Bell Activity MoralsSuccess JobFriendship EducationHealth FamilyAuthority ReligionMoney LoveSports Values affect the decisions we make and the and the actions we take in day to day activities. Rate the following values from 1 (most important) to 10 (least important):

Role of Culture Introduction to Sociology- Mr. Morahan

CULTURE:  Group-specific behavior that is acquired, at least in part by, social influences.  Material ( artifacts ): object made through cultural applications to create raw goods (ex. Art, crafts, writings, science, etc.)  Symbolic : beliefs, values, norms, attitudes, language, and ideologies  Cultural Sociology  Study of cultural impacts on society and societal interaction

Culture is? Shared, yet diverse: combination of ethnicity, religion, and nationality Symbolic Way of life Learned and passed on from generation to generation (often through observation) Way to relate to individuals within a group AND a means to relate to others outside the “in-group” Varies across time and space (how?)

Components of Culture:  Value:  Objects, conditions, or character traits which members of society deem important  May vary in age groups and social status  Examples?  Belief:  Assumptions made about oneself and others based on cultural values to help judge right and wrong, good and bad, important from trivial, etc.  Become the basis for deciding, choosing, and acting  Examples?

Components of Culture:  Norms:  Behavioral expectations  Rules that a group uses to judge appropriate and inappropriate values, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors.  May be implicit or explicit  May evolve over time  May vary from one age group to the next  Examples?

Class Exercise What are your values?

Homework Assignment  Pick 2 statements from today’s “what are your values?” exercise and answer the following questions:  (a) State your personal belief (i.e. I (dis)agree/not sure/somewhat agree or disagree with ….)  (b) Provide justification for your belief  (c) Research statement and provide a brief (4 sentence) discussion on social perspectives surrounding the issue  (d) How do others feel: provide justification for the opposition’s point of view  Additional Questions:  Did social pressure in any way effect your answer to certain statements? Yes or no? Explain.  Briefly discuss/analyze the implications/importance of this exercise in the context of cultural sociology.

Value Statements:  I am proud to be an American  I agree with the death penalty  Money is everything  Do unto others as you have them do unto you  The family is the most important institution in society  War is wrong, no matter what  The environment is worth saving  Thou shall not kill  All people deserve equal rights  Everyone in American has the right to health insurance  If my sibling/best friend killed someone, I would visit them in prison