1. CULTURE
A DESIGN FOR LIVING

2. WHAT IS CULTURE? A complex whole consisting of objects, values,
& other characteristics that
people acquire & relate
to as members of society
Primary groups: close, personal relationship (informal)
Secondary groups: temporary relationship based on interests (formal)

3. WHAT IS SOCIETY?
Consists of people interacting with one another as residents of the same area
Not the same as culture

4. CULTURE Consists of abstract things & human-made objects
Material culture – physical objects made by people (archaeologists study this)
Nonmaterial culture – knowledge, beliefs, norms & values, signs & language (sociologists study this)
Preindustrial vs. Industrial Civilizations: little contact with other civilizations vs. development of cities (more contact)

6. Breakdown of culture VALUES NORMS
Socially shared ideas about what is important to a society/group (i.e. Informal Social Control)
Ex: parents value mass education
Ex of ISC: in your group text, you accidentally leave out a friend. Now that friend doesn’t speak to you.
NORMS
The valued rules of how people should behave according to their society
Ex: parents send you to school

7. FILING CABINET OF CULTURE
Values are the two drawers
Norms are the hanging folders
The papers in the folders are all the different norms found in a given society

8. NORMS
Norms change over time (i.e., racial segregation non-existent now)
We are constantly & without notice, conforming to norms

10. TWO TYPES OF NORMS
FOLKWAYS – “weak” norms that specify proper behavior
Not a big deal if violated, just considered rude
MORES – “strong” norms that specify normal behavior & constitutes demands
Violators punished through law enforcement

13. HOW IS THIS ENFORCED?
Enforced through sanctions – rewards/punishments for conforming to norms
Generally happy to conform if you believe in the values of it (values overpower our behavior)

14. VALUES AND PEOPLE
We have 15 different basic values, and all are related to one another = cultural integration

16. SUBCULTURES Cultures within larger cultures
Ethnic group: shares distinct values, language, and behavioral patterns that distinguish it’s culture from others
Deviant subcultures – values unacceptable to the dominant culture
Countercultures – unacceptable values, but not illegal or criminal

18. WE ALL HAVE NEEDS
Cultural Universals – all sharing the same basic cultural needs
Western
Confucian
Japanese
Islamic
Culture then broken down into civilizations: 8 domains in the world   
Hindu
Slavic-Orthodox
Latin American
African

19. ETHNOCENTRISM
US not a “melting pot” b/c minorities forced to adopt white European male subculture - Ethnocentrism
To alleviate this, we learn cultural relativism = belief that a culture must be understood in it’s own terms (This is why you’re taking this class!)
Most central function of culture – ensure social order & stability

21. friends
MMMM…Tacos