Ch.2 - Culture: Soc 101
3 guaranteed things in life
die, taxes, change
What is culture shock?
disorientation due to experience of another culture
What is an invention?
Taking existing cultural items and combining them into a form that did not exist before. Such as hybrid cars.
What is important of the distinction between Mores and Folkways?
They describe relative importance to society
What is ideal culture as opposed to real culture?
Ideal culture is what culture should be like or ought to be like, when values are often in a positive light
What is an example of Folkways?
Leaving space between you and a person in an open room, Looking into a person's eyes, Greeting formally
What are some examples of emerging values?
Leisure, physical fitness, concern for the environment
What are the top 2 values of U.S. society, in order?
1. Achievement and success 2.individualism
What are the 2 sets of distinctions between Types of Norms?
1. Formal vs. Informal, 2. Mores vs. Folkways
What chronological order of diffusion was discussed in class?
1. Human exploration, 2. Military conquest, 3. Missionary work, 4.Tourism, 5. Mass media
What is Conformity?
Agreeing with the norm, which lends itself to rewards
What is cultural diffusion and what is another name for it?
Also known as globalization, it is how culture is shared or spread from one group to another.
What are examples of what we do for nonmaterial culture?
Celebrations, Speaking in our own language, Attending church, etc.
What are values?
Collective conceptions of what is good, desireable, and proper. Alternatively indicates what is bad, undesireable, and improper. Keyword: Collective
What is cuture?
Culture are Customs, Knowledge, Material Objects, and Behavior. CKMOB
What usually occurs with ethnocentrism?
Culture shock
What are examples of Cultural Universals?
Dating, Dancing, Division of Labor, Family, Language,
What example applies to first part of Sapir Whorf Hypothesis?
Different cultures have multiple words for levels of affection, thus their thought process distinguishes the levels. America uses love for many things, therefore their thought process does not really include levels of affection.
What is Non-conformity?
Disagreeing with the norm, disobeying and refusing it, which lends itself to penalties
What are norms?
Established standards of behavior
What is the Sapir Whorf Hypothesis?
First - Language precedes thought, Second - Conceptualization(the way that we think) only can occur through the use of language.
What are Cultural Universals?
General practices found in every culture, however! The ways in which they are expressed or practiced may be different from culture to culture
Are sanctions powerful or weak?
Incredibly powerful
What are the 4 elements of culture?
Language, Value, Norms, Sanctions
Ex. Of Cultural Lag
Laws to govern the internet while people still think the internet is freedomain for anyone
What is a discovery?
Making known or sharing an aspect of reality. Such as discovery of fire.
What are 2 types of Culture?
Material culture and Nonmaterial culture
What are the downsides of values?
Members can feel devalued, unrealistic expectations made, inability to keep up with society's pace.
Which is slower to change of material and nonmaterial culture?
Nonmaterial culture because material changes occur faster than people are able to accept them.
What is Mores?
Norms that are highly necessary for the welfare of society, often reflecting the most "cherished principles" of a culture, "formalized"
What is Folkways?
Norms that govern everyday behavior, generally not written down, but understood, informal
What are examples of sanctions?
Speeding tickets, timeouts, scholarships, dessert
What are sanctions?
Penalties and Rewards for conduct concering a norm
What is an example of gender related language?
Policeman to Police officer, Congressman to Politician, Mailman to postal worker.
What is an example of Mores?
Protection of children, Varying degrees of murder
What is material culture?
Represents something that is physical and tangible. - jewelry, cell phones, clothes
What is nonmaterial culture?
Represents something you cannot touch - Thinking and Doing
What is cultural leveling?
The blending of cultures. The world feels smaller because of it. No longer need to travel far distances to experience Italy, Asia, etc.
What are motives for conformity?
The fear of penalties from nonconformity such as not being able to support a family, not having a degree while your peers do, not having a job
What is an example of the second part of Sapir Whorf Hypothesis?
The idea that language is necessary to create thoughts.
What is ethnocentrism?
The tendency to assume that ones own culture and way of life represent the norm or are superior to all others
What was discussed for racist and stereotyped language?
The use of black and white to provide negative and positive connotations. Blackmarket vs. White lie
How does culture develop and/or change?
Through inventions, discoveries, cultural diffusion, and cultural leveling.
What is an informal norm?
Usually not written down, but generally understood. Can often be arguable. Ex. Raising hands to speak, Holding the door for woman, Walking on the outside of the curb
What is a formal norm?
Usually written down and and specify punishment for violators. Ex. Laws
What are value clusters?
Values that coincide or agree with one another such as democracy and equality, progress and Science&Technology
What are Value contradictions?
Values that disagree and conflict with one another such as equality and Racism&Group Superiority, Religiosity and Science&Technology
What are examples of what we think for nonmaterial culture?
Values, Beliefs, Assumptions
What is Cultural Lag?
When nonmaterial culture is still adapting
Why is cultural diffusion important?
Without this process, cultures would have no chance to interact
What is cultural relativism?
places a priority on understanding on other cultures than dismissing them as strange or exotic
