(Or how we know what we know)

Culture and Socialization What is culture? Development of culture Cultural variation Language and culture Norms and values Global culture wars Culture and dominant ideologies Culture and socialization Socialization and the self Agents of socialization Aging and socialization

Culture and Socialization Culture: totality of learned socially transmitted customs, knowledge, objects, and behavior Culture includes language, values, norms, customs, artifacts, and even groups of people Socialization: process by which people learn basic societal attitudes, behaviors, knowledge, and values Society: large number of people who live in the same territory, who are relatively independent of the people outside of that area, and who participate in a common culture Common culture emphasizes day-to-day interaction

Cultural Universals All societies develop common practices and beliefs These are adaptations to meet essential human needs Innovation Diffusion What are some examples of cultural universals? Ethnocentrism: tendency to assume one’s own culture and way of life represent the norm or are superior to all others

Cultural Relativism Evaluation of a people’s behavior from the perspective of that culture Tries to employ a type of value-neutral approach in scientific study Requires a serious effort to be unbiased Innovation: process of introducing a new idea or object to a culture Discovery: making known or sharing the existence of some aspect of reality Invention: results when existing cultural items are combined into something new

Development of Global Culture Globalization: worldwide integration of government policies, banking systems, cultures, social movements, and financial systems through trade and the exchange of ideas Diffusion: process by which a cultural item spreads from group to group Exploration Conquest Missionary work Mass media Tourism Internet

Development of Global Culture McDonaldization: process through which the principles of the fast-food industry dominant certain sectors of society Material culture: physical or technological aspects of our daily lives Nonmaterial culture: ways of using material objects Culture lag: period of maladjustment when nonmaterial culture struggles to adapt to material conditions

Cultural Variation Each culture considers its own customs, rules, norms, and values as “natural” Cultures adapt to meet specific sets of circumstances Subcultures: segments of society that share distinct patterns of customs, rules, and traditions that differ from the larger society Argot: specialized language that is developed that allows insiders to understand words with special meanings Counterculture: when a subculture deliberately opposes or rejects aspects of the larger culture Culture shock: feeling of disorientation, uncertainty, or being out of place when immersed in an unfamiliar culture

Culture and Language Language: abstract system of word meanings and symbols for all aspects of culture Includes speech, written language, numerals, gestures, and nonverbal communication What we know is bounded by language We need to know and understand a symbol to be able to express it Miscommunication

Norms and Values Norms: establish the rules and standards of behavior in a society Formal norms: written down; specific punishments Informal norms: generally understood but not recorded Mores: norms determined as highly necessary for society Folkways: norms of everyday behavior Sanctions: the penalties and rewards for conduct concerning social norms Sanctions are a form of social control

Norms and Values Norms are collective expressions of what is good, bad, desirable, or undesirable in a society Influence people’s conceptions of themselves Influence people’s behavior Criteria for evaluating others May change over time or situationally

Culture Wars Culture war: polarization of society over controversial elements of culture National: abortion, health care, pensions/social security, debt, gun control, sexual expression, religious expression Global: wars, nuclear programs, global economy, colonization

Culture and Dominant Ideologies Dominant ideology: set of beliefs and practices that help maintain powerful interests Social Economic Political “If you work hard enough, you can succeed in life”

Perspectives on Culture (pg. 55)

Culture and Socialization Nature vs. Nurture Today’s scientists believe the two interact Sociobiology: systematic study of the biological basis for human behavior Began with Charles Darwin Sociobiologists apply Darwin’s principle of natural selection to the study of human behavior Isolation: interaction of heredity and environment shape development Emphasize early socialization of children

Socialization and the Self Self: distinct identity that sets us apart from others Constantly changing Develops throughout your life Looking-glass self Mead’s stages of the self: Preparatory stage: children imitate people around them Play stage: become more aware of social relationships and role taking occurs Role taking: the process of mentally assuming another’s perspective and responding from that point of view Game stage: children about 8-9 consider several actual tasks and relationships simultaneously Generalized Other: attitudes, viewpoints, and expectations of society as a whole that a child takes into account

Mead and Goffman Mead: The self begins as a privileged/central point in a person’s world As a person matures, the self begins to change and reflect greater concern for the reactions of others Significant others: individuals most important in the development of the self Goffman: Impression management

Agents of Socialization Family Gender roles: expectation regarding proper behavior, attitudes, and activities for men and women School Peer groups Harassment and support Mass media and technology Workplace Religion State

Aging and Socialization Rites of passage: means of dramatizing and recognizing changes in a person’s status Life course approach: looking closely at the factors that influence people throughout their lives Anticipatory socialization: person “rehearses” future occupations and social relationships Resocialization: discarding former behavior patterns and accepting new ones as you transition Total institution: regulates all aspects of a person’s life under a single authority Degradation ceremony: ritual where the individual becomes secondary and invisible in an overbearing social environment