Chapter 3
Culture
Section 1
THE BASIS OF CULTURE
Section 1 Objective
• Culture defines how people
in a society behave in
relation to others and to
physical objects. Although
most behavior among
animals is instinctual,
human behavior is learned.
Even reflexes and drives do
not completely determine
how humans will behave,
because people are heavily
influenced by culture.
• • explain how
culture and
heredity affect
social behavior.
Culture and Society
Culture knowledge, values, customs
and physical objects that are shared by
members of a society
 Material side – the concrete, tangible objects of culture

Nonmaterial side- ideas, beliefs
 Society a specific territory inhabited
by people who share a common culture

What 2 things can not exist
without each other?
• Culture
• Society
• These 2 are tightly
interwoven.
• Behavior based on culture
 culture is learned
behavior
Culture and Heredity

Instincts innate (unlearned)
patterns of behavior
Why is culture more important than
instinct in determining human
behavior?
 How does heredity affect behavior?

Reflexes automatic reaction to physical
stimulus
 Drives impulse to reduce discomfort

Which is more important?
Culture or Instinct.
• Culture is
the more
important
of the 2.
• It can carry
us past
where
instinct
leaves off.
What is the nature vs. nurture
argument? Is it justified?
• How much of personality
is heredity & how much
of it is learned behavior?
• You can justify either
direction, with the right
argument.
Sociobiology

Sociobiology the study of the
biological basis of human behavior
How do sociobiologists view human
behavior?
 What are some of the criticism of
sociobiology?
 Is there a middle ground?

What behaviors are viewed by sociobiologists
to contribute to the survival of the species?
• Parental care & Affection
• Friendship
• Sexual Reproduction
• Education
List 3 criticisms of Sociobiology
• Importance placed genetics could be used
to justify races superior or inferior
• To much variation in societies around the
globe to base behavior solely on genetics
• Use of language unique to humans, as well
as the complex social life
Section 2
LANGUAGE AND CULTURE
Symbols, Language and
Culture

What are symbols?


Symbols a thing that stands for or
represents something else
How are language and culture related?
Why are
symbols
important?
Help to create and transmit
culture
Make up Language
Meaningful representation
of something
Why is language important?
• Allows us to create culture
• Allows us to read, discuss, &
recombine existing ideas
• Can pass along experiences, ideas, &
knowledge
What can vocab tell us about a
culture?
• When something is
important to a
society, its
language will have
many words to
describe it.
– Americans w/
Money
Are we prisoners of our
Language?
• Exposure to
other languages
gives us other
view points. If
we only know &
use 1 language
we are stuck.
The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis
Edward Sapir & Benjamin Whorf
 What can vocabulary tell you about a
culture?
 Does the hypothesis of linguistic
relativity mean we are prisoners of our
language?
 What other factors help to shape our
perception of reality?


Hypothesis of linguistic relativity
theory stating that our idea of reality
depends largely on language
Section 3
NORMS AND VALUES
Norms: The Rules We Live By

Norms rules defining appropriate
and inappropriate behavior

William Graham Sumner stated that
anything can be considered appropriate
when norms approve of it.
Cultural Etiquette
Country
Custom
England/Scotland &
Wales
Appointments are essential. You may be ten minutes late but
not ten minutes early!
Greece
Be careful not to praise a specific object too enthusiastically or
the host may insist on giving it to you.
Libya
If you are invited to a Libyan home for dinner, only men will be
present. Take a gift for the host but not for his wife.
Senegal
Never eat food with the left hand, as this is considered offensive
Zambia
Avoid direct eye contact with members of the opposite sex—it
may suggest romantic overtures
Saudi Arabia
It is an insult to sit in such as way as to face your host with the
soles of your shoes showing.
China
A visit to a Chinese home is rare—unless the government has
given prior approval
Folkways, Mores, and Laws

What are folkways?


Folkways norms that lack moral significance
What are mores?
Mores norms that have moral dimensions and
that should be followed by members of the society
 Taboos a rule of behavior, the violation of which
calls for strong punishment


How doe laws differ from mores?

Law a norm that is formally defined and enforced
by officials
Silly Laws Still on the Books
State
Law
Alabama
It is illegal for a driver to be blindfolded while driving.
Arizona
Hunting camels is prohibited
Florida
If an elephant is left tied to a parking meter, it still has to
pay the meter fee
Illinois
Cannot contact the police before entering the city in a car
Iowa
Kisses can last for up to but not longer than 5 minutes
Maine
You must not step out of a plane in flight
Massachusetts No gorilla is allowed in the back seat of a car
Minnesota
You may not cross state lines with a duck on your head
Vermont
Whistling underwater is illegal
Washington
It is illegal to pretend your parents are rich
List some examples of folkways.
• Supporting a school
activity
• Speaking to others in
passing
• Removing your hat while
inside a building
– See the chart on pg. 82
• Failure to do
these draws no
real punishment,
but you do these
as a sign of
politeness.
How are mores
different from
folkways?
Conformity draws strong
social approval, violation
brings strong disapproval
Why are the
punishments for
taboos so strong?
Because the feelings
against these are so strong
some believe punishment
will come from the
supernatural
Cite the differences between
Folkways/Mores
• Emerge slowly
& are often
created
unconsciously
Laws
• Consciously
create &
enforce
(usually don’t
change)
How are sanctions
used to shape
behavior?
Rewards are used to
encourage appropriate
behavior while
punishment reinforces
that the behavior is
unacceptable
How have American norms
change in relation to values?
• Racism on decline
• People working as
hard at leisure
activities as the do
at work
• Increased emphasis
on honesty &
friendliness
Enforcing the Rules

Sanctions rewards and punishment used to
encourage people to follow norms

What are formal sanctions?


Formal sanctions sanctions imposed by persons
given special authority
What are informal sanctions?

Informal sanctions  rewards or punishments
that can be applied by most members of a group
Values– Basis for Norms

What are values?


Values- broad ideas about what is good
or desirable shared by people in a society
Why are values important?
List some
norms in
American life.
List 5 and explain
each of them
Basic Values in the United
States
Sociologist Robin Williams (1970)
identified important US values:
1. Achievement & success
2. Activity & work
3. Efficiency & practicality
4. Equality
5. Democracy

6.
Group superiority
Section 4
BELIEFS AND MATERIAL
CULTURE
Beliefs and Physical Objects
Nonmaterial culture - ideas, knowledge, and
beliefs that influence people’s behavior
 Why do beliefs matter?



What is material culture?


Beliefs- ideas about the nature of reality
Material culture - the concrete, tangible objects
of a culture
How is material culture related to nonmaterial
culture?
T/F beliefs can
be based on
false thoughts?
True
Check out this picture
and think about some
others
Why is the cultural meaning of physical objects
not determined by physical characteristics?
• Meaning of
physical objects are
based on beliefs,
norms, & values
people hold with
regard to them
Ideal and Real Culture
Ideal Culture  cultural guidelines
that group members claim to accept
 Real Culture  actual behavior of
members of a group

Using the topic of honesty, cite an example of
ideal vs. real culture.
Section 5
CULTURAL DIVERSITY &
SIMILARITY
Cultural Change
Why does culture change?
1. Discovery
2. Invention

3.
Diffusion
What are 3 reasons cultures
change?
• Discovery 
process of
finding
something
already in
existence
What are 3 reasons cultures
change?
• Invention 
creation of
something
new
What are 3 reasons cultures
change?
• Diffusion 
borrowing
aspects of
culture from
other culture
Cultural Diversity
Social categories groupings of persons
who share social characteristics
 What are subcultures and countercultures?

Subculture a group that is part of the
dominant culture but that differs from it in
some important respects
 Counterculture  a subculture deliberately
and consciously opposed to certain central
beliefs or attitudes of the dominant culture

Give an example of a subculture &
reasons why?
• Chinatown 
American culture
effected greatly;
but have retained
things such as
language, diet, &
family structures
Why is “Punk”
considered a
counterculture?
Rebellion against
social norm of
thinking, dress,
behavior, & sexuality
Ethnocentrism

Ethnocentrism  judging others in
terms of one’s own cultural standards
What are some examples of
ethnocentrism?
 Does ethnocentrism help or hurt
society?

Why are the Olympics seen as
ethnocentric?
• Country’s medal
standing is taken
as a reflection of
their worth &
status on the
world stage
Give the “Pros” & “Cons” of
ethnocentrism.
Pro
• Postive feelings when
what they do is right or
superior
• Stability due to tradition
& valued behavior
Con
• Complacency (not
ingenuity)
• Violence against others
due to lack of
understanding
Cultural Universals
Cultural Universals  general
cultural traits that exist in all cultures
 How are cultural universals expressed?



Cultural particulars the ways in which
a culture expresses universal traits
Why do cultural universals exist?
List some cultural universals
• Sports/ cooking/ courtship/
education/ family/ government/
joking/ language/ mourning &
marriage/ music/ sexual restrictions
What 3 things cause cultural
universals?
• Biological similarities
• Physical environment
• Face same social problems
Cultural Universals
Researchers have identified more than 70 traits in all cultures
Economy
Clothing, Food, Shelter, Communications,
Transportation, Business, Jobs, Services, Goods,
Technology, Tools, Trade
Institutions
Economy, Religion, Education, Government, Family
Arts
Folk Tales, Crafts, Music, Theater, Dance, Literature,
Art
Language
Environment
Recreation
Beliefs
Words, Expressions, Pronunciations, Alphabet,
Symbols
Communities, Geography, Geology, Habitat, Wildlife,
Climates, Resources
Games, Toys, Arts, Media, Holidays, Festivals
Values, Traditions, Ethnicity, Customs, Religions,
Morals