What is Culture?

Terms to Know: Culture-the way of life of a group of people, specifically the shared and human created strategies for adapting and responding to the social and physical environment Cultural particulars- the specific practices that distinguish one culture from another Cultural universals- those things all culture have in common

What is culture? Culture the shared products of human groups come in two forms- material and non material Material Culture= physical objects such as books, clothing, houses Non material culture= abstract human creations such as beliefs, language, and ideas. Side note… do not confuse culture with society. Society refers to a group of people who share culture and a feeling of unity

What is Cultural Diversity? Cultural Diversity refers to the wide range of cultural differences found among and within nations Can be a result of natural (climate/geography) or social (technology or demographics) circumstances

Components of Culture 5 basic components Technology Symbols Language Values Norms

Technology- combination of objects and rules for using them Symbols- anything that represents something else Stop sign, alphabet, turn signal Form of communication

Cultural Variation

Terms to Know Counter Culture-sub cultures that deny, contradict, challenge or reject values of the mainstream Sub Culture- groups that share certain parts of the main stream culture but have distinctive values, norms, beliefs that set them apart Ethnocentrism- using your home culture as the standard for the world Reverse Ethnocentrism- viewpoint that sees home culture as inferior

Examining culture Culture is dynamic rather than static- it changes over time Sociologists study culture in three ways Cultural traits Cultural complexes