Sociology, Chapter 2, Culture

What three areas do sociologists study when assessing variations among culture?

-cultural universals -cultural diversity -change inside cultures

List the five elements that all cultures share and explain each.

1) values: broad, abstract, and basic ideas that reflect what's desirable, proper, good, preferred, important and right 2) norms: guidelines and shared standards or behaviors 3) symbols: commonly understood gestures, words, objects, sounds, and designs that stand for something else 4) knowledge: element of culture that attempts to define what exists or the reality of the world 5) beliefs: theories and ideas about the nature of the physical and social world

What are the key characteristics of a society?

a society is a large number of people who live in the same area, see themselves as separate and different people from people outside of their territory, and participate in a common culture.

Nonmaterial Culture

abstract creations by the people of a culture, such as ideas, rules, and beliefs

Cultural Values

collection of what is considered to be good, desirable, and proper in a culture

Symbols

commonly understood gestures, words, objects, sounds, colors, or designs that stand for something else

Make distinctions between cultural universals, cultural diversity, and changes that could occur within cultures.

cultural universals are features that are common to all cultures, like laws, marriage, and sports. cultural diversity is common in most nations, in which ethnic groups (subcultures) hold varying cultural beliefs and customs. all cultures continually evolve at different rates, depending on how a society's norms are internalized and on changes in values, beliefs, and technology.

Knowledge

element of culture that attempts to define what exists or the reality of the world

Folkways

everyday habits and conventions of people

Narcissism

extreme self-centeredness

Cultural Universals

features of societies that are common to all cultures

Subculture

group of people who share some of the broad traditions of a culture but also follow values and norms that are unique to them

Counterculture

group that rejects the values and norms of a larger culture and replaces them with a new set

Norms

guidelines, including folkways and mores, that people, in a culture follow in their relations with one another

Technology

knowledge and tools people use to shape and mold their environment for practical purposes

Society

large number of people who live in the same area, see themselves as separate and different from people outside their territory, and participate in a common culture

Internalization of Norms

largely subconscious process in which a culture's norms become part of an individual's own set of attitudes and beliefs

What are laws? How can laws affect folkways and mores?

laws are written rules of conduct that are enacted and enforced by the government. laws may formalize folkways. they may also uphold and enforce major mores, as with laws against rape, robbery, and murder.

What is the difference between material and nonmaterial culture? List some examples.

material culture refers to a set of concrete objects created or used by people of a culture (computers, cars, clothes, etc.) Nonmaterial culture is composed of abstract human creations (ideas rules, and social patterns)

What two categories are norms divided into?

norms are guidelines people follow in their relations with one another. they are shared standards of desirable behaviors. they're divided into 2 categories: folkways and mores.

Cultural Relativism

principle that behavior in one culture should not be judged by the standards of another

Diffusion

process by which cultural items are spread from one group to group or society to society

Acculturation

process of acquiring the culture of a group or society other than one's own

Taboo

prohibition against one of society's most important mores

Hedonism

pursuit of pleasure above all other values

Sanctions

rewards and punishments

Culture Complex

set of interrelated culture traits

Material Culture

set of physical objects constructed by people of a culture

Cultural Trait

single object, action, or belief produced by a culture

Culture

system of values, norms, symbols, and knowledge that a society shares

Ethnocentrism

tendency to assume that one's own culture is normal and superior to all others

What is culture and what kinds of elements make up culture?

the rules that guide the collective behavior of a society are known as culture. it consists of a society's beliefs, history, knowledge, language, customs, morals, and skills. it's also comprised of the objects people use that reflect their way of life.

Beliefs

theories and ideas about the nature of the physical and social world

Self-Fufillment

thorough development of individual talents and potential

What are some traditional cultural values that Americans hold?

traditional american values include success, worl, morality & humanitarianism, efficiency, progress, equality, freedom, and patriotism.

Mores

traditional rules of a people or a society that have powerful moral significance attached to them

Laws

written rules of conduct enacted and enforced by the government