CULTURE
Introduction To Sociology
Session 9
CONTENTS
 Culture
Introduction
Definitions
2 Aspects Of Culture
Characteristics Of Culture
Elements Of Culture
CULTURE
INTRODUCTION
 Culture is one of the important concepts in
sociology.
 No human society can exist and develop
without its culture.
 The main difference between the animal and
human societies is of culture only. Animal
societies have no culture because they do not
have systems of learning and transmitting
social experiences.
 Culture is a unique possession of man.
 Every man is born into a society is the same
as saying that “every man is born into a
culture. Every man can be regarded as a
representative of this culture.
 Sociologists are keenly interested in the study
of culture because the study of human society
is incomplete without it
Culture is a very board term that
includes in its self all our walks of
life, our modes of behavior, our
philosophers and ethics, our morals
and manners, our customs and
tradition, our religious, political,
economic and
other types of activities.
DEFINITIONS
Edward Tylor gave us the first definition of this
Concept in 1871/
“Culture is the complex whole which includes
knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, customs
and habits and any capabilities acquired by
man as a member of society”.
Robert Bierstadt Simplified Tylor’s definition by
stating:
“culture is the complex whole that consists of
all the ways we think and do and everything
we have as member of society. “
John Beattee:
“ Culture is the way of life which is transmitted
from generation to generation”.
Human beings around the globe create diverse
ways of life. Such differences begin with outward
appearance: Contrast the women shown here
from Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Thailand, South
Yemen, and the United States and the men from
Taiwan (Republic of China), Ecuador, and Papua
New Guinea.
Less obvious but of even greater importance are
internal differences, since culture also shapes our
goals in life, our sense of justice, and even our
innermost personal feelings.
TWO ASPECTS OF
CULTURE
ASPECTS OF CULTURE
Sociologists describe two interrelated aspects
of human culture.
1. Material culture (the physical objects of the
culture)
2. Non-material culture (the ideas associated
with these objects)
MATERIAL CULTURE
Material culture refers to the physical objects, resources,
and spaces that people use to define their culture.
These include homes, neighborhoods, cities, schools,
churches, synagogues, temples, mosques, offices,
factories and plants, tools, means of production, goods
and products, stores, and so forth. All of these physical
aspects of a culture help to define its members'
behaviors and perceptions.
Material culture can be defined as a proof, the tangible
evidence of the existence of the way of life
Example
In Rome the architect reveals much about the
country’s history and culture. building reveals
different ethnic influence
technology is a vital aspect of material culture in
today's Pakistan . Pakistani students must
learn to use computers to survive in college
and business. in contrast to young adults in
the Yanomamo society in the Amazon who
must learn to build weapons and hunt.
NON MATERIAL CULTURE
Non‐material culture refers to the nonphysical ideas
that people have about their culture, including beliefs,
values, rules, norms, morals, language, organizations,
and institutions.
When considering non‐material culture, sociologists
refer to several processes that a culture uses to shape
its members' thoughts, feelings, and behaviors
Non material culture can be defined as those customs
which reveal and point out the foundation of a group
of people, which unite them and contribute in their
overall identification .
Example
For example, a cross is a universal symbol
of Christianity, and is so universally known due
to the prevalence of Christianity in different
cultures.
The formation of American slang can also serve
as a reflection of culture and has changed as
American culture developed
THE CULTURAL LAG
The cultural lag concept was first theorized and
the term was coined by William F. Ogburn, an
American sociologist, in his book "Social
Change With Respect to Culture and Original
Nature," published in 1922. Ogburn noticed
that material culture tends to develop and
advance at a faster rate than non-material
culture. thus Innovation surpasses adaptation
and this creates conflict
Example 1
Life Support: Medical technology is now being
used to keep people’s bodies functioning long
after they would otherwise have been
declared dead. This raises cultural and ethical
questions about when life ends and who has
the right to end artificial life support or to
prolong existence. The development of new
cultural beliefs, values, and norms lags behind
the dilemmas posed by the technological
change.
Example 2
Despite their many advantages over the
handwritten word, typewriters weren't
routinely used in offices until 50 years after
their invention. A similar situation exists with
the computers and word processors that are
commonplace in businesses today. They were
at first met with objections from labor unions
that they would undermine the workforce,
ultimately replacing people and ultimately
costing jobs.
CHARACTERISTICS OF
CULTURE
Characteristics of culture
Culture is basically a blueprint for living in a
particular society. Most definitions of culture
emphasizes certain features.
1.
Culture Is Learnt
2.
Culture is social
3.
Culture is shared
4.
Culture is transmissive
5.
Culture is stable yet changing
6.
culture is cumulative and continuous
7.
Culture is consistent and integrated
8.
Culture is gratifying
9.
Culture varies from society to society
10.
Culture is covert and overt
11.
Culture is organic and super-organic
ELEMENTS OF
CULTURE
Components/Elements Of Culture
Although cultures vary greatly, they all have
common elements including
• Symbols
• Language
• Values
• Norms
SYMBOLS
Like all creatures, humans use their senses to experience
the surrounding world, but unlike others, we also try to
give the world meaning. Humans transform elements of
the world into symbols. A symbol is anything that carries a
particular meaning recognized by people who share a
culture.
More specifically, symbols are words, objects, gestures,
sounds or images that represent something else rather A
word. A whistle, a wall covered with graffiti, a flashing red
light, a raised fist—all serve as symbols.
We can see the human capacity to create and manipulate
symbols reflected in the very different meanings associated
with the simple act of winking an eye, which can convey
interest, understanding, or insult.
LANGUAGE
The second element present in every culture is a
language. Language is a system of words and symbols
used to communicate with other people. This includes
full languages as we usually think of them, such as
English, Spanish, French, etc. But it also includes body
language, slang, and common phrases that are unique
to certain groups of people.
For example, even though English is spoken fluently in
both America and Britain, we have slang and phrases
that mean different things. American French fries are
British chips, American cookies are British biscuits, and
so on.
Cont..
Another example of how cultural languages
differ beyond vocabulary is the fact that eye
contact represents different meanings in
different cultures. In America, eye contact
suggests that you are paying attention and are
interested in what a person has to say. In
other cultures, eye contact may be considered
rude and to be a challenge of authority.
VALUES
Another cultural element is a system of values, which are
culturally defined standards for what is good or desirable.
Members of the culture use the shared system of values to
decide what is good and what is bad.
For example, in America, they are individualistic - they
encourage competition and emphasize personal achievement.
A person who accepts a promotion in culture is praised for
their individual hard work and talent. But our values are in
stark contrast with the collectivistic values of other cultures,
where collaboration is encouraged, and a person's success is
only as good as their contributions to the group.
Cont..
The same person that is offered a promotion who
lives in a collectivistic culture(Pakistani culture)
would consult with his family before accepting to
ensure that it would be the most beneficial to the
group as a whole.
For example, because most U.S. adults share the
value of providing equal opportunities for all, they
believe that a qualified woman could serve as
president of the United States, as the 2008
campaign of Hillary Clinton demonstrated (NORC,
2011:393)
How would a visitor from Pakistan act and feel
on this crowded Tokyo train?
NORMS
Norms are rules and expectations by which a
society guides the behavior of its members. In
everyday life, people respond to each other
with sanctions, rewards or punishments that
encourage conformity to cultural norms.
Types Of Social Norms
Social norms may be divided into two. These are
1. Mores
2. Folkways
MORES
William Graham Sumner, an early U.S. sociologist,
recognized that some norms are more important to our
lives than others. Sumner coined the term mores to
refer to norms that are widely observed and have
great moral significance. Are important and stronger
social norms for existence, safety, well-being and
continuity of the society or the group or society.
Violation of, and deviation from these kinds of norms,
may result in serious reactions form the groups.
For example, that adults not walk around in public
without wearing clothes.
Types of Norms
 Laws: The strongest norms are regarded as
the formal laws of a society or a group. Formal
laws are written and codified social norms.
Conventions : may be regarded as written
and signed agreements between nations to
govern the behaviors of individuals, groups
and nations.
FOLKWAYS
People pay less attention to folkways, norms for routine
or casual interaction. In short, mores distinguish
between right and wrong, and folkways draw a line
between right and rude. violating such kinds of norms
may not result in a serious punishment unlike violating
mores. They are less morally binding
Examples include ideas about appropriate greetings
and proper dress. A man who does not wear a tie to a
formal dinner party may raise eyebrows for violating
folkways. If, however, he were to arrive at the party
wearing only a tie, he would violate cultural mores and
invite a more serious response.
Subtypes Of Folkways
Folkways in turn may be divided into two sub
types:
Fashion: Is a form of behavior, type of folkways
that is socially approved at a given time but
subject to periodic change.
Custom: Is a folkway or form of social behavior
that, having persisted a long period of time, has
become traditional and well established in a
society and has received some degree of formal
recognition.
Cont..
Fashion and customs can be differentiated
in that while custom changes at slower
rate, fashion changes at a faster rate.
A diagrammatic representation of Social norms
social Values
Social Norms
Folkways
Fashion
customs
Mores
laws
conventions