Sociology- Chapter 3

Taboos

Strong prohibitions of any act that is considered to be extremely offensive and forbidden because of social customs, religious or moral beliefs, or laws. Example: cannibalism, incest, and extramarital sex.

Robin Williams (1970:452-500)

1.) Achievement and success 2.) Activity and work 3.) Humanitarianism 4.) Efficiency and practicality 5.) Progress 6.) Material comfort 7.) Freedom and equality 8.) Conformity 9.) Democracy 10.) Individualism

Counterculture

A group of people who deliberately oppose and consciously reject some of the basic beliefs, values, and norms of the dominant culture. Emerge when people believe they can't achieve their goals within the existing society.

Subculture

A group of people whose distinctive ways of thinking, feeling, and acting differ somewhat from those of the larger society. 1.) Ethnicities (Irish, Mexican, Vietnamese 2.) Religion (evangelical Christians, atheists, Mormons 3.) Politics (Maine republicans, Southern Democrats, independents. 4.) Sex and gender ( heterosexual, lesbian, and transgendered) 5.) Age (older widows, middle schoolers, college students) 6.) Occupation (surgeons, teachers, prostitutes, truck drivers) 7.) Music & Art (jazz aficionados, country music buffs, art lovers) 8.) Social class (billionaires, working poor, middle class) 9.) Recreation (mountain bikers, poker players, dancers)

Cultural shock

A sense of confusion, uncertainty, disorientation, or anxiety that accompanies exposure to an unfamiliar way of life or environment.

Norms

A society's specific rules concerning right and wrong behavior. Tell us what we should, ought, and must do, as well as what we should not, ought not, and must not do. 1.) Most are unwritten, passed down orally from generation to generation. (using the good dishes and tablecloth on special occasions.) 2.) Instrumental because they serve as a specific purpose. (getting rid of garbage because it attracts roaches and rats.) 3.) Some are explicit ( save your money for a rainy day) whereas others are implicit (be respectful at a wake or funeral) 4.) They change over time (it's now more acceptable to have a child out of wedlock but much less acceptable to smoke or drink alcohol while pregnant.) 5.) Most are conditional because they apply in specific situations (slipping out of your smelly shoes may be fine at home but no on an airplane.) 6.) Because they are situational, norms can be rigid ( You must turn in your term paper at the beginning class May 5.) or flexible ( You can have another week to finish the paper.) There are three types of norms: folkways, mores, and laws.

Language

A system of shared symbols that enables people to communicate with one another. Helps us understand our everyday experiences, conveys our ideas, communicates information, and influences other people's attitudes and behavior. Language directs our thinking, controls our actions, shapes our expression of emotions, and give us a sense of belonging to a group.

Symbol

Anything that stands for something else and has a particular meaning for people who share a culture. Examples: Words, smiles, frowns, tattoo's, breast implants, raised fists, hugs, stares.

Cultural Universals

Customs and practices that are common to all societies.

Mass Media

Form of communication designed to reach large numbers of people. Have enormous power in shaping public perceptions and opinions. Television, Advertising , and Commercials.

Laws

Formal rules for behavior that are defined by a political authority that has the power to punish violators.

Society

Is a group of people who have lived and worked together long enough to become an organized population and to think of themselves as a social unit.

Folkways (norms)

Norms that members of a society (or a group within a society) see as not being critical for a society's survival and that, consequently, are not severely punished and violated.

Mores (norms)

Norms that members of a society consider very important because they maintain moral and ethnical behavior.

Culture

Refers to the learned and shared behaviors, beliefs, attitudes, values, and material objects that characterize a particular group, or society. Characteristics of culture 1.) Culture is learned-Shapes how we think, feel, and behave. 2.) Culture is transmitted from one generation to the next. - We learn many customs, habits, and attitudes informally through interactions with parents, relatives, and friends, and media. We formally learn cultures in settings such as schools, workplaces, and community organizations. 3.) Culture is shared- Culture brings members of a society together. We have a sense of belonging because we share similar beliefs, values, and attitudes about what is right and wrong. 4.) Culture is adaptive and always changing- New generations discard technological aspects of culture that are no longer practical. Attitudes can change over time.

Sanctions

Rewards for good or appropriate behavior and/or penalties for bad and inappropriate behavior.

Real culture

The actual everyday behavior of people in a society.

Cultural relativism

The belief that no culture is better than another and that a culture should be judged by it's own standards.

Ethnocentrism

The belief that one's culture and way of life are superior to those of other groups. Reinforces conformity and maintains stability. Discourages intergroup understanding and cooperation and is dysfunctional because viewing others as inferior generates hatred, discrimination, hatred, and conflict.

Popular culture

The beliefs, practices, activities, and products that are widely shared among a population in everyday life. Includes television, music, magazines, radio, advertising, sports, hobbies, fads, fashions, and movies, as well as the food we eat, the gossip we share, and the jokes we pass along to each other.

Ideal culture

The beliefs, values, and norms that people in a society say they hold or follow.

Multiculturalism (cultural pluralism)

The coexistence of several cultures in the same geographic area, without one culture dominating another. Encourages intercultural dialogue. Supporters hope that emphasizing multiculturalism especially in schools and the workplace- will decrease ethnocentrism, racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination.

Cultural integration

The consistency of various aspects of society that promotes order and stability

Cultural imperialism

The cultural values and products of one society influencing or dominating those of another.

Cultural lag

The gap when nonmaterial culture changes more slowly then material culture. Often creates uncertainty, ambiguity, about what's right and wrong, conflicting values, and a feeling of helplessness.

Nonmaterial culture

The shared set of meanings that people in a society use to interpret and understand the world. Examples: Symbols, values, beliefs, sanctions, customs, and rules of behavior.

Values

The standards by which members of a particular culture define what is good or bad, moral or immoral, proper or improper, desirable, or undesirable, beautiful or ugly.

Material culture

The tangible objects that members of a society make, use, and share. Includes diverse products such as buildings, tools, music, weapons, jewelry, religious objects, and cell phones.