are viewed as signs of virtue

6. Section 1: The American Value System • Morality and Humanitarianism—high value is placed on morality and the world is viewed in terms of right and wrong; quick to help the less fortunate • Efficiency and Practicality—practical and inventive; every problem has a solution; objects are judged on their usefulness and people on their ability to get things done

7. Section 1: The American Value System • Progress and Material Comfort—through hard work and determination, living standards will continue to improve • Equality and Democracy—to have human equality, there must be an equality of opportunity; success must be earned • Freedom—freedoms of choice such as religion, speech, and press must be protected from government interference

8. Section 1: The American Value System Question What new values have developed in the United States since the 1970s?

9. Section 1: The American Value System Our Changing Values • Commitment to the full development of one’s personality, talents, and potential; self-fulfillment includes leisure, physical fitness, and youthfulness • Environmental protection • Education and religion were deemed important by students who were polled

10. Section 2: Social Control Read to Discover • How are the norms of society enforced? • What are the differences between positive and negative sanctions and between formal and informal sanctions?

11. Section 2: Social Control Question How are the norms of society enforced, and what are the four types of sanctions?

12. Section 2: Social Control • Internalization—process by which a norm becomes a part of an individual’s personality, thus conditioning that individual to conform to society’s expectations • Sanctions—rewards and punishments used to enforce conformity to the norms Enforcing the Norms of Society

13. ENFORCEMENT OF SOCIAL NORMS Section 2: Social Control Sanctions:rewards or punishments used to enforce conformity to norms Internalization: how a norm becomes part of a person’s personality, causing them to conform to society’s expectations Positive:action that rewards a particular kind of behavior Formal:reward or punishment by a formal organization or regulatory agency, such as a school Informal:spontaneous expression of approval or disapproval by an individual or group Negative:punishment or the threat of punishment to enforce conformity

14. Section 2: Social Control Question What are the differences between positive and negative sanctions and between formal and informal sanctions?

15. Section 2: Social Control • Positive Sanction—action that rewards a particular kind of behavior such as good grades or a pay raise • Negative Sanction—punishment or the threat of punishment to enforce conformity such as frowns, imprisonment, and even death

16. Section 2: Social Control • Formal Sanction—rewards or punishments by a formal organization or regulatory agency such as the government; includes promotions, awards, or low grades • Informal Sanction—spontaneous expression of approval or disapproval by an individual or group such as a standing ovation, gifts, gossip, or ridicule

17. Section 3: Social Change Read to Discover • What are the main sources of social change? • What factors lead people to resist social change?

18. Section 3: Social Change Question What are the main sources of social change?

19. Section 3: Social Change • Values and Beliefs—changes in values and beliefs are often caused by ideology spread through social movements • Technology—new knowledge and tools people use to manipulate their environment • Population—change in size of population may bring about changes in the culture

20. Section 3: Social Change • Diffusion—process of spreading culture traits from one society to another • Physical Environment—the environment may provide conditions that encourage or discourage cultural change • Wars and Conquests—exposure to new cultures; changes in politics, economy, population, property, technology, medicine

21. Values and Beliefs Technology Population Diffusion Physical Environment Wars and Conquests Section 3: Social Change Source of Social Change Social Consequence Example

22. Section 3: Social Change Question What factors lead people to resist social change?

23. Section 3: Social Change • Ethnocentrism—tendency to view one’s own culture or group as superior, which can lead to segregation • Cultural Lag—a delay in cultural change, such as in the introduction and use of computers • Vested Interests—satisfaction with and an investment in the status quo, which can lead to such things as a focus on maintaining budgets over a focus on providing a quality education

24. Chapter Assignments • Complete the Open Book Test/Worksheet • Project – American Values • Students will work with their team. • Each team is to select a product, theme, Idea, etc., which they will promote. (examples: supporting the troops, being “Green”, etc.) • Create an advertisement which uses at least four of the American values discussed in Chapter 3, Section 1. • You may research the internet for ideas. • Brainstorm your ideas with your team members and select your theme. • Create an advertisement which your class will present to the class. • Classified ad for a newspaper or magazine. • A billboard ad (miniaturized to bulletin board or poster size. • A handbill or flyer or a poster.