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.