Culture = consists of the shared products of human groups.
These products include both PHYSICAL OBJECTS that we make, use, and
share called material culture = cars, clothing, cooking utensils, computers
Nonmaterial culture - abstract or intangible human creations of society
that influence people’s behavior and shared by a group = values, language,
ideas, beliefs, rules, skills, family patterns, work practices
PRODUCTS PEOPLE CREATE- how groups deal with environment gives rise to
CULTURE
Within a culture evolves:
Society= is a group of mutually interdependent people who have organized in
such a way as to share a common culture and feeling of unity.
Societies (PEOPLE) produce culture (MADE BY PEOPLE)
Therefore societies produce culture
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Components of Culture
1 material cultural component: ex technology
4 common non-material cultural components:
Symbol = anything that stands for something and has a shared meaning attached
to it ex. language, gestures, images, sounds, physical objects, events,
elements of the natural world
Language = Organization of written and spoken symbols into a standardized
system (agreed by all)
Values = Shared beliefs about what is good or bad, right or wrong, desirable or
undesirable
Type of values held by group determines the character of its people and
material/nonmaterial culture
Norms = Shared rules of conduct that tell people how to act in specific situations.
Create norms to enforce their cultural values; Expectations for behavior
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Robin Williams, Jr. identified 10 core values as being important to people in the US
1. Individualism
2. Achievement and success
3. Activity and work
4. Science and technology
5. Progress and material comfort
6. Efficiency and practicality
7. Equality
8. Morality and humanitarianism
9. freedom and liberty
10. racism and group superiority
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Norms = Shared rules of conduct that tell people how to act in specific situations.
Create norms to enforce their cultural values; Expectations for behavior
2 Kinds of Norms:
Folkways - informal norms; norms that do not have great significance attached to
them
ex. don’t talk when another is talking, get to class on time, cover
your mouth when you yawn/cough=>if you don’t conform, it is
somewhat permitted because small number violate and does not
endanger the well being or stability of society
Mores - norms moral significance; violation endangers well-being and stability of
society (killing, stealing, drinking/driving , setting fires)
Norms that are important to stability or well being of society are made into
LAW
LAW = written rule of conduct enacted and enforced by government;
standardized norms
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High culture - consists of classical music, opera, ballet, live theater, and
other activities
Popular culture - consists of activities, products, and services that are
assumed to appeal primarily to members of the middle and working class.
Fad - temporary but widely copied activity followed by enthusiastically by
large numbers of people; short lived.
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Sociologists divide culture into 3 levels because so complex:
1. culture traits - individual tool, act, or belief that is related to a particular
situation or need
ex. our use of silverware, hairbrushes; how we greet people, kicking a
ball, football
2. culture complexes - cluster of interrelated culture traits for a specific situation
ex. football - material &equipment that is needed, rules=conduct of players
3. culture patterns - combination of a number of culture complexes into an
interrelated whole
ex. all sports combined make athletic pattern
Look at page 27 in book for visual layout.
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Cultural Variation - cultures of the world are very different
different languages
many dialects of the same language (ebonics)
American English, Canadian English, British English, Australian English
Cultural Universals - common features that are found in all human cultures
(customs and practices that occur across all societies)
Even though all cultures develop differently to fulfill basic needs they are
the same
Needs so basic that cultures will develop in a similar manner to achieve
these (eat, play, make things, cook, sports, gifts, feasting, religion, forms
of greeting, tool making, medicine)
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Cultural Universals
Even though basic needs these may vary as well
Ex. the word family =
man/wife/children
OR
man/wife/children/extended family
OR
man/ many wives/children
Some marriages by choice, some by arrangement
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Cultural Relativism - to keep an open mind about cultural variation one must
practice; belief that cultures should be judged by their own standards. View
that culture as if you were a member of it.
ex. cow is sacred - people starving; cows play vital role - pull plows, provide milk,
religion
ETHNOCENTRISM = To view one’s culture and group as superior.
Positive Function
Negative Function
Xenocentrism - reverse ethonocentrism
Belief that products, styles, ideas of another society are better than those of one’s
own culture
ex.
German made cars
Japanese made cars
Irish crystal
Italian shoes, purses, clothes
French perfume
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SUB CULTURE (usually hold some of the values and practices of the larger
society.) Some groups within society hold other values, norms, and behaviors that
are not shared by the entire population. =
ex. Chinese-American, Greek -American = usually don’t present a threat to society
COUNTER CULTURE - When a group rejects the values, norms, and practices of
the larger society and replaces them with a new set of cultural patterns.
Ex. Hare Krishna, cult groups, Beatniks - 50's, flower children - 60's, drug
enthusiasts - 70's
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