1 Elements of Cultural Systems

2 What is culture? Society Culture

3 A Script for Society Culture teaches rules, rituals, procedures Socialization Culture reinforces values Culture teaches relationships with others Communication styles Perceptions

4 What is culture? Holistic interrelationship of a group’s: Identity Beliefs Values Activities Rules Customs Communication patterns Institutions

5 Elements of Culture History Inner Core

American history tells us who we are as a nation! 6

7 American history informs what we value!

8 Conflicts in American history influence the direction our nation has taken!

9 Recent events shape our national consciousness!

10 Elements of Culture History Identity Inner Core

11 Cultural Dimensions Individualism/Collectivism Ties between individuals are loose or tight Masculine/Feminine Value assertiveness, competition, have rigid gender roles /Value caring, relationships, have fluid gender roles Power/Distance Power distributed more or less equally

12 Cultural Dimensions Uncertainty Avoidance How much a culture avoids or tolerates uncertainty Long-Term/Short-Term Orientation Thrift & perseverance/Respect for tradition and saving ‘face’

13 Elements of Culture History Identity Cultural Beliefs Inner Core

14 Social Status ‘Everyday’ meaning: Prestige Sociological meaning: Position a person occupies Status Set: All the statuses or positions a person occupies

15 Social Status Ascribed Status: Involuntary position Achieved Status: Voluntary position you earn or accomplish Status provides guidelines for how we are to act and feel

16 Social Status Status symbols: Signs that identify a status, allow others to recognize status Master Statuses: Cuts across other statuses one holds, such as age, gender

17 Roles Behaviors, obligations, privileges attached to a status Role exit

18 Cultural Roles Age roles Occupational roles Friendship roles Gender roles

19 Values Long-enduring judgments about the worth of an: Idea Object Person Place Practice

20 Elements of Culture Cultural Activities Inner Core

21 Technology and Material Culture Material objects conceived and manufactured by humans Created to fill a shared need of the society Form, function, meaning

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23 Artistic Expression

24 Communication Patterns Culture is based on symbols Something to which we attach meaning Meanings are understood & shared by members of society

25 Systems of symbols in a culture Language Elements of language name objects, people, categories, abstractions Essential to the development and transmission of culture Human knowledge expands, accumulates

26 Systems of symbols in a culture Language Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis: Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis: We can know the world only as far as our language permits

27 Communication Styles How much of a message is conveyed by spoken language? How much of a message is conveyed by the context?

28 Communication Styles Low-Context Culture: explicit Information is explicit The message intended is mostly contained in the words spoken High-Context Culture: Information is implicit Spoken words only contain a small part of the message Recipient must infer the rest by context

29 Systems of symbols in a culture Rules and customs Nonverbal communication Spatial relations (proxemics) Rewards and gifts Conceptions of time

30 Conception of Time Monochronic One thing at a time Time is linear Polychronic Multiple things at once Time is fluid