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Essentials of
Sociology
9th Edition
Chapter 2: Culture
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What is Culture?
Culture is:
The language, beliefs, values, norms, and behaviors passed on from one generation to the next
How is this accomplished?
Material vs. Nonmaterial Cultures
Cultural Lag: When nonmaterial culture lags behind material culture
Material: jewelry, art, buildings, weapons, machines, eating utensils, hairstyles, and clothing
Non material: ways of thinking (beliefs, values, and assumptions about the world) and doing (common patterns of behavior, including language, gestures and other forms of interaction)
It is difficult to “see” our culture. Culture is how we perceive and evaluate what is going on around us.
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3. Ethnocentrism and Culture Shock
What is Normal, Natural, or Usual?
We believe our ways are “Normal”
Ethnocentrism-the belief that our culture is the “best”
Culture Shock- coming into contact with a culture that is different from what we know
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4. Culture Shock
It can be easy to experience culture shock when going from urban to rural areas or vice versa.
Describe a time you personally experienced culture shock by traveling to an unfamiliar location.
Figure How Urban is Your State? The Rural–Urban Makeup of the United States Note: The most rural state is Vermont (38% urban). The most urban states are California and New Jersey (94% urban). Source: By the author. Based on Statistical Abstract of the United States 2009:Table 28.

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Culture Shock example of someone in the native land and moving to the US
About 5 minutes
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Cultural Relativism
Understanding a cultures practices from their perspective
i.e., Bull Fighting in Spain
Richard Edgerton - “Sick Cultures”
Edgerton suggests we develop a scale for evaluating cultures on their “quality of life”. Cultural values that result in exploitation are inferior to those that enhance people’s lives. Cultures that practice female circumcision, gang rape or wife beating, child prostitution are not morally equivalent to those cultures that do not practice such things
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7. Judging Culture
This man is showering on the street in India because none of the homes in his village have running water.
How might you judge his behavior from an ethnocentric perspective?
How might you judge his behavior from a culturally relative perspective?
James M. Henslin

8. Components of Symbolic Culture
Symbols
Gestures
Language
Norms (Folkways, Mores, Taboos)
Values
A symbol is something to which people attach meaning and that they then use to communicate with one another. Symbols include gestures, language, values, norms, sanctions, folkways and mores.
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9. Gestures to Indicate Height, Southern Mexico

10. Five Purposes of Language
Allows Human Experience to Be Cumulative
Provides a Social or Shared Past
Provides a Social or Shared Future
Allows Shared Perspectives
Allows Complex, Shared, Goal-Directed Behavior
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11. Language: What’s in a Name?
Are there certain first names that we associate with certain racial or ethnic groups?
What race or ethnicity is “Travis?”
What race or ethnicity is “Terrell?”
What race or ethnicity is “Tomas?”
Why do you think these different names evoke shared images of the men they belong to?

12. Language and Controversy
Should immigrants be required by the government to learn English?
In places like Miami where almost half of residents speak Spanish, should non-immigrants be required to learn Spanish?
Image Copyright Volina, 2010
Used under license from Shutterstock.com

13. Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis
Instead of objects determining our language, our language determines the way we see objects
Students (Jocks, Goths, Stoners, Skaters, Band, Geeks, and Preps)
Sapir and Whorf are anthropologists. They looked at the Hopi Indians. They do not distinguish time (past, present, future)
LANGUAGE HAS EMBEDDED WITH IT WAYS OF LOOKING AT THE WORLD. Learning a language gives us ways of thinking and perceiving. Language directs our consciousness. Language reflects our and shapes our cultural experiences
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14. Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis
How might we think of this woman differently depending upon whether we label her as:
A cancer survivor?
Making an “alternative” fashion statement?
A competitive swimmer?
Image Copyright Andy-pix, 2010
Used under license from Shutterstock.com

15. Race and Language Different racial terms can have different meanings
Does it mean something different to refer to President Obama as:
Black?
White?
Multi-racial?
Class Activity: Post big poster paper around room with the following headings: Middle Eastern, Asian American, Pacific Islander, African American, European American, Latino (Other), Mexican
Check out page 34: cultural diversity in the US
Image Copyright Walter G. Arce, 2010
Used under license from Shutterstock.com

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Norms and Sanctions
Norms - Expectations or rules for behavior
Norms will change as cultures change
Sanctions - Reaction to following or breaking norms
Positive Sanctions
Negative Sanctions
Values: ideas of what is desirable in life
20 some things at work; HR adm are trying to find ways to educate managers about new generation of workers
Talking on the phone while with company at a restaurant; /text instead of phone call
Pos sanctions: approval for following a norm (material: trophy, prize, money, non-material: smiles, hugs, high fives)
Neg. sanctions: disapproval for breaking a norm (material: fined in court, symbolic: harsh words, gestures, such as frowns, stares, raised fists)
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17. Folkways, Mores, and Taboos
Folkways - Norms that are not strictly enforced
Mores - Norms, when broken, go against a society’s basic core values
Taboos - Norms, when broken, are considered repulsive
Folkways, passing me on the right side of the staircase, you may not say anything, but if lots of people were on the stairs, you might give
an angry stare.
Mores (morays): rape, stealing, murder
A man with his shirt off might be violating a folkway, but with a shirt on, but no pants, violating a more. A woman with her shirt off: more
Taboo: eating human flesh or having sex with your own child
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18. Subcultures and Countercultures
A world within the dominant culture
The norms and values do not clash with those of the dominant culture
Example of a Subculture
Countercultures:
The norms and values clash with those of the dominant culture
Subcultures have a distinctive way of looking at the world. The US has THOUSANDS OF subcultures (teenagers, hip hop, politicians, religious groups, ethnic groups)
Countercultures: values and norms go against the dominant culture. hell’s angels, pagans and bandidos value dirtiness, and contempt toward women, work and education
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19. Values in U.S. Society Romantic Love Democracy Science and Technology
Religiosity
Freedom
Efficiency and Practicality
Education
Humanitarianism
Activity and Work
Racism and Group Superiority
Material Comfort
Individualism
Equality
Progress
Achievement and Success
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20. Values Robin William’s 10 values (p. 50-51)
Henslin added 3 more values (p. 51)
Emerging Values (p )
Leisure, self-fulfillment, physical fitness, youthfulness, concern for the environment
How do you think adherence to the five emerging values differ by age or cohort?

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Ideal vs. Real Culture
Sociologists use the term ideal culture to refer to the values, norms, and goals that a group considers ideal, worth aiming for (i.e Success).
Sociologists call the norms and values that people actually follow real culture.
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22. Technology in the Global Village
Central to a group’s material culture is its technology. Technology can be equated with tools.
New technology refers to an emerging technology that has a significant impact on social life.
Printing Press
Personal Computer
MP3 player/IPod
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23. Cultural Diffusion and Cultural Leveling
Cultural Diffusion: The spreading of cultural characteristics from one culture to another
Cultural Leveling: When cultures start to become similar to each other
Diffusion: Hip hop? We usually eagerly adopt new technology or material culture, such as weapons and tools. Jazz practices Judo
Leveling: example: Japan. Have adopted capitalism, western clothing and music.
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