Sociology, Chapter 3: CULTURE

What is the first example of a cultural universal?

Creating Family

Culture in Latin

Cultura

How do Theologians and Philosophers study culture?

Debate morals and values of an ideal culture

What is the third example of a cultural universal?

Eating

Some examples of non-material culture/ symbolic culture in the U.S.

THINKING: -democracy -equality -religious freedom -freedom of speech -efficiency BEHAVING: -going to school -going shopping -driving -talking/dating -going out to eat

Moral Holiday

a specified time period during which some norm violations are allowed. ex: Americans hate nudity and is even illegal in some instances, yet in strip clubs and nudest resorts this is allowed.

What does Cultura mean?

a tilling

Responding to Death

all societies have a way of addressing and dealing with death.

Culture Wars

clashes within mainstream society over the values and norms that should be upheld

What are some ways americans think or behave?

diversity

Dogs in China

dogs are symbolic, foodlike, eat dogs, no anti-cruelty laws, no need to go hungry, restaurants

Dogs in America

dogs are symbolic, friend-like, don't eat dogs, anti-cruelty laws, go hungry, pet resorts

Some ways that Americans see cows

food, leather, home decorating, danger, a way of life (farm life), food chain, a derogatory statement about a persons size, and mad cow disease

How do cultural anthropologists study culture?

investigate societies outside of the United States and traveling around the world engaging in empirical fieldwork.

Technology

material artifacts and the knowledge and techniques required to use them.

Non-material culture/symbolic culture

the ideas associated with a cultural group, including the ways of thinking (beliefs, values, and assumptions) and ways of behaving (norms, interactions, and communication)

Symbolic Culture

the ideas associated with a cultural group, including ways of thinking (beliefs, values, and assumptions) and ways of behaving (norms, interactions, and communication)

Norms

rules and expectations by which a society guides the behaviors of its members example: going to school (not a law, an expectation), being clothed in public, practicing common human decency

The 3 examples of cultural universals is an example of?

seeing the general in the particular

How do Archaeologists study culture?

study cultures of the past, digging for artifacts that document the historical realities of peoples long dead.

Some examples of material goods/ culture in the U.S.

-levis blue jeans -the american flag -an iphone -an american girl doll -taco bell

What are 3 examples of cultural universals?

1. Creating a family, 2. Responding to death, 3. Eating

How do humans establish or cultivate culture?

1. Norms & 2. Values

What is culture?

Culture is seen as different from instinct

What is Otaku?

Japanese word used to describe devoted fans, usually of manga, anime, or video games.

The Mukesh Rai Case (1997)

Mukesh Rai is a practicing Hindu, he ordered a bean burrito from Taco Bell, he bit into the burrito and realized it was a beef burrito, Taco Bell refused to give him a refund but did offer to exchange it for a bean burrito, Taco Bell did not refund the difference in price, Rai took time off from work as a pharmacist to travel to India to purify himself by bathing in the holy waters of the Ganges River, Mukesh Rai sued Taco Bell for 144,000$, he received an undisclosed sum.

What is the second example of a cultural universal?

Responding to Death

What are the 3 ways to which to communicate pertaining to symbolic culture?

Signs, signals, and language.

Subculture

a group within society that is differentiated by its distinctive values, norms, and lifestyle (a culture within a culture) ex: culture within a culture that is different yet exists harmoniously within the larger mainstream culture.-----------examples of subcultures: Korean Americans, senior citizens, snowboarders, White Sox fans, greyhound owners, firefighters, and Trekkers.

Counterculture

a group within society that openly rejects or actively opposes society's values and norms. ex: In the 1960's, hippies, antiwar protestors, feminists, and others on the so-called political left were collectively knows as "the counterculture".

Folkways

a loosely enforced norm involving common customs, practices, or procedures that ensure smooth social interaction and acceptance ex: wearing flip flops with a business suit and eating with ur fingers from the buffet line is just not done!

Taboo

a norm ingrained so deeply that even thinking about violating it evokes strong feeling of disgust, horror, or revulsion

Multiculturalism

a policy that values diverse racial, ethnic, national, and linguistic backgrounds and so encourages the retention of cultural differences within the larger society.

Examples of symbols

a smile, a wedding band, an automobile

Cultural Universals

a value, norm, or other cultural trait that is found in every group.

Creating Family

all societies have a way of defining and creating family.

Eating

all societies have a way of producing and consuming foods.

Cows in India

cows are symbolic, god like, don't eat cows, anti-slaughter laws, go hungry, rest homes

Values

culturally defined standards that people use to decide what is desirable, good, and beautiful and that serve as broad guidelines for social living. example: desirable- The American Dream good- love your neighbors beautiful- youth

Mores

norms that carry great moral significance, are closely related to the core values of a cultural group, and often involve severe repercussions for violators ex: prohibition of theft, rape, and murder are also formalized, so that there is not only public condemnation for such acts but also strict laws against them.

How do Art, literature, and film scholars study culture?

novels, films, paintings, and plays.

Symbols/Signs

one item used to stand for or represent another, something to which people attach meaning and then use to communicate with others.

Hegemony

term developed by Antonio Gramsci to describe the cultural aspects of social control, whereby the ideas of the dominant group are accepted by all ex: poplar music, commercial stations have very limited playlists and are determined by station and record company business interests.

Cultural Diffusion

the dissemination of material and symbolic culture (tools and technology, beliefs and behavior) from one group to another.

Define Culture

the entire way of life of a group of people that acts as a lens through which one views the world and that is passed from one generation to the next.

Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis

the idea that structures thought and that ways of looking at the world are embedded in language. language can shape our perception, way of thinking, and seeing.

Cultural Imperialism

the imposition of one culture's beliefs and practices on another culture through media and consumer products rather than by military force.

Real Culture

the norms, values, and patterns of behavior that actually exist within a society (which may or may not correspond to the society's ideals) (what is actually done) ex: an example of the difference between ideal and real cultures is the United States itself, the nation that praises "all men are created equal" the nation doesn't realize equality for all citizens------oppression of women.

Ideal Culture

the norms, values, and patterns of behavior that members of a society believe should be observed in principle (should be observed in principle, but not what is actually done) ex: an example of the difference between ideal and real cultures is the United States itself, the nation that praises "all men are created equal" the nation doesn't realize equality for all citizens------oppression of women.

Material Culture

the objects associated with a cultural group, such as tools, machines, utensils, buildings, and artwork; and physical object to which we give social meaning

Material goods/ material culture:

the physical objects that a society creates; these influence the way people live

Cultural Relativism

the principle of understanding other cultures on their own terms, rather than judging or evaluating according to ones own culture

Ethnocentrism

the principle of using ones own culture as a means or standard by which to evaluate another group or individual, leading to the view that cultures other than ones own are abnormal or inferior (our culture is normal)

Cultual Leveling

the process by which cultures that were once unique and distinct become increasingly similar.

Dominant Culture

the values, norms, and practices of the group within society that is most powerful (in terms of wealth, prestige, status, influence etc.) ex: this is because within the large culture there are many subgroups, these groups are often seen as "alternative" or minority groups

Dogs in America/Dogs in China

these 2 examples also remind if to use our beginners mind: learning to see the general in the particular, learning to see the strange in the familiar

Cows in India; Dogs in America

these 2 examples remind us to use our Beginners Mind: learning to see the general in the particular, learning to see the strange in the familiar

What does "a tilling" mean?

to establish/to cultivate; in this sense culture is the means by which humans cultivate the world.