Cultural Universals
Culture Definition: PATTERNS OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR that include: ideas beliefs values artifacts ways of making a living WHICH ANY SOCIETY TRANSMITS TO SUCCEEDING GENERATIONS TO MEET ITS FUNDAMENTAL NEEDS.
Cultural Universals KEY ELEMENTS shared by all groups of people throughout the history of man. ALL SOCIETIES have behaviors and objects that influence and define that culture. Question: Can anyone think of ANYTHING (behaviors or objects) that applies to EVERY society?
Place and Time a. Location: land, climate b. Resources: flora, fauna, raw materials c. Time: past, present, future
Family Life
Family Structure Who is the head of the family? Who lives together?
Division of Labor Who does the work?
Food, Clothing Shelter, Transportation a. Food b. Clothes c. Dwellings
a. Food Food What is eaten and how is it prepared?
Clothing What is worn every day? Are there ceremonial clothes?
Dwellings What are the homes like and how are they made?
Transportation
How do people move from place to place?
a. Jobs: b. Money: c. Existing technology d. Trade Economics
Money What is used for currency?
Jobs How do people earn a living?
Existing Technology What are their tools and weapons?
Trade What do they have to trade? With whom do they trade?
Communication
Language Spoken, written, “sign” and body language
Number Systems How does the group count?
Institutions A. Rules & Laws B. Conflict Resolution C. Education D. Medicine E. Military
Rules & Laws How is the group governed? Who makes and enforces the laws? How is the government organized?
How is conflict resolved?
Education How do children learn their culture?
Medicine Who heals? How?
Military How is the group protected from “outsiders?”
Art: Does the group have music? What kind? Do they have literature? Crafts? Dance? Arts & Recreation
What does the group do for fun?
How does the group explain the unknown? What are the group’s birth and death rituals? Belief Systems
The End!