CULTURE The values , beliefs, behavior, and material objects that, together, form a people’s way of life. Sociology, Eleventh Edition

What is Culture? Sociology, Eleventh Edition

Terminology Nonmaterial culture Material culture The intangible world of ideas created by members of a society. Material culture The tangible things created by members of a society. Sociology, Eleventh Edition

Terminology CULTURE SHOCK DISORIENTATION DUE TO THE INABILITY TO MAKE SENSE OUT OF ONE’S SURROUNDINGS. ETHNOCENTRISM A BIASED “CULTURAL YARDSTICK” JUDGING ANOTHER CULTURE USING THE STANDARDS OF YOUR OWN CULTURE. CULTURAL RELATIVISM ALTERNATIVE TO ETHNOCENTRISM JUDGING A CULTURE BY ITS OWN STANDARDS. Sociology, Eleventh Edition

Coping with Culture Shock Sociology, Eleventh Edition

Ethnocentrism Sociology, Eleventh Edition

Discussion Question Culture shock happens even in our own communities as we confront people of other colors, cultures and class positions. Give me an example of when you (or someone you know) have experienced culture shock. Have you ever acted in an ethnocentric manner? Sociology, Eleventh Edition

Culture & Human Intelligence Our planet – 4.5 billion years old Life appeared – 3.5 billion years ago ~65 million years ago primates appeared 250,000 years ago – homo sapiens (Latin – “thinking person”) appeared 40,000 years ago – humans like us roamed Earth Homo sapiens quickly developed culture. 12,000 years ago – first permanent settlements & specialized occupations appeared in Middle East Sociology, Eleventh Edition

The Elements of Culture Sociology, Eleventh Edition

SYMBOLS ANYTHING THAT CARRIES A PARTICULAR MEANING RECOGNIZED BY PEOPLE WHO SHARE CULTURE. REALITY FOR HUMANS IS FOUND IN THE MEANING THINGS CARRY WITH THEM. THE BASIS OF CULTURE; MAKES LIFE POSSIBLE PEOPLE MUST BE MINDFUL THAT MEANINGS VARY FROM CULTURE TO CULTURE. WHY AMERICANS ARE AT TIMES CALLED “UGLY” MEANINGS CAN EVEN VARY GREATLY WITHIN THE SAME GROUPS OF PEOPLE. FUR COATS, CONFEDERATE FLAGS, ETC. Sociology, Eleventh Edition

LANGUAGE NON-VERBAL LANGUAGE CULTURAL TRANSMISSION A SYSTEM OF SYMBOLS THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH ONE ANOTHER. NON-VERBAL LANGUAGE BEWARE OF USING GESTURES CULTURAL TRANSMISSION The process by which one generation passes culture to the next. Speech, writing, etc. Sociology, Eleventh Edition

Discussion Question What does mean? How do you know? Do you think it means the same thing across the world? Sociology, Eleventh Edition

SAPIR-WHORF THESIS Edward Sapir and Benjamin Whorf argued - People perceive the world through the cultural lens of language. Argue that language shapes reality. Each language has words or expressions not found in any other symbolic system. Think about words that have negative connotations in our language. Today, scholars argue against this thesis. Ex. Children understand “family” before learning the word. Sociology, Eleventh Edition

Discussion Question Does the Sapir-Whorf thesis imply that people have the power to change reality by changing their symbols? Ex. What happened when people in the US started using words like “African American” rather than “Negro”? Sociology, Eleventh Edition

Global Map 3-1 (p. 67) Language in Global Perspective Chinese (including Mandarin, Cantonese, and dozens of other dialects) is the native tongue of one-fifth of the world’s people, almost all of whom live in Asia. Although Chinese people read and write with the same characters, they use several dozen dialects. The “official” dialect, taught in schools throughout the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Taiwan, is Mandarin (the dialect of Beijing, China’s historic capital city). Cantonese, the language of Canton, is the second most common Chinese dialect; it differs in sound from Mandarin roughly the way French differs from Spanish. Sociology, Eleventh Edition

Global Map 3-1b (p. 67) English Language in Global Perspective English is the native tongue or official language in several world regions (spoken by one-tenth of humanity) and has become the preferred second language in most of the world. Sociology, Eleventh Edition

Global Map 3-1c (p. 67) Spanish Language in Global Perspective The largest concentration of Spanish speakers is in Latin America and, of course, Spain. Spanish is also the second most widely spoken language in the United States. Source: Peters Atlas of the World (1990); updated by the author. Sociology, Eleventh Edition

VALUES SUPPORT BELIEFS VALUES & BELIEFS VALUES CULTURALLY DEFINED STANDARDS OF DESIRABILITY, GOODNESS, AND BEAUTY, WHICH SERVE AS BROAD GUIDELINES FOR SOCIAL LIVING. LOW-INCOME COUNTRIES VALUE SURVIVAL. HIGH-INCOME COUNTRIES VALUE INDIVIDUALISM AND SELF-EXPRESSION. VALUES SUPPORT BELIEFS BELIEFS SPECIFIC STATEMENTS THAT PEOPLE HOLD TO BE TRUE. Sociology, Eleventh Edition

Robin Williams’ 10 Widespread Values That Are Central to Our American Way of Life Equal opportunity Achievement and success Material comfort Activity and work Practicality and efficiency Progress Science Democracy and free enterprise Freedom Racism and group superiority Are some of these values inconsistent with one another? Sociology, Eleventh Edition

NORMS Rules and expectations by which society guides the behavior of its members. TYPES PROSCRIPTIVE Should nots, prohibited Acts we should avoid. PRESCRIPTIVE Shoulds, prescribed like medicine. Acts we should do. Sometimes the norm is universal in a culture. Ex. Children should behave. Sometimes the situation determines the norm. Ex. Applauding Sociology, Eleventh Edition

NORMS: FURTHER BREAKDOWN MORES Widely observed and have great moral significance. Right vs. Wrong Taboos – strictly forbidden mores Ex. Incest FOLKWAYS Norms for routine and causal interaction. Right vs. Rude Ex. Appropriate greetings, proper dress, etc. Sociology, Eleventh Edition

SOCIAL CONTROL Various means by which members of society encourage conformity to norms. GUILT A negative judgment we make about ourselves. SHAME The painful sense that others disapprove of our actions. SANCTIONS Including rewards and punishment. Sociology, Eleventh Edition

IDEAL VS. REAL CULTURE IDEAL CULTURE REAL CULTURE THE WAY THINGS SHOULD BE. SOCIAL PATTERNS MANDATED BY VALUES AND NORMS. REAL CULTURE THE WAY THINGS ACTUALLY OCCUR IN EVERYDAY LIFE. SOCIAL PATTERNS THAT ONLY APPROXIMATE CULTURAL EXPECTATIONS. Sociology, Eleventh Edition

Cultural Diversity: Many Ways of Life in One World Sociology, Eleventh Edition

Cultural Diversity High culture Popular culture Cultural patterns that distinguish a society’s elite. Popular culture Cultural patterns that are widespread among society’s population. Sociology, Eleventh Edition

Cultural Diversity Subculture Counterculture Cultural patterns set apart some segment of society’s population. Counterculture Cultural patterns that strongly oppose those widely accepted within a society.

Sociology, Eleventh Edition

National Map 3-1 (p. 78) Language Diversity across the United States Of the 262 million people age five or older in the United States, the 2000 census reports that 47 million (18 percent) speak a language other than English at home. Of these, 60 percent speak Spanish and 15 percent use an Asian language (the Census Bureau lists 29 languages, each of which is favored by more than 100,000 people). The map shows that non-English speakers are concentrated in certain regions of the country. Which ones? What do you think accounts for this pattern?

Discussion Question Should Hispanic children be taught in Spanish or English in US schools? Surveys suggest that 80% of Hispanic parents favor English instruction. Sociology, Eleventh Edition

Discussion Question Is African American vernacular English a language or a dialect? Some claim it would be considered a language if its speakers had more power. What do you think? As linguist Max Weinreich says, “A language is a dialect with an army and a navy.” What does this statement mean? Sociology, Eleventh Edition

Multiculturalism An educational program recognizing the cultural diversity of the United States and promoting the equality of all cultural traditions. Eurocentrism – the dominance of European (especially English) cultural patterns. Afrocentrism – the dominance of African cultural patterns. Sociology, Eleventh Edition

INTERDEPENDENCE CULTURAL INTEGRATION CULTURAL LAG The close relationships among various elements of a cultural system. EXAMPLE: COMPUTERS AND CHANGES IN OUR LANGUAGE CULTURAL LAG The fact that some cultural elements change more quickly than others, which may disrupt a cultural system. EXAMPLE: MEDICAL PROCEDURES AND ETHICS Sociology, Eleventh Edition

Discussion Question Cultural lag involves folkways as well as mores. Is it rude to interrupt a lunchtime chat in a restaurant to take a call on a cell phone? Other examples? Sociology, Eleventh Edition

CULTURE CHANGES IN THREE WAYS INVENTION - creating new cultural elements. Telephone or airplane DISCOVERY – recognizing and better understanding something already in existence. X-rays or DNA CULTURAL DIFFUSION – the spread of cultural traits from one society to another. Jazz music or much of the English language Sociology, Eleventh Edition

Theoretical Analysis of Culture Sociology, Eleventh Edition

Theoretical Analysis Structural Functional Critical evaluation Explains culture as a complex strategy for meeting human needs. The stability of U.S. society rests on core values shared by most people. Cultural Universals – traits that are part of every known culture and include: Family, Funeral Rites & Jokes Critical evaluation Ignores cultural diversity and downplays importance of change. Sociology, Eleventh Edition

Theoretical Analysis Social-Conflict Critical evaluation Stresses the link between culture and inequality. Cultural traits benefit some members at the expense of others. Approach rooted in Karl Marx and materialism – society’s system of material production has a powerful effect on the rest of a culture. Critical evaluation Understates the ways cultural patterns integrate members into society. Sociology, Eleventh Edition

Theoretical Analysis Sociobiology A theoretical paradigm that explores ways in which human biology affects how we create culture. Points out that the sexual "double standard" is found around the world. Why are men typically more promiscuous? Why are women typically the one who cares for the infant? Approach rooted in Charles Darwin and evolution – living organisms change over long periods of time based on natural selection . Critical evaluation May be used to support racism or sexism. Little evidence to support theory, people learn behavior within a cultural system. Sociology, Eleventh Edition

Culture and Human Freedom Sociology, Eleventh Edition

Freedom vs. Constraint Culture as constraint We only know our world in terms of our culture. Our culture creates alienation. Culture as freedom Culture is changing and offers a variety of opportunities. We aren’t limited to biology. Sociology, Eleventh Edition

Discussion Question In 1997, two Iraqi brothers, ages 34 & 28, were charged under Nebraska law with the statutory rape of their wives, ages 13 & 14, whom they married according to Muslim law and the customs of their native southern Iraq. Were the charges appropriate or ethnocentric? Sociology, Eleventh Edition