SOC101Y Introduction to Sociology Professor Robert Brym Lecture #2 21 Sep 11 Course Website

 Culture is the sum of socially transmitted ideas, practices, and material objects that people create to overcome real-life problems. Culture gives us guidelines for how to act.  A society exists when people interact and share culture, generally in a geographically delimited area.

Hero’s Aeolopile, 1 st century c.e.

The Atanasoff-Berry Digital Computer, circa 1939

 Ethnocentrism involves judging another culture exclusively by the standards of one’s own.  Cultural relativism is the belief that all elements of all cultures should be respected as equally valid.

Prevalence of Cliterectomy in Africa Prevalence over 90% in:  Egypt  Guinea  Eritrea  Djibouti  Mali  Somalia  Sierra Leone

Canada’s Foreign-Born Population by Continent of Birth, Foreign-born Canadians as percent of population* % % % % % * Percentages were read from a graph and are therefore approximate.

Years from Invention to 25 Percent Market Penetration (year of invention in parentheses) Years to 25 percent market penetration

In the long run, do you think the scientific advances we are making will help or harm humankind? (percent who say “ will help ” ) Percent

Postmodernism involves:  The eclectic mixing of cultural elements from different times and places;  the erosion of authority; and  the decline of consensus around core values

 Rationalization is the application of the most efficient means to achieve given goals and the often unintended, negative consequences of doing so.  A bureaucracy is a large, impersonal organization composed of many clearly defined positions arranged in a hierarchy. It has a permanent, salaried staff of qualified experts and written goals, rules and procedures. Staff members strive to achieve goals more efficiently.

Approximate Income, Cost and Profit per SOC101 Student, U of T, 1993 and 2010 Year Classes41 Students1,0001,400 TAs127 A. Tuition income per student$415$1,250 B. Personnel cost per student*$265$165 Net income per student (A-B)$150$1,085 Net income per student, 2010 $$200$1,085 * Excludes overhead

 Consumerism is a lifestyle that involves defining one’s self in terms of the goods one purchases.

Early 80s: Inventor of gansta rap ICE-T (Tracy Marrow) Now: Detective Finn, Law and Order SVU

Six marriages took place in Hampton (population: 2,000) in Twelve marriages took place in Sussex (population: 3,000) in In which town is the marriage rate higher? 1. Hampton 2. Sussex 3. Both the same 4. Impossible to say with the given information

Hampton marriage rate: 6/2,000 = m/100,000 6 x 100,000 = 2,000 x m 600,000 = 2,000m m=300 Sussex marriage rate: 12/3,000 = m/100, x 100,000 = 3,000 x m 1,200,000 = 3,000m m=400 We want to compare marriage in the two towns but the frequency of marriages is influenced by the size of the town. We must therefore “standardize” or “control for” size. We do this by calculating rates – the number of marriages for every 100,000 residents (m). When we solve for x, we arrive at the marriage rate, that is, the the number of marriages per 100,000 residents. This allows us to compare marriage in the two towns as if they were the same size.