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Cultural Diversity
The Meaning of Culture
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What is Culture?
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Culture consists of all the shared
products of human groups
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Includes: physical objects,
beliefs, values, and behaviors
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Name some aspects of culture:
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Material v. Nonmaterial Culture
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Material culture: physical objects that people create and use
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Examples: cars, books, buildings, clothing, computers,
cooking utensils
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What are some other
examples of material
culture?
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Material v. Nonmaterial Culture
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Nonmaterial culture: abstract human creations
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Examples: beliefs, family patterns, ideas, language, political
and economic systems, rules, skills, and work practices
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What are some other examples
of nonmaterial culture?
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Material v. Nonmaterial Culture
Culture
Material Culture:
Physical objects people
create and use
Nonmaterial Culture:
Abstract human creation
Examples:
Examples:
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Society v. Culture
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Society and culture are NOT the same term
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Society is a group of people who have organized to share a
common culture
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Society consists of people
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Culture consists of the material and nonmaterial products
that people create
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Culture is a result from society
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Components of Culture
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Elements of culture vary between different societies
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All cultures have certain basic components:
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Technology
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Symbols
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Language
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Values
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Norms
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Technology
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Technology - Combination of physical objects and the rules
for using those objects
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Use of material culture requires knowledge of various skills,
which is nonmaterial culture
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What are some examples of technology in our culture?
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Symbols
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Symbols - Anything that represents something
else
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Any word, gesture, image, sound, physical object,
event, or element of the natural world can be a
symbol
People must recognize that the symbol holds a
meaning
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Very basis of human culture
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Different cultures have different symbols, but all
use them
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What are some examples of symbols in our
society?
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Do you know any symbols that have a different
meaning in other cultures?
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Language
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Language - The organization of written or spoken symbols
into a standardized system
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Express and communicate ideas
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Values
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Values - Shared beliefs about what is good or bad, right or
wrong, desirable or undesirable
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Determine the character of people and the kinds of material
and nonmaterial culture they create
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What are some values
of American culture?
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Norms
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Norms - Shared rules of conduct that tell people how to act in
specific situations
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Expectations for behavior, not actual behavior
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Not all individuals in a society follow norms
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Some norms are selective – apply to some people, but not
others
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Range from unimportant to
extremely important
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Norms
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2 types of norms:
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Folkways – norms that describe socially acceptable
behavior but do not have great moral significance
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Common customs of everyday life
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Minor punishment if not followed
Mores – norms with great moral significance
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Violation of rules endangers society’s well-being & stability
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Most societies have formalized mores by creating laws – written
rules of conduct enacted & enforced by the government
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Levels of Culture
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Culture traits
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Culture complexes
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Culture patterns
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Culture Traits
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Simplest level of culture
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Culture trait - An individual tool, act, or belief that is related
to a particular situation or need
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Example: using a fork, knife, and spoon when eating
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Culture Complexes
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Culture complex – cluster of interrelated culture traits
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Example: football
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Culture Patterns
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Culture pattern – combination of a number of culture
complexes into an interrelated whole
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Example: American athletic pattern from the separate
complexes of individual sports
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Patterns form important components of society’s culture