Sociology Chapter 2- Culture

What is ethnomethodology?

a theoretical approach in sociology based on the idea that you can discover the normal social order through disrupting it. They often deliberately disrupt social norms to see how people respond. Society proceeds on an "as if" basis. It exists because people behave as if there is no other way to do so.

What does culture include?

beliefs, values, knowledge, art, morals, laws, customs, habits, languages, dress, ways of thinking

What does culture give society?

it defines what is beautiful, right, wrong, helps to hold society together, it gives meaning to society

Culture

the complex and elaborate system of meaning and behavior that defines the way of life for a group or society. It is shared, learned, taken for granted, symbolic, and emergent. It varies from one society to another

What is dominant culture?

Dominant culture is the culture of the most powerful group in society; receives the most support from major institutions, constitutes a major belief system; commonly believed to be "the" culture of a society. Social institutions in the society perpetuate the dominant culture and give it legitmacy. It is often the standard by which other cultures are judged. Does not necesarily have the most people, only has the power to define the cultural framework.

What is cultural leveling?

Cultural leveling is a process in which cultures become similar to one another.

What are the characteristics of Culture?

1. Culture is shared 2. Culture is learned 3. Culture is taken for granted 4. Culture is symbolic 5. Culture varies across time and place 6. Culture is concrete and abstract

What are 3 characteristics of norms?

1. Enforceability- is it enforced or is it loosely followed 2. Range of Acceptance- how widely is it followed 3. Salience- how important is the norm, ex) non-agression norm, without this norm there would be chaos and people would not be predictable. this norm has a high salience because it is very important

What are beliefs?

Beliefs are shared ideas held collectively by people within a given culture about what is true. Beliefs are what bind people together, are also the basis for many norms and values in a culture. They orient us to the world, provide answers, and guides.

What are counter cultures?

Counter cultures are subcultures created as a reaction against the values of the dominant culture. They reject the values of the dominant culture because of political or moral reasons. They develop practices that defy the norms of the dominant culture. They are typically youth related and characterized by non-comformity. They can be formed to directly challenge the dominant culture. Can also be called oppositional cultures. These can occur when there are a change in norms within the dominant culture. ex. The Amish.

What is cultural assimilation?

Cultural assimilation is the process by which a person or a group's language and/or culture come to resemble those of another group. New technology has assimilated into our culture and has made great changes. Such as cell phones etc.

Culture varies across time and place.

Culture develops as humans adapt to the physical and social environment around them. It is not fixed. As people encounter new situations a new culture emerges. It becomes a mix of the past and the present. Second generation immigrants are examples of the blendings of culture.

Culture is shared

Culture may seem inherently natural but is actually learned. It is taught by direct and indirect instruction. Direct is teaching someone how to use utensils. Indirect comes from observing and imitting (ex. gender roles). The process of learning culture is reffered to by sociologists as socialization.

What is the globalization of culture?

Globalization refers to the diffusion of a single culture throughout the world. It is increasingly marked by capatalist interests, a hallmark of Western Culture. This leaves less room for folk cultures. Can also be reffered to as internationalization of culture. This is an example of cultural diffusion, when culture is spread across countries. Technology has spurred diffusion in recent years.

Biology vs. Culture

Human biology sets limits and provides certain capacities for human life and the development of culture. The environment (or cutlture) in which you live establishes the posibilities and limitations. Biology can predict whether someone will have a disease. The environment will determine their resistance or how they react to the disease

What are implicit and explicit norms?

Implicit norms are understood, such as getting in line without cutting. They may be learned through specific instruction or by observation of the culture. Explicit norms are specifically written down, for example laws.

Culture is concrete and abstract.

It is concrete because we can observe cultural objects and practices. It is abstract because it is a way of thinking, feeling, behaving, and believing.

What is Cultural Relativism?

It is the idea that something can be understood and judged only in relation to the cultural context in which it appears. Without knowing the cultural context it is impossible to understand why people behave as they do. Each culture must be understood relative to its own culture, values, standards, and behaviors. This does not mean that the actions of the culture are morally right. q

What is language?

Language is a set of symbols and rules that, combined in a meaningful way, provides a complex communication system. The formation of culture among humans is made possibly by language, Learning the language is essential to becoming a part of the society. It is fluid and dynamic and evolves in response to social change. Language and culture is inextricable with each shaping the other. In a society where there is inequality, language is likely to communicate assumptions and stereotypes. What people say and what they are called enfores patterns of inequality. Language enforces inequality, identity, power relationships. Language has made humans dominant in our society. It has led us to make plans which provides group strength. This has led us to survival.

What are the elements of culture?

Language, norms, values, folkways, mores, beliefs

Culture is taken for granted.

Members of a culture seldom question their culture. If we did so we would become detached or disoriented. When traveling to a new place, foreigners must learn the new ways. Cultural differences withing a society also shape social relations. Students may seem stupid in a class if they have been raised to value quietness. This is a cultural misunderstanding. Oftentimes this misunderstanding leads to isolation

What is the Shapir and Whorf Hypothesis?

Named after Edward Shapir and Benjamin Whorf. They believed that language determines other aspects of culture because it provides the categories throught which social reality is defined. Language determines what people think because it forces them to perceive the world in certain terms. Recent critics do not agree. Language alone does not dictate perception but has a influence.

Are humans unique in their ability to develop systems of communication?

No, elephants grieve and can communicate their feelings. Animals however lack the elaborate symbol based culture common in human societies

What are norms?

Norms are the specific cultural expectation for how to behave in a given situation. Without norms there would be chaos. With norms society is consistent and people are predictable.

What are social sanctions?

Social sanctions are mechanisms of social control that enforce folkways, norms, and mores. The seriousness of the sanction depends on the folkway, norms, or mores. Culture is enforced through the social sanctions applied to those who violate the norms.

What are subcultures?

Subcultures are the groups whose values and norms of behavior differ to some degress from those of the dominant culture. Members tend to interact frequently with one another and share a common worldview. They may be view on a continuum with how they integrate into the dominant culture (independent, coexist, or assimilate). Subcultures also develop when new groups enter society. It is rare to have a homgenous culture. There are a host of subcultures within a dominant culture.

What are taboos?

Taboos are those behaviors that bring the most serious sanctions. They bring about a strong revulsion, such as incest or canabalism. Laws can be written down taboos or mores.

What is ethnocentrism?

The habit of seeing things only from the point of view of one's group. It judges another culture by the standards of another culture. Believes there is one absolute standard by which to judge the values and behavior. This can lead to narrow minded conclusions. It can be extreme or subtle. What makes it powerful is the combination of a strong sense of solidarity with the idea of superiority. It can build group solidarity but also discourages intergroup understanding.

Who produces culture?

The media helps to define what culture is. The exploit it and make money off of defining it.

Culture is symbolic.

The significance of culture lies in the meaning it holds for people. Symbols are things or behaviors to which people give meaning; the meaning is not inherent in the symbol but is bestowed by the meaning people give it. They are powerful expressions of human culture. The American flag is an example of a symbol. For many it represents freedom of expression and democracy.

What are cultural gate keepers?

They are institutions that control culture. Examples are rating movies and banning books. Each controls how culture gets viewed and by whom.

What are values?

Values are the abstract standards in a society or group that define ideal practies. Defines what is desirable and morally correct. Provides a general outline of behavior. Can be a basis for cultural cohesion but also a source of conflict. It guides the behavior of people in society; also shapes social norms in a culture.

What are the two types of norms? Who idenitified them?

William Graham Sumner identified folkways and mores. Folkways are the general standards of behavior adhered to by a group, such as how you dress and greet each other. They are the little things that make a culture distinct. Mores are strict norms that control moral and ethical behavior. They are often upheld through rules or laws and provide strict codes or behaviors. Violating these can have severe repercussions. They can be legal or religious.

What is non-material culture?

norms, laws, customs, ideas and beliefs; less tangible but has a strong prescence in social behavior

What is material culture?

objects created in a given society that can be collected for museums and analyzed for what they represent. These items are significant because of the meaning given to them