1. Chapter 3 Culture

2. Chapter Objectives
Explain how culture and heredity affect social behavior.
Describe how language and culture are related.
Name the essential components of culture.
Discuss how cultural diversity is promoted within a society.
Understand the role of a ethnocentrism in society.
Identify similarities in cultures around the world.

3. Section 1: The Basis of Culture
Culture and Society
What is culture?
Culture is the knowledge, language, values, customs, and physical objects that are passed from generation to generation among members of a group.
Culture is a “total way of life”.
What does culture help to explain?

4. Culture and Society Culture helps to explain human social behavior.
Examples:
What you like and dislike.
What you believe.
What you value.
How has our culture shaped you?
Society- is a group of people who live in a territory inhabited by people who share a common culture.
How do we acquire Culture?

5. Culture and Heredity
Instincts- are unlearned or innate patterns of behavior.
What is more important in determining human behavior? Instincts or Culture?
CULTURE
What is heredity’s affect on personality?
***Nature vs. Nurture ***
Studies show about 50/50
Ex. Studies in identical twins.

6. Culture and Heredity
Reflexes – are simple, automatic responses to physical stimulus.
Drives- Impulses to reduces discomfort.
Examples:
Reflexes
- Blinking, Finger prick.
Drives
- Eating, sleeping, socialize.

7. Sociobiology Study of the biological basis of human behavior.
Combo of Darwin’s theory of natural selection and modern genetics.
How do sociobiologists view behavior?
Behaviors that best help people are biologically based.
Transmitted in the genetic code.
Include: Affection, friendship, reproduction, ed. of children.

8. Criticisms of Sociobiology
Places such an importance on genetics
Could be used as a way to justify labeling certain races as inferior.
***Why is this scary?***
Many argue that there is too much variation in societies to be explained purely on these grounds.
A Common Ground?
Believe genes work with culture in a complex way.
Help shape and limit human nature and social life.

9. What will the future bring???
Sociology is new to the field of social sciences.
So called “hard sciences” could help to answer social questions.