Chapter 3 CULTURE Darwin’s Theory of Evolution • The environment "selects" those traits that are advantageous and "rejects" those that are not Sociocultural Evolution Great transformations.
Download ReportTranscript Chapter 3 CULTURE Darwin’s Theory of Evolution • The environment "selects" those traits that are advantageous and "rejects" those that are not Sociocultural Evolution Great transformations.
Chapter 3 CULTURE Darwin’s Theory of Evolution • The environment "selects" those traits that are advantageous and "rejects" those that are not Sociocultural Evolution Great transformations of socity Copyright (c) 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Culture What is Culture? Culture is: The language, beliefs, values, norms, and behaviors passed on from one generation to the next How is this accomplished? Two components Nonmaterial culture Material culture 3 Culture Nonmaterial Belief system, values, behavior, social interactions, language, gestures, and assumptions about the world Material Cultural artifacts and objects people create and assign meanings to. Culture Taken for granted Cultural lens Guideline for behavior Culture Sometimes our assumptions are challenged Culture Shock Ethnocentrism Practicing Cultural Relativism Culture Ethnocentrism and Culture Shock What is Normal, Natural, or Usual? Culture Shock- Cultures are in conflict Ethnocentrism-the belief that our culture is the “best” or superior to all others Negative consequences Positive consequences 7 Culture Cultural Relativism Attempt to understand another culture’s perspective and not based on one’s own perspective Refocus our lens Examples Leisure activity is part of a good life Hindu diet and US diet Bull fighting Values Physical exercise is good for you Develop your mind 8 Culture Relativist Fallacy Cultural values result in exploitation Involuntary Inhumane Oppressive Examples Honor Killing Female Circumcision Culture Components of Symbolic Culture Symbols Something people attach meaning and then use to communicate with others. Nonmaterial culture Material culture 10 Culture Gestures Using the body to communicate Universal, but meaning changes completely from one culture to another Can lead to misunderstandings, embarrassment, or conflict Some universal gestures Culture Language System of symbols Five Purposes of Languages 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 Culture Language & Perceptions Language has embedded within it ways of looking at the world Sapir-Whorf hypothesis The power of language Meaning beyond words EXAMPLES Welfare Stupid Labeling or Stereotyping EXAMPLES Racial profiling Resumes Culture Values Standards by which people define what is desirable or undesirable, good or bad, beautiful or ugly. Guide our choices or preferences in life Modern pluralistic societies Culture Values in U.S. Society Achievement and Success Progress Equality Individualism Material Comfort Racism and Group Superiority Activity and Work Humanitarianism Education Efficiency and Practicality Freedom Religiosity Science and Technology Democracy Romantic Love 15 Culture Value Cluster Values together form a larger whole Examples Value Clash When core values change causing conflict between social groups Ideal Culture vs. Real Culture Culture Emerging Values A value cluster of 4 interrelated core values Leisure self fulfillment Physical fitness Youthfulness Environmental consciousness Culture Components of Symbolic Culture Norms Norms - Expectations or rules for behavior Informal and Formal Norms Sanctions - Reaction to following or breaking norms Positive Sanctions Negative Sanctions Moral holidays 18 Culture Components of Symbolic Culture Types of Norms Folkways Weak social norms Examples Mores Strictly enforced norms Examples Taboos People who violate these norms are viewed as unfit for society Examples 19 Culture Many Cultural Worlds Subculture: Distinctive customs, values, norms, and lifestyles. Countercultures: Culture is in conflict with the dominant culture Multiculturalism: The appreciation for cultural difference 20 Culture Cultural Diffusion and Cultural Leveling Cultural Diffusion: The spreading of cultural characteristics from one culture to another Why is this happening so rapidly? Cultural Leveling: When cultures start to become similar to each other 21 Culture