Chapter 4 Culture Copyright 2012, SAGE Publications, Inc.

A Definition of Culture Culture encompasses the ideas, values, and material objects that allow a group, even an entire society, to carry out their collective lives in relative order and harmony. Copyright 2012, SAGE Publications, Inc.

The Basic Elements of Culture: Values The broadest elements of culture General and abstract standards defining what a group or society considers good Express a society’s ideals Copyright 2012, SAGE Publications, Inc.

The Basic Elements of Culture: Norms Informal rules that guide what people do and how they live Tell people what to do and not do in a certain situation Informal Copyright 2012, SAGE Publications, Inc.

The Basic Elements of Culture: Norms Norms are reinforced through sanctions, which can be positive (rewards) or negative (punishments). Folkways: norms that are relatively unimportant Mores: important norms whose violation is met with a severe negative sanction Copyright 2012, SAGE Publications, Inc.

The Basic Elements of Culture: Material Culture Encompasses the artifacts that are reflections of culture Includes clothes, homes, technology, toys, and even weapons Culture shapes these objects. Copyright 2012, SAGE Publications, Inc.

The Basic Elements of Culture: Symbolic Culture and Language Symbolic culture encompasses nonmaterial culture. Two key forms are values and norms. Language is an important aspect of symbolic culture that allows for the storage and development of culture. Copyright 2012, SAGE Publications, Inc.

Cultural Differences: Ideal and Real Culture Ideal culture: what the norms and values of society lead us to think people should believe and do Real culture: what people actually think and do in their everyday lives Copyright 2012, SAGE Publications, Inc.

Cultural Differences: Ideology Ideology: set of shared beliefs that explains the social world and guides people’s actions A dominant ideology is one upon which many people act. Copyright 2012, SAGE Publications, Inc.

Cultural Differences: Subcultures Subculture: a group of people who accept much of the dominant culture, but are set apart from it Subcultures can be grouped by interest, entertainment, fashion, vocabulary, or lifestyle. Copyright 2012, SAGE Publications, Inc.

Cultural Differences: Countercultures Counterculture: a group of people who are set apart from the dominant culture and their norms and values are incompatible with it Examples include the KKK, hippies, antiwar activists, and computer hackers Copyright 2012, SAGE Publications, Inc.

Cultural Differences: Culture Wars A conflict between a subculture or counterculture and the dominant culture Culture wars sometimes lead to the disruption of the social, economic, and political status quo. Copyright 2012, SAGE Publications, Inc.

Cultural Differences: Multiculturalism and Assimilation Multiculturalism: an environment in which cultural differences are accepted and appreciated by the majority dominant group Assimilation: when the dominant culture makes the minority culture adapt to its values, norms, and beliefs Copyright 2012, SAGE Publications, Inc.

Cultural Differences: Multiculturalism and Assimilation Identity politics: a tactic used by the minority group when the dominant group is unwilling to accept them Cultural relativism: the idea that a culture needs to be understood within the context of that culture Ethnocentrism: the belief that one’s culture is superior to other cultures Copyright 2012, SAGE Publications, Inc.

Cultural Differences: High and Low Culture High culture has tended to be associated with societal elites, seen as the product of artists or skilled professionals, and thought of as aesthetically rich. Low culture (sometimes called popular culture) has been associated with the masses and is viewed as lacking in redeeming aesthetic qualities. Copyright 2012, SAGE Publications, Inc.

Emerging Issues in Culture: Global Culture The Globalization of Values: as ideas, information, products, and people flow across the globe, what people value become increasingly similar. Cultural Imperialism: the idea that what affects global culture the most is the imposition of one dominant culture on other cultures Copyright 2012, SAGE Publications, Inc.

Emerging Issues in Culture: Consumer Culture Consumer culture: a culture in which the core ideas and material objects relate to consumption and in which consumption is a primary source of meaning in life While it can be said that consumer culture is the culture of the West and modernity, it has been globalized to a great degree. Copyright 2012, SAGE Publications, Inc.

Emerging Issues in Culture: Consumer Culture Children in a consumer culture is perhaps the most controversial aspect of consumer culture. It is the idea that children are socialized into, and actively involved in, consuming Nontraditional settings for consumption include areas like health care (doctors, pharmaceuticals), higher education, and the Internet. Copyright 2012, SAGE Publications, Inc.

Emerging Issues in Culture: Consumer Culture The recent Great Recession ( ) caused many observers to question the durability of the consumer culture, leading many to consider the possibility of a postconsumer culture. Culture Jamming involves radically transforming an intended message in popular culture. Copyright 2012, SAGE Publications, Inc.

Emerging Issues in Culture: Cyberculture The Internet is a site of an entirely new culture---a cyberculture. The Internet has the characteristics of a culture, including distinctive values (openness and sharing) and norms (don’t hack into websites). Copyright 2012, SAGE Publications, Inc.