UNIT 1: CHAPTER 3: CULTURAL CONFORMITY & ADAPTATION
SECTION 1: THE AMERICAN VALUE SYSTEM
WHAT ARE SOME TRADITIONAL AMERICAN VALUES? 1.Personal Achievement 2.Individualism 3.Work 4.Morality and Humanitarianism 5.Efficiency and Practicality 6. Progress and Material Comfort 7. Equality and Democracy 8. Freedom 9. Other Core Values
OUR CHANGING VALUES Society’s values may change over time and new values may emerge. As American society advances technologically, SELF-FULFILLMENT has emerged as a value of many Americans to develop one’s personality, talents, and potential. Examples of Self- fulfillment: Physical fitness Youthfulness Leisure/Play time Vacations Seminars/Workshops TV shows/programs Books
REFLECTION ON THE VALUE OF SELF-FULFILLMENT: How do advertisements, commercials, and businesses support the emerging American value of self-fulfillment?
WHAT MIGHT BE SOME NEGATIVES OF A SOCIETY THAT EMPHASIZES SELF-FULFILLMENT? Narcissism OR Heightened Awareness of Your Environment
SECTION 2: SOCIAL CONTROL
INTERNALIZATION The process by which a norm becomes a part of an individual’s personality, causing the individual to conform to society’s expectations. Pair-Partner Discussion: What processes might be used to help the internalization process?
WAYS OF HELPING THE INTERNALIZATION PROCESS: Sanctions are rewards or punishments used to enforce conformity to norms. Sanctions can be positive/negative and formal/informal. Positive sanctions – actions that rewards certain behaviors Examples: Verbal praise, good grades, pay raises, cheers/applauses, ceremonies, badges, ribbons, and awards Negative sanctions – actions that punishes or threatens to punish certain behaviors Examples: Having your car towed from a “no parking” zone; traffic ticket; frowns, ridicule, rejection, ostracism, fines, imprisonment, and in the extreme…death.
FORMAL VS. INFORMAL SANCTIONS Formal Sanctions A reward or punishment given by a formal organization or regulatory agency, such as a school, business, or government. Informal Sanctions A spontaneous expression of approval or disapproval given by an individual or a group.
SECTION 3: SOCIAL CHANGE
Sources of Social Change Values & Beliefs Ideology – a system of beliefs or ideas that justifies certain interests Social Movement – a long-term conscious effort to promote or prevent social change. Technology Population Diffusion The Physical Environment Wars & Conquests
HOW MIGHT A CULTURE BE RESISTANT TO CHANGE? Ethnocentrism – the belief that one’s culture is superior to any other May see no need to entertaining the possibility of changing or incorporating other cultural ideas Cultural Lag – when cultural traits change at different times; some change quickly, some moderately, some slowly Example: In the 1800s, American society was mostly agricultural, which meant that a long summer break was needed for children to work on the large farms. Now that the U.S. is more of a technological society, long summer breaks are not needed, but society prefers to maintain the tradition of long summer breaks. Efforts toward year-round schooling have been vigorous opposed.