Sociology: Chapter 3 Culture

What determines the cultural meaning of physical objects?

-Assigned by the culture that creates them. -Can vary among societies and change over time. -Objects can carry meanings.

Negatives of ethnocentrism

-Divides people. -Can lead to hatred and violence. -Prevent change for the better.

How does hereditary affect human behaviors?

-Heredity sets broad parameters for the development of some behaviors. -Actual behaviors are a combination between genetics and environment.

Culture v. Instincts

-Humans are not controlled by instincts alone. -Culture helps us learn ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving.

Criticisms of sociobiology

-Importance placed on genetics can be used to justify races as superior or inferior. -Too much variation, for human behavior, is to be explained on biological grounds.

How does language facilitate cultural transmission?

-Language frees humans from the limits of time and space. -We can pass our experience, ideas, and knowledge to others.

Folkways

-Norms that lack moral significance. If broken: Disapproval is not great.

How are society and culture connected?

-One cannot exist without the others. -The different elements of culture(language, values, customs, and so forth) form a whole culture.

Why do cultural universals exist?

-Shared by all human beings -Physical environment -Types of social problems.

Robin William's(not an actor) list of American Norms:

1. Achievement and success 2. Activity and work 3. Efficiency and practicality 4. Equality 5. Democracy 6. Group superiority

Activity and Work:

1. Action over inaction. 2. Continuous and regular work. 3. Promotion for merit.

Equality:

1. Belief in equality for all citizens. 2. Expanded for minorities and women.

Why does culture change?

1. Discovery 2. Invention 3. Diffusion

Achievement and Success:

1. Emphasize achievement(at work). 2. Based on effort and competition. 3. Wealth is the symbol.

Democracy:

1. Equal rights and opportunities. 2. Elect their own government.

3 types of norms

1. Folkways 2. Mores 3. Laws

What is the importance of culture?

1. Helps explain human behavior. 2. Provides a blueprint.

3 factors that cause change in Norms:

1. Invention 2. Discovery 3. Diffusion

Efficiency and Practically:

1. Pride in doing things. 2. Looking for better and faster ways of doing things. 3. Love science and technology.

Real Culture

Actual behavior.

Values

Broad ideas that most people consider to be desirable.

Positives of ethnocentrism

Builds group loyalty and maintains traditions and values.

Invention

Creation of new cultural elements, including objects or ideas.

How have some of these values changed over time?

Due to a change in the norms. -Less emphasize on group superiority. -Play as hard as they work.

Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis

Edward Sapir and Benjamin Whorf's hypothesis that language creates ways of thinking and perceiving. Ex: values of time to the united states.

Cultural universals

Exist in all cultures.

How can learning a new language change our view of the world?

Exposure to another language/new worlds changes our perception of the world by helping us view the world differently.

Cultural particulars

Expresses universal traits.

formal and informal sanctions

Formal sanctions- Imposed by the authority. applied by most of society. Informal sanctions- Norms that are not enforced by the authority.

Laws

Formally defined and enforced by officials. if broken: Law enforcement steps in.

Instincts

Inherited patterns of behavior

Reflexes

Inherited, automatic reactions.

How does ethnocentrism affect perceptions?

It causes shock and people to be wrapped in their own culture.

Ethnocentrism

Judging others in terms. Ex: Our ways of living should be adopted by others.

Material culture vs Non material culture

Material Culture are the physical objects that were created by a group of people within a particular culture. Non material Culture are thoughts or ideas that make up a culture.

Taboos

Norms that are so strong violation demands punishments by the group. Ex: Incest and Cannibalism.

Counterculture

Opposed to certain beliefs or attitudes. Ex: Goth or punk groups.

Subculture

Part of, yet different.

Why are beliefs important?

People base their behavior on what they believe.

Folk Culture

Practiced by traditional groups.

Norms

Rules that define behavior.

Social categories

Share social characteristics.

Sociobiology

The study of how biology influences human behavior.

Symbols

Things that stand for or represent something else.

Group Superiority

To place a greater value on people of their own race, ethnic group, social group, and religious group.

What is the Nature v. Nurture argument?

Twin Studies

Discovery

Understanding of something already known.

What is the connection between values and norms?

Values form the basis of norms.

Pop Culture

Widespread among a society´s population.

Nonmaterial culture

beliefs, ideas, and knowledge.

Ideal Culture

cultural guidelines that group members claim to accept.

Beliefs

ideas about the nature of reality. -Provide sense to a community.

Drives

impulse to reduce discomfort.

Cultural Relevance

making sure materials are appropriate for culture.

Mores

norms that are widely observed and have great moral significance. If broken: Violation brings strong disapproval.

Society

people who share a culture and a territory.

Material Culture

physical objects that were created by people.

Sanctions

rewards or punishments used to enforce conformity to norms.

Culture

the knowledge, language, values, customs, and physical objects are passed from generation to the next in groups.

cultural transmission

the process by which one generation passes culture to the next. Transmission of culture using symbols.

Difussion

the spread of ideas from one culture to another.