1. CULTURAL CONFORMITY AND ADAPTATION
THE AMERICAN VALUE SYSTEM
SOCIAL CONTROL
SOCIAL CHANGE

2. THE AMERICAN VALUE SYSTEM
Ethnic, racial, religious, and geographical variations in American society make for a culture rich in diversity.
However, certain values are shared by the majority of Americans.

3. TRADITIONAL AMERICAN VALUES
In a 1970’s study, sociologist Robin Williams outlined a set of 15 values that are central to the American way of life.
Robin Williams (Sociologist)
Robin Williams
(Comedian)

4. WILLIAMS AMERICAN VALUES
Personal Achievement
Work
Morality and Humanitarianism
Efficiency and Practicality
Progress and Material Comfort
Equality and Democracy
Freedom

5. OUR CHANGING VALUES
The problem of value conflict is complicated by the fact that values, like all aspects of society, change over time.
Self-fulfillment- a commitment to the full development of one’s personality, talents, and potential.
Narcissism- extreme self-centeredness

6. SOCIAL CONTROL
Every society develops norms that reflect the cultural values its members consider important.
Internalization- the process by which a norm becomes part of an individual’s personality, thereby conditioning the individual to conform to society’s expectations.

7. SOCIAL CONTROL CONT.
Sanctions- rewards or punishments used to enforce conformity to norms.
Positive Sanction- when a sanction is in the form of a reward.
Negative Sanction- a punishment or the threat of punishment used to enforce conformity.
Being confined to the stocks served both as a punishment for wrongdoers and as a warning to others.

8. FORMAL AND INFORMAL SANCTIONS
Formal Sanction- reward or punishment that is given by some formal organization.
Ex: Fines, being fired, imprisonment, pay raises, awards, medals.
Informal Sanction- a spontaneous expression of approval or disapproval given by an individual or group.
Ex: Standing ovations, compliments, smiles, frowns, gossip, being ignored.

9. SOURCES OF SOCIAL CHANGE
All cultures change over time. Yet some cultures change much faster than others.
There are many factors that contribute to the changes in culture.
The invention of the automobile did more than furnish Americans with a new form of transportation. It also provided employment, affected the way people shop, where they live, and what they do with their leisure time.

10. VALUES AND BELIEFS
Ideology- a system of beliefs or ideas that justifies the social, moral, religious, political, or economic interests held by a group or society.
Social Movement- a long-term conscious effort to promote or prevent social change.
The civil rights movement of the 1960s was one important social movement that sought to ensure equal rights of African Americans and other minority groups.

11. TECHNOLOGY
Technology- knowledge and tools that people use to manipulate their environment for practical purposes.
Invention- occurs when people use existing knowledge to create something that did not previously exist.

12. POPULATION
A change in the size of the population may bring about changes in a culture
Population changes also affect the economy.
Changes in age structure of a population bring about social and cultural changes.

13. Other cultures borrow many traits from the US such as fast food
DIFFUSION
Diffusion- the process of spreading culture traits from one society to another.
Today with mass transportation and instant communication, the number of traits that Americans borrow from other cultures is immense.
Other cultures borrow many traits from the US such as fast food

14. THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
The environment provides conditions that may encourage or discourage cultural change.
Natural disasters such as droughts, floods, earthquakes, and tornadoes also produce social and cultural change.

15. HENRY CLAY: THE GREAT COMPROMISER
WARS AND CONQUESTS
Although not as common as other sources of social change, wars probably bring about the greatest change in the least amount of time.
War causes the loss of many lives, broken families, destruction of property, and a change in the workforce.
HENRY CLAY: THE GREAT COMPROMISER

16. RESISTANCE TO CHANGE
Cultural change never occurs without some opposition.
Ethnocentrism- the tendency to view one’s own culture or group as superior
Cultural Lag- when some aspects of the culture change less rapidly, or lag behind, other aspects of the same culture
Vested Interests- An individual or group that is satisfied with the way things are now and resist any effort to change the situation.