Cultural Diversity
Sociology Chapter 2
What is Culture?
•Definition:
All the shared products
of human groups
Culture can be divided into 2
categories:
• Material: things
such as clothing, books,
cooking utensils
• Non-material: creations that can not be
touched such as beliefs, ideas, language, rules
What is society versus culture?
• Society: definition is a group of interdependent people
organized with common culture and unity
• Culture- things people create both material and nonmaterial
• SOCIETY= PEOPLE and CULTURE= THINGS
Components of Culture
Technology
• Definition: combination of objects and
rules to use those objects
Symbols
• Definition: Anything that represents
something else
• Example- any word gesture , image..
• Everyone in the society must recognize the
symbol to be effective
Language
• Definition: organization of written or
spoken symbols
• Rules of grammar
• Primary means of communication
Values
• Definition: shared beliefs about what is
good or bad; right or wrong
• Values are shared from generation to
generation
• Societies may have different values
• One may value conflict; another
compromise
Norms
• Definition: shared rules of conduct
• Created by society to enforce cultural
values
2 types of Norms:
Folkways and Mores
• 1. Folkways- socially acceptable
behavior with no moral significance.
• Example- get to class on time or don’t
butt in line.
• May result in a reprimand or minor
punishment
2. Mores (pronounced mor-ayz)
• Behavior with a moral importance
• Violation of mores may endanger
society
• Ex. Fraud, murder, dishonesty
• Bigger and harsher consequences
• Some mores are also laws which is a
written mores and will be enforced
by the government
High Culture