Culture Focus on Social Structure, Family Structure, Gender Roles, and Institutions

Institutions Families Schools Governments Organizations developed by each society to make social roles clear and to take care of social needs. Families Families arrange for reproduction, the care of family members, and the upbringing of the young. Schools Schools teach the young the values of society and prepare them for the responsibilities of adulthood. Governments Governments protects us from outsiders, promote social cooperation, and regulate individual behavior.

Social Structure In every known society, some members enjoy greater wealth and wider opportunities than others. People who share similar wealth, power, and prestige are said to belong to the same social class.

Social Classes Upper Class Middle Class Working Class Farm Labor Earns or inherits wealth and owns a large share of property. Luxurious lifestyle and often serve in various leadership roles in the society. Middle Class Group of educated and mostly successful people Managers, professionals, shopkeepers, and small business owners Working Class Composed of manual workers who work in factories, mining, or transportation, or as independent craftsmen Farm Labor Farm workers or owner of small farms that engage in subsistence agriculture Lower Class Often uneducated and unskilled Take the least desirable and worst-paying jobs Often face prejudice and other social handicaps from members of the higher social classes.

Social Mobility Refers to how easy it is to change one’s social class. In some cultures social mobility is high, in others it is low. What is an example of a culture with high social mobility?

Family Structure How families are organized. Example American Family Structure: Parents live with young children, after high school or college the children live on their own. Other Cultures: Children, parents, and even grandparents remain together under the same roof their entire lives.

Gender Roles Roles specifically assigned to men and women. Traditional There is greater opportunity for men than for women. Gender roles are very restrictive Changing Gender Roles Women gained the right to vote Men and women enjoy equal rights