1. Culture The 7 Elements of Culture

2. Culture Culture: everything that makes up a person’s entire way of life  “total knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors shared by and passed on by the members of a specific group.” Defines what it is to be part of group  What culture do you live in? What is it defined by? How do other cultures affect it?

3. Society A group within a geographic area that share a culture and identity  In what society do you live? What is it defined by? How is it different from surrounding societies?

4. 7 Elements of Culture 1. Social Organization -When a culture organize its members into smaller groups  What might some smaller groups be in a culture?  Families  Friends  Religious groups  Social classes  Occupation  Interest groups These are things that all cultures have in common. What might some of those things be?

5. 1. Social Organization 1. Social Organization, cont. most important - family: the most important unit of social organization  Nuclear family- husband, wife, children  Extended family- several generations in one household - respect for elders is usually strong in extended fams. 7 Elements of Culture

6. 1. Social Organization 1. Social Organization, cont. - social classes: a way to rank people in order of status What can social class be based on?  Money  Occupation  Education  Race  Etc. 7 Elements of Culture

7. Customs and Traditions 2. Customs and Traditions - rules of behavior (written and unwritten)

8. Acculturation Societal change when a culture adopts an innovation What are pros and cons of adopting such innovations?

9. 3. Language Important for communication and passing on traditions and beliefs. Dialect- Changes is speech pattern related to class, region, or other cultural changes. 7 Elements of Culture  There is some debate about making English the official language of the United States.

10. Language, Cont. How is language wrapped up with identity? What about dialect, y’all?

11. Arts and Literature 4. Arts and Literature - teach about a culture’s values - promote cultural pride and unity 7 Elements of Culture

12. 5. Religion Monotheism: belief in one god Polytheism: belief in more than one god  Five Major World Religions Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism 7 Elements of Culture

13. 6. F FF Forms of Government People form governments to provide for their common needs Types DDemocracy: people have supreme power RRepublic: people choose leaders to represent them DDictatorship: a ruler or group holds power by force White House Great Britain’s Houses of Parliament

14. 7. Economic Systems Four types 1. Traditional: people produce most of what they need to survive 2. Market: basic economic questions are answered by buying/selling goods and services 3. Command: government controls answers to economic questions 4. Mixed: individuals make some economic decisions, the government makes others 7 Elements of Culture

15. Diffusion Spread of ideas of one culture to others  What ideas of our culture has diffused to others?  What ideas of other cultures have diffused to ours?

16. Ways Cultures Change 1. Technology CCars, telephone, computers, TV dinners 2. Environment Changes 3. New Ideas (like recycling) 4. Diffusion: movement of customs and ideas from one place to another

17. Ethnicity Refers to a specific group that shares a common language, customs, and a common heritage.

18. Be Careful of… Ethnocentrism: judging other cultures by the standards of your own  Assuming your own culture to be the best Racism: belief that one racial group is naturally superior to another  Race is a culture thing. It does not actually, physically exist.

19. What is Race? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qaWp8 _z81w http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qaWp8 _z81w http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKBrm DfQfWE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKBrm DfQfWE