1. Chapter 2 Section 2
Cultural Variation

2. Cultural Universals
Basic needs that all societies must develop certain features to ensure their fulfillment
Language
Gift giving
Medicine
Music
George Murdock examined cultures to develop a list of more than 65 cultural universals:
Myths
Religion
Sports
toolmaking
Body adornment(clothing/jewelry)
Example: Family-serves same basic purpose in all cultures even though the structure and means of family may differ from culture to culture
Cooking
Dancing
Family
Feasting
Greetings
Funerals
Housing

3. Cultural Variations
Subculture-unique cultural characteristics of a group
Examples:
Age
Gender
Ethnicity
Religion
Political
Geographic
Social-class
Occupation

4. Cultural Variations
Counterculture-when a subculture adopts practices intending to challenge the values of the larger society
Examples:
Cyberpunk movement
Anarchists
Mafia (Organized crime)
Hippie movement (1960s)

5. Ethnocentrism
The tendency to view one’s own culture and group as superior
Common for people to view different cultural traits negatively
Functionalist: this belief helps to build group unity
Conflict Perspective: belief in the superiority of a group or society often results in one group or society seeing others as inferior. This encourages discrimination. Also, culture can stagnate without change/adoption

6. Cultural Relativism
The belief that cultures should be judged by their own standards rather than applying the standards of another
Provides objectivity when studying other cultures/views

7. Cultural Change
Cultural diffusion- spreading of cultural traits from one society to another
Ancient times, via trade, war, conquest
Today, via instant communication systems, discovery, and invention

8. Cultural Change
Cultural Lag-the time between changes, when ideas and beliefs are adapting to new material conditions
Cultural Levelling-the process in which cultures become more and more alike
Result of globalization-the development of economic and social relationships that stretch across the world

9. Homework
Pg. 42 #1-6