Chapter 2
Culture
Culture
The knowledge,
language, values,
customs, and
material objects
that are passed
from person to
person and from
one generation to
the next in a human
group or society.
Culture
Culture is:
– essential for survival and
communication with other people.
– learned through interaction, observation
and imitation.
– fundamental for the survival of
societies.
Culture
Material culture
– Physical or tangible creations that
members of a society make, use, and
share.
Nonmaterial culture
– Abstract or intangible human creations
of society that influence people’s
behavior.
Ex. attitudes, beliefs, and values
Gestures With Different Meanings in
Other Societies
“Hook ‘em Horns”
or
“Your spouse is
unfaithful”
Gestures With Different Meanings in
Other Societies
“He’s crazy”
or
“You have a
telephone call”
Gestures With Different Meanings in
Other Societies
“Okay”
Or
“I’ll kill you”
Cultural Universals
Examples:
– Appearance (bodily adornment,
hairstyles)
– Activities (sports, dancing, games,
joking)
– Social institutions (family, law, religion)
– Practices (cooking, folklore, gift giving)
Components of Culture
Symbol
Language
Anything that meaningfully
represents something else.
Symbols that express ideas and
enable people to communicate.
Language and Gender
Male Term
Female Term
Neutral Term
Teacher
Teacher
Teacher
Worker
/employee
Working mother
Worker
/employee
Janitor/
maintenance
man
Maid/
cleaning lady
Custodial
attendant
Steward
Stewardess
Flight Attendant
Languages Spoken
in U.S. Households
Language
Total Estimated
Number of Speakers
English only
215,423,557
Spanish
28,101,052
Chinese
2,022,143
French
1,643,838
German
1,383,442
Tagalog
1,224,241
Languages Spoken
in U.S. Households
Language
Total Estimated
Number of Speakers
Vietnamese
1,009,627
Italian
1,008,370
Korean
894,063
Russian
706,242
Polish
667,414
Arabic
614,582
Components of Culture
Values
Collective ideas about what is
right or wrong and good or
bad.
Norms
Established rules of behavior
or standards of conduct.
Ten Core American Values
1. Individualism
2. Achievement and Success
3. Activity and Work
4. Science and Technology
5. Progress and Material Comfort
Ten Core American Values
6. Efficiency and Practicality
7. Equality
8. Morality and Humanitarianism
9. Freedom and Liberty
10. Racism and Group Superiority
Polling Question
Do you favor or oppose an amendment
to the U.S. Constitution that would make
English the official language of the
United States?
A.
B.
C.
Favor
Oppose
No opinion
Norms
Norms are established rules of behavior or
standards of conduct.
– Prescriptive norms state what behavior is
appropriate or acceptable.
– Proscriptive norms state what behavior is
inappropriate or unacceptable.
Formal and Informal Norms
Formal norms are written down and
involve specific punishments for violators.
– Laws are the most common type of formal
norms.
Informal norms are unwritten standards of
behavior understood by people who share
a common identity.
– When individuals violate informal norms,
people may apply informal sanctions.
Folkways
Everyday customs that may be violated
without serious consequences within a
particular culture.
In the United States, folkways include:
– using deodorant
– brushing our teeth
– wearing appropriate clothing for a specific
occasion
Mores
Strongly held norms with moral and ethical
connotations that may not be violated
without serious consequences.
– Taboos are mores so strong that violation is
considered extremely offensive and even
unmentionable.
– The incest taboo, which prohibits sexual
relations between certain kin, is an example
of a nearly universal taboo.
Laws
Formal, standardized norms that have
been enacted by legislatures and are
enforced by formal sanctions.
– Civil law deals with disputes among persons
or groups.
– Criminal law deals with public safety and
well-being.
Technology, Cultural Change,
and Diversity
Changes in technology continue to shape
the material culture of society.
Cultural lag is a gap between the
technical development of a society and its
moral and legal institutions.
Cultural Diversity
Cultural differences between and within
nations are caused by:
– Natural circumstances
Climate, geography
– Social circumstances
Technology, composition of the population
Cultural Diversity of U.S.
Society: Religion
Cultural Diversity of U.S.
Society: Income
Cultural Diversity of U.S.
Society:Race/Ethnicity
The Old Order Amish
Subculture
Strong faith in God.
Rejection of worldly concerns.
Rely on horse
and buggy for
transportation.
Examples of Countercultures
Beatniks of the
1950’s
Flower Children
of the 1960’s
Drug Enthusiasts
of the 1970’s
Culture Shock, Ethnocentrism, and
Cultural Relativism
Culture shock refers to the anxiety
people experience when they encounter
cultures radically different from their own.
Ethnocentrism is the assumption that
one’s own culture is superior to others.
Cultural relativism views and analyzes
another culture in terms of that culture’s
own values and standards.
Sociological Analysis of Culture
Functionalist
Conflict
Culture helps people meet biological,
instrumental and expressive needs.
Ideas can be used by the ruling class to
affect members of other classes.
Sociological Analysis of Culture
Symbolic
Interactionist
People create, maintain, and modify
culture during their everyday activities.
Postmodern
Culture is based on simulation of
reality rather than reality itself.
Quick Quiz
1. ________ consists of the physical or
tangible creations that members of a
society make, use, and share.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Nonmaterial culture
Cultural universals
Material culture
High culture
Answer: C
Material culture consists of the physical
or tangible creations that members of a
society make, use, and share.
2. Language, beliefs, values, rules of
behavior, family patterns, and political
systems are examples of:
A.
B.
C.
D.
material culture
high culture
nonmaterial culture
cultural universals
Answer: C
Language, beliefs, values, rules of
behavior, family patterns, and political
systems are examples of nonmaterial
culture.
3. An example of a symbol is:
A.
B.
C.
D.
a dove
all of the choices
a heart
Nazi swastika
Answer: B
An example of a symbol is a dove, a
heart, and a Nazi swastika.
3. According to the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis:
A.
B.
C.
D.
reality is objective and is easily understood by
humans.
language shapes the view of reality of its
speakers.
reality is based on the interactions of
individuals.
with more knowledge, a person minimizes the
influence of language.
Answer: B
According to the Sapir-Whorf
Hypothesis, language shapes the view
of reality of its speakers.
4. According to Karl Marx, and Marxist
theorists:
A. none of the choices.
B. ideas are used by agents of the wealthy to
affect the thoughts and actions of members of
other classes.
C. ideas are effective for the working classes to
motivate the wealthy.
D. ideas have little impact on the relations
between the wealthy and poor in societies.
Answer: B
According to Karl Marx, and Marxist
theorists, ideas are used by agents of
the wealthy to affect the thoughts and
actions of members of other classes.
5. Sanctions are only punishments when
behavior or attitudes are deviant.
A.
B.
False
True
Answer: A
Sanctions are not only punishments
when behavior or attitudes are deviant.