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Chapter 2. Culture. Chapter Outline. Culture and Society in a Changing World Components of Culture Technology, Cultural Change, and Diversity A Global Popular Culture? Sociological Analysis of Culture Culture in the Future. Questions for You…. Think about your definition of culture…..
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Chapter 2 Culture
Chapter Outline • Culture and Society in a Changing World • Components of Culture • Technology, Cultural Change, and Diversity • A Global Popular Culture? • Sociological Analysis of Culture • Culture in the Future
Questions for You… • Think about your definition of culture….. • How would you describe your culture to someone who is not familiar with your culture? • What values, traditions, beliefs, holidays, celebrations, and material objects are important in your culture? • What have you learned based on your culture?
Culture • The knowledge, language, values, customs, and material objects that are passed from person to person and from one generation to the next in a human group or society.
Culture • Culture is essential for survival and communication with other people. • Culture is learned through interaction, observation and imitation. • Culture is fundamental for the survival of societies. • Culture is the “essence” of human social interaction.
Culture • Material culture • Physical or tangible creations (such as clothing shelter, and art) that members of a society make, use, and share. • Nonmaterial culture • Abstract or intangible human creations of society (such as attitudes, beliefs, and values) that influence people’s behavior.
How Much Do You Know About Global Food and Culture? • True or False? • Cheese is a universal food enjoyed by people of all nations and cultures.
How Much Do You Know About Global Food and Culture? • False. • Although cheese is a popular food in many cultures, most of the people living in China find cheese very distasteful and prefer delicacies such as duck feet.
How Much Do You Know About Global Food and Culture? • True or False? • Giving round-shaped foods to the parents of new babies is considered to be lucky in some cultures.
How Much Do You Know About Global Food and Culture? • True. • Round foods such as pears, grapes, and mooncakes are given to celebrate the birth of babies, because the shape of the food is believed to symbolize family unity.
Gestures with Different Meanings in Other Societies “Hook ‘em Horns” or “Your spouse is unfaithful”
“Okay” Or “I’ll kill you” Gestures with Different Meanings in Other Societies
Cultural Universals • Examples: • Appearance (bodily adornment, hairstyles) • Activities (sports, dancing, games, joking) • Social institutions (family, law, religion) • Practices (cooking, folklore, gift giving)
Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis • According to this theory, language shapes the view of reality of its speakers. • If people are able to think only through language, then language must precede thought.
Ten Core American Values • Individualism • Achievement and Success • Activity and Work • Science and Technology • Progress and Material Comfort
Ten Core American Values • Efficiency and Practicality • Equality • Morality and Humanitarianism • Freedom and Liberty • Racism and Group Superiority
Polling Question • Do you favor or oppose an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would make English the official language of the United States? • Favor • Oppose • No opinion
Norms • Norms are established rules of behavior or standards of conduct. • Prescriptive norms state what behavior is appropriate or acceptable. • Proscriptive norms state what behavior is inappropriate or unacceptable.
Formal and Informal Norms • Formal norms are written down and involve specific punishments for violators. • Laws are the most common type of formal norms. • Informal norms are unwritten standards of behavior understood by people who share a common identity. • When individuals violate informal norms, people may apply informal sanctions.
Folkways • Everyday customs that may be violated without serious consequences within a particular culture. • In the United States, folkways include: • using deodorant • brushing our teeth • wearing appropriate clothing for a specific occasion
Mores • Strongly held norms with moral and ethical connotations that may not be violated without serious consequences. • Taboos are mores so strong that violation is considered extremely offensive and even unmentionable. • The incest taboo, which prohibits sexual relations between certain kin, is an example of a nearly universal taboo.
Laws • Formal, standardized norms that have been enacted by legislatures and are enforced by formal sanctions. • Civil law deals with disputes among persons or groups. • Criminal law deals with public safety and well-being.
Technology, Cultural Change, and Diversity • Changes in technology continue to shape the material culture of society. • Cultural lag is a gap between the technical development of a society and its moral and legal institutions.
Cultural Diversity • Cultural differences between and within nations are caused by: • Natural circumstances • Climate, geography • Social circumstances • Technology, composition of the population
High Culture • Classical music, opera, ballet, live theater, and other activities patronized by members of the upper-middle and upper classes, with time, money, and knowledge assumed necessary for its appreciation.
Popular Culture • Activities, products, and services that are assumed to appeal primarily to the middle and working classes. • These include rock concerts, spectator sports, movies, and television.
Polling Question • Which cultural background do you identify with the most? Choose only one. • Anglo (white, non-Hispanic) • Hispanic • African American, black • Native American (American Indian) • Asian • Other
The Old Order Amish Subculture • Strong faith in God. • Rejection of worldly concerns. • Rely on horse and buggy for transportation.
Examples of Countercultures • Beatniks of the 1950’s • Flower Children of the 1960’s • Drug Enthusiasts of the 1970’s
Culture Shock, Ethnocentrism, and Cultural Relativism • Culture shock refers to the anxiety people experience when they encounter cultures radically different from their own. • Ethnocentrism is the assumption that one’s own culture is superior to others. • Cultural relativism views and analyzes another culture in terms of that culture’s own values and standards.
1. ________ consists of the physical or tangible creations that members of a society make, use, and share. • Nonmaterial culture • Cultural universals • Material culture • High culture
Answer: C • Material culture consists of the physical or tangible creations that members of a society make, use, and share.
2. Language, beliefs, values, rules of behavior, family patterns, and political systems are examples of: • material culture • high culture • nonmaterial culture • cultural universals
Answer: C • Language, beliefs, values, rules of behavior, family patterns, and political systems are examples of nonmaterial culture.
3. An example of a symbol is: • a dove • all of the choices • a heart • Nazi swastika
Answer: B • A dove, a heart, and a Nazi swastika, are all examples of symbols.
3. According to the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis: • reality is objective and is easily understood by humans. • language shapes the view of reality of its speakers. • reality is based on the interactions of individuals. • with more knowledge, a person minimizes the influence of language.
Answer: B • According to the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis, language shapes the view of reality of its speakers.
4. According to Karl Marx, and Marxist theorists: • none of the choices. • ideas are used by agents of the wealthy to affect the thoughts and actions of members of other classes. • ideas are effective for the working classes to motivate the wealthy. • ideas have little impact on the relations between the wealthy and poor in societies.
