1. Material & Nonmaterial Culture
Chapter 3.4
Material & Nonmaterial Culture

2. Nonmaterial Culture Includes beliefs, ideas, and knowledge
Beliefs = ideas about reality
Beliefs can be true or false
Examples: no life on mercury, a pharaoh was a god
Important because behavior is based on beliefs

3. Material Culture Tangible objects
Objects have no meaning within itself
People give objects meaning

5. Ideal vs. Real Culture Ideal The culture to which a society ascribes
Utopia
Example: All students are honest
Real
The actual behavior of people in a society
Real life
Example: Students cheat

6. Changing Culture Culture can change due to 3 reasons Discovery
Invention
Diffusion

7. Diversity Counterculture Subculture Opposed to dominant culture
Have their own traditions, language, etc
Examples: cults, criminals, drug culture
Subculture
Subscribes to values of dominant culture
Have their own traditions, language, etc.
Examples: Chinatown, St. Viator, music culture

8. Ethnocentrism Judging others using your own cultural standards
Can be both good and bad
Positives:
promotes stability, unity
Negatives:
inflexibility, intolerance

9. Cultural Universals Values that exist in ALL societies
Details may differ from culture to culture
Examples: caring for children, recreation, education