Chapter 2 Culture

What is Culture? Beliefs, values, behavior, and material objects that, together, form a people’s way of life Material culture – physical or technological aspects of our daily lives Nonmaterial culture - beliefs

Culture Cultural universals – general practices found in every culture including courtship, family, language, religion, and sex restrictions Cultural diffusion – process by which a cultural item spreads from group to group Culture shock – personal disorientation when experiencing an unfamiliar way of life

What is the purpose of culture? 1.Our major mode of adaptation 2.Sets limits on behavior and guides us along predictable paths Becomes internalized –Doxa – things so deeply internalized that they come to be seen as “natural”

Characteristics of Culture Culture is shared Culture is learned - Cultural transmission – passing of cultural traits from one generation to the next

Characteristics of Culture Culture is based on symbols Symbol – anything that carries a particular meaning recognized by people who share culture Language – a system of symbols that allows people to communicate with each other - Language is our most important symbolic system - Ensures the continuity of culture - Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis – people perceive the world through the cultural lens of language

Characteristics of Culture Culture is integrated Cannot change one element without impacting another –Cultural integration – close relationship among various elements of a cultural system –Cultural lag – period of maladjustment when an element of culture changes and disrupts a system –Change caused by Invention – creating new elements Discovery – understanding an idea not fully understood before Diffusion – spread of cultural traits

Non Material Culture Values – culturally defined standards which serve as broad guidelines for social living Beliefs – specific statements which people hold to be true

Non Material Culture Norms – rules and expectations by which society guides the behavior of its members Mores – norms that are widely observed and have great moral significance Folkways – norms for routine, casual interaction

Cultural Diversity High culture – cultural patterns that distinguish a society’s elite Popular culture – cultural patterns that are widespread among a society’s population Subcultures – cultural patterns that distinguish some segment of a society’s population

Cultural Diversity Counterculture – cultural patterns that strongly oppose those widely accepted in society Multiculturalism – an educational program recognizing the cultural diversity of the U.S. and promoting the equality of all cultural traditions

Cultural Diversity Ethnocentrism – the practice of judging another culture by the standards of one’s own culture Cultural relativism – the practice of judging a culture by its own standards

Homework Assignment #1 Find an article in a newspaper, magazine, book, or on the internet. Answer the following four questions: 1.Give a brief summary of the article. 2.How does the article relate to culture? 3.Use one of the sociological concepts in the lecture or textbook on culture to relate to the article. 4.What have you learned from the article?