Focus Questions 1. Why is it important for you to understand another country’s culture? 2. Why is it important for you to understand the major cultures of Western Europe?
Elements of Culture
Culture The way of life of a group of people who share similar beliefs and customs
Examples of American Culture Jeans Baseball Video games Rap Music
Symbols Something that stands for something else Anything that has been given representational meaning by the members of a cultural group
Symbols Flag of Great Britain
Language Ways people communicate with each other. This includes slang, stories, myths, legends, jokes, histories
Language English Poetry Sign Language Chinese Swahili Spanish Ebonics Japanese Sign Language Chinese Swahili Arabic Poetry
Values Cultural standards or judgments of what is right, good, or desirable Society decides what is right and wrong and these are their values
Values
Norms The rules of a culture that tell the members of a culture how they are expected to behave in a given situation
Norms
Artifacts The physical things that the members of a society make when they apply their technology to the physical environment
Artifacts
Other Parts of Culture Rituals Religion
Rituals Shaking hands when you meet someone new A formal and customarily repeated act or series of acts Shaking hands when you meet someone new
Religion Buddhism Christianity