Material Culture Final Exam
Drinking coke is a way for people all over the world, to indicate a sense of
attachment to the USA and modernity
Marketers create new luxuries by
changing fashions & producing serial collectibles
Id
demands immediate satisfaction
Materialism may be found in
developing countries
George Simmel believed that..
fashionable items lose distinctiveness and are replaced
Manifest functions
functions which are intended and of which we are conscious
Ascribed status may be based on
gender, age and job title
The Semiotic Theory approach to material culture
has the ability to interpret objects & artifacts & explains how objects tie-in to cultural codes
Symbols must be
learned
Artifacts
may include buildings or parts of buildings & Latin: artis (skill in joining) + facere (to make or do)
Achieved status may be based on
merits and job title
According to the theorists, Karen Horney, Alfred Adler and Carl Rogers, the image we have of our body is a major factor in:
our development of self and our identity
Freudian Psychoanalytic Theory allows us to analyze material culture in terms of the way artifacts
reflect various unconscious needs and desires & relate to our psychological makeup
Sociological Theory attempts to understand how institutions function in society and always focuses on
retail operations & people
Jean Baudrillard said that peasants
thought of mirrors as magical and may have feared mirrors
Goals for Sociology include:
to know, in order to predict, in order to control
-a slogan meant to highlight the growing wealth gap -frequently quoted by protestors -the populist cry of the Occupy Wall Street protestors around the country
"We are the 99 percent!"
A counterfeit designer handbag is an example of
(none of the above)
Semiotics
(none of the above)
Objects
-are contemporary material culture -provide info about what we are like -provide info about how we live now (all of the above)
Semiotic approach
-is from the Greek semeion (signs) -is a science that studies signs within society -regards artifacts as signs who meaning & significance have to be determined by use of semiotic concepts (all of the above)
Reasons to down-size a home include:
-less financial stress -less maintenance -more freedom -more comfort (all of the above)
Proletariat refers to
-those persons exploited by bourgeoisie -workers
Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) indicated
-we are 2 beings in 1 -we are individuals and human beings -duality has consequences
-justified an unequal distribution of wealth -gave great comfort to the ruling class as it justified their positions and lifestyles -determines our economic fate ---all of the above
Belief in Divine Providence
-a French word used in political economy, political philosophy, sociology and history -originally denoted wealthy stratum of middle class that originated during the latter part of Middle Ages -the utilization and specific application of this word is from the realm of social sciences ----all of the above
Bourgeoisie
-collecting & keeping items, even things that appear useless or of little value to most people -cluttering living spaces and keeping the hoarder from using their rooms as they were intended -causing distress or problems in day-to-day activities (a, b & c only)
Compulsive hoarding includes
A person may not possess both ascribed status and achieved status.
False
A recent trend internationally, is a shift towards increasing the production of toys that imitate the adult worlds of work & life.
False
According to Walter Benjamin, mass produced items are valued because they have "auras."
False
Archaeology is the scientific study of physical, social & cultural development of man.
False
Coca-Cola adopted the "classic" contour bottle in 2005 which differentiated Coca-Cola from other drinks since it was plastic.
False
Freud's Structural Hypothesis says that there are 14 forces at work in our psyche.
False
In 2013, Marxist theorist, Harold Smith, said that advertising gives all objects their validation
False
In the 1700's, Cris Caple wrote "Objects: Reluctant Witnesses to the Past" which discussed a photograph made by Peake the Elder showing King Arthur with a goblet. The photograph was important because it showed how artifacts can be mass-produced and still used by royal persons.
False
LEED certification is currently available only in France, and is the recognized standard for measuring apparel production sustainability.
False
Marxism says that globalism is the strongest influence on the attitudes people have towards possessions
False
Materialism is the belief that possessions will bring happiness which is regarded by most people as positive.
False
Millennials are only those persons who were born in 1995.
False
Myths operate by validating laws, customs, rites, institutions & beliefs.
False
Recent studies by OSU researchers have shown that dolls and toys are not considered to be objects of international trade.
False
Roshomon is a 2014 American film by Akira Kurosawa and set in 21st century Korea.
False
Scottish Tartans always consist of knitted garments with alternating bands of (pre-dyed) threads woven at 20 and 30 degree angles.
False
Since late 1960's more dresses were sold in the USA than trousers.
False
The primary factor leading people to focus attention on purchases is alienation.
False
Freudian Psychoanalytic theory discusses
Id, Ego & Super-Ego
-a reflection of insubordination by the young -a rejection of formal dress codes -an object of mass culture -a protest against bourgeois "stuffed-shirt" gentlemen's fashion & bourgeois culture (all of the above)
Marxists say blue jeans are:
-needs are not "real" -needs are artificially imposed by advertising agencies and marketers -we become convinced we "need" to purchase products to be really happy ---all of the above
Marxists say:
-may be worn during dances, rites of passage, festivals & celebrations -may serve as powerful symbols of identity & power -may express complex beliefs are often associated with the deepest convictions & ideals of a community. -may serve as powerful statements about identity -may serve as powerful statements about perception -may change wearer's face - by exaggerating or concealing features -may express the shadow's personality found in each of us -the making and wearing of masks is practiced in many cultures (all of the above)
Masks
-advertisements increase our pleasure -coke consumers participate, vicariously, in a much larger experience -to drink Coke (anywhere in the world) is to participate in american life (all of the above)
Patai explained that
-"Cute" phenomenon may be seen in fashionable clothes and accessories, childish behavior and attitudes among young women -"Cute" phenomenon may include the adulation of idol singers -"Cute" phenomenon may be seen in Pokeman products
Regarding the "cute" phenomenon in Japanese Material Culture
-may offer insights into the role objects & artifacts that play into our lives -may raise questions about how objects function for people -may raise questions about what motivates people to purchase objects -may consider demographics (b, c, d and e only)
Sociological Theory
-Freudian Psychoanalytic -Semiotic -Sociological -Marxist
Theories of Material Culture
A meme is an idea, behavior, or style that spreads from person to person within a culture and acts as a unit for carrying cultural ideas, symbols, or practices.
True
A theory is a way of seeing.
True
A theory is an optic that focuses on specific subject matter.
True
According to Marxism we develop strong emotional attachments to our possessions
True
According to Mary Douglas, objects & artifacts are chosen because they would not be tolerated in our "rejected" societies.
True
According to Walter Benjamin, original works of art and original objects have authenticity
True
According to the Environmental Performance Ruler, an average business may be involved in sustainability litigation, have a big carbon footprint, and have high levels of waste.
True
An artifact may be classified as corresponding to Id, Ego or Super-Ego.
True
Anthropology is a Greek word which comes from "logos" (meaning words) about "anthropo" (meaning man or humans.)
True
Archaeology is the scientific study of historic & prehistoric peoples & their culture by analysis of their artifacts, inscriptions, monuments & other remains especially those that have been excavated.
True
As religious missionaries interacted with Native American tribes, many Native Americans were converted to Christianity. The previous, revealing clothing styles were deemed unsuitable for decent Christians and they were encouraged to adopt the modest, western styles of dress.
True
At a base level, economic decisions are driven by greed, fear & ego.
True
By implementing sustainable practices, retail businesses can become more efficient and save money.
True
By possessing certain brands we may come to feel that we are part of a brand community with which we identify.
True
By utilizing Processual Theory one may make inferences from artifacts and the contexts in which they were found.
True
Charles Sander Peirce called his theory semiotics.
True
Clotaire Rappaille wrote "The Culture Code: An Ingenious Way to Understand People around the World."
True
Culture is a collective name for all behavior patterns socially acquired & transmitted by means of symbols.
True
Culture is not so much a set of things, but a process, a set of practices.
True
From a Marxist perspective, soft drinks are examples of the way Capitalist societies create false needs in people so they can be exploited.
True
Howard Rheingold, a Futurist who writes about technology, indicated in 'Smart Mobs: The Next Social Revolution,' that text messaging has led to enormous changes in everyday lives; helped shape social relationships; and has had profound impact on politics globally.
True
In "Pop Iconology: Looking at the Coke Bottle," it is stated that Coca-Cola is "the most widely recognized commercial product in the world."
True
In Roshomon, 4 different people give 4 very different versions of reality and we wonder: Who is telling the truth?
True
In The Theory of the Leisure Class, Veblen said, as fast as a person makes new acquisitions, and becomes accustomed to a new standard of wealth, the new standard ceases to afford appreciably greater satisfaction than the earlier standard did
True
It is vital for you to know the key buying motivation for your product or service.
True
Jacques Lacan, a French Psychoanalyst, talked about the mirror stage, "Stade de mirroir" in the development of children between six months & 18 months.
True
Louis Leung & Ran Wei presented a sociological perspective in 1995 and said that "laptop computers provide mobility, immediacy and allow users to show affection by enabling connections."
True
Malinowski suggested ethnographers should "dismiss as trivial the various activities of the people they study" since it is impossible to identify any rules that shape peoples' behavior.
True
Marxism says that unequal distribution of goods leads to class conflict
True
Mary Douglas' Grid Group Theory says that objects & services we buy & possess are culturally defined & best understood as being tied to our lifestyles.
True
Material Culture is the world of things that people make, purchase or possess.
True
Myths are sacred narratives that have an important role in shaping human behavior.
True
One of the most intense current fashion wars is between lower-class fashions and elite fashions.
True
The "Chaine operatoire" means the operational sequence through which we may trace how objects were made in order to understand the objects.
True
The American flag may be considered to be a sign.
True
The best solution to the global crisis is to change the policies of the governments of developing countries.
True
The clothes we wear send messages to others about ourselves.
True
The conscience can punish the ego by causing feelings of guilt.
True
Thorstein Veblen said Conspicuous Consumption is the "means by which men attempt to excel their neighbors and so attain heightened self evaluation."
True
When Kula objects were exchanged, the participants offered detailed histories about who had owned them over the years.
True
When settlements of Native Americans were located near settlements of European Americans, cross cultural exchanges were commonplace and the features of clothing (such as textiles, prints, trims and accessories) could be influenced.
True
An example of an icon is
a coin with an important person's face on it
The contour of the Coca-Cola bottle may represent
a return to infancy and oral gratification
A theory is a mode of explanation & interpretation that
always constructs connections
