Sociology Ch. 2 Culture Values, Norms & Sanctions

To learn a culture is to learn people’s values. All groups of people are shaped and informed by values. Values: Def.- the standards by which people define what is desirable or undesirable, good or bad, beautiful or ugly. -Values underlie people’s preferences, guide their choices, and indicate what they hold worthwhile in life.

Every group develops expectations concerning the right way to reflect its values. Groups express & codify their values through norms. Norms: Def.- the expectations, or rules of behavior, that develop to reflect and enforce values.

Norms are enforced through sanctions. Def.- expressions of approval or disapproval given to people for upholding or violating norms.

Sanctions can be positive or negative. Positive Sanctions: Def.- a reward or positive reaction for following norms, ranging from a smile to a prize. - consider the positive sanctions at school Negative Sanctions: Def.- an expression of disapproval for breaking a norm, ranging from a mild, informal reaction such as a frown to a formal reaction such as a prison sentence or execution. There is a progression Again- consider this time the negative sanction you may see at school.

The intensity or severity of negative sanctions depends on how crucial or not so crucial the group views the particular norm that is being violated. Norms range in significance from folkways to mores to taboos. Folkways: Def.- norms that are not strictly enforced -Examples: talking too loudly in a library blocking a hallway -Negative sanctions? Disapproving looks verbal reprimand

Mores: Def.- norms that are strictly enforced because they are thought essential to core values or the well-being of the group. -Examples: give an example Extreme examples of violating mores range from indecent exposure to robbery, rape & murder. As they relate to criminal behavior, laws are norms that have been codified onto paper and into statutes with prescribed punishments for violations.

Example: Public Nudity? Shirtless guy walking down the street- violating a folkway Naked guy- arrested! Michigan Law: Section 750.335a, Indecent Exposure: Any person who shall knowingly make any open or indecent exposure of his or her person or of the person of another shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than 1 year, or by a fine of not more than $500.00. Breast Feeding?

Taboos are norms so strongly engrained into a society’s consciousness that even the mere thought of violating the norms is greeted with universal revulsion. Taboos: Def.- a norm so strong that it often brings revulsion if violated Examples: Dietary Restriction Restrictions on Relationships

Dietary Restriction Religious Diets- Vegetarianism or Kosher Cannibalism

Restrictions on Relationships Age Restrictions Incest Polygamy

Norms are situation specific and what may be a violation under some circumstances may not be a violation under other circumstances. Examples: Cursing - accidentally hitting finger with a hammer vs. screaming swear words in church Killing - Premeditated murder vs. combat “killing the enemy”

Many Cultural Worlds: Subcultures & Countercultures Cultures typically contain many subcultures & countercultures. Subculture: Def.- the values & related behaviors of a group that distinguishes it’s members from the larger cultures; a world within a world. Each subculture is a world within the larger world of the dominant culture with a distinctive way of looking at life that, although different in many respects, remains compatible with the dominant culture.

United States ‘society consists of tens of thousands of subcultures, which may be connected to someone’s: Occupation: Teachers, Law Enforcement, Unions Social interests & activities: Girl Scouts, Hunters, Sports Teams, Fraternity Religious affiliations: Ethnic & racial group: Political inclinations- beyond Democrat or Republican- Issue based- the environment, NRA,

Individuals may belong to or participate in numerous subcultures at the same time and frequently move in and out of various subcultures as their interests change. Counterculture: Def.- a group whose values, beliefs, and related behaviors place it’s members in opposition to the broader culture.

In challenging the dominant culture’s core values, countercultures often encounter fierce resistance from the dominant culture. Although countercultures typically elicit negative connotations, not all countercultures are necessarily negative. Example: Skinheads vs. Hippies