1. A Down-to-Earth Approach 8/e
SOCIOLOGY
A Down-to-Earth Approach 8/e
James M. Henslin
Chapter Two
Culture
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2. Culture What is it? Story in Morocco – pgs. 37-38 Material Culture
Language, beliefs, values, norms, behavior passed from one generation to the next
Story in Morocco – pgs
unfamiliar territory and universal norms
Material Culture
– jewelry, art, buildings, weapons, clothing, etc.
Nonmaterial (also call symbolic) Culture
beliefs, values, etc.
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3. Culture and Taken-for-Granted Orientations
Using your sociological imagination in culture
Meeting someone new and seeing the effects of a much different culture
Internalization of our norms – eye contact, space, etc.
OUR speech, OUR gestures, OUR beliefs, and OUR customs—we usually take for granted.
WE assume they are normal or natural
Culture touches almost every aspect of who and what we are
Came into the world without language, values, and no ideas about money, religion, or love…
Yet by now, we have acquired all of them
Sociologists call that “The culture within us”
Learned ways of sharing and believing
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4. Culture Shock Ethnocentrism
When your material and non-material fail you
When you are no longer able to make sense out of the world
I.e. The pushing to buy a ticket
Ethnocentrism
The use of one’s own culture as a yardstick for judging ways of other individuals or societies.
Generally leads to negative evaluation of values, beliefs, & norms
Positive and Negative consequences
Pos- creates in-group loyaties
Neg- can lead to discrimination against people whose ways are different from ours.
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5. Practicing Cultural Relativism
What is it?
Not judging a culture BUT trying to understand its own terms
Not seeing the culture as inferior or superior
None of us can be entirely successful at practicing cultural relativism.
Strange foods. p.39
Read ‘Strange foods’
Class discussion
Evaluation through our lens.
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6. Components of Symbolic Culture or Non-Material Culture
Symbol – something to which people attach meaning and that they use to communicate
Gestures
Using ones body to convey messages without words
Gestures’ meaning differ among cultures
Can Lead to Misunderstandings
Left handed Americans
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8. Components of Symbolic Culture
Language
Because written language lacks subtle cues
Emoticons – online use
Provides social or shared past
Provides social or shared future
Allows shared perspective
Allows complex, shared, goal-directed behavior
Like gestures the same sound in one culture is entirely different in another
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10. Language and Perception: Sapir-Whorf
Language has embedded within it ways of looking at the world
Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis: Hopi Indians (past, present, future)
reverses common sense
Instead of objects and events forcing themselves into our consciousness, it is our language that determines our consciousness—hence our perception of objects and events
Language both reflects and shapes cultural experiences
Ex. Goth’s, Jock’s
Seeing people in ways than others who don’t understand the classification
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11. Values, Norms, and Sanctions
Values – Ideas of what is desirable in life
The standards at which we determine what is good or bad
Norms - Expectations or rules for behavior
“Should Do”
Expectations in our societies
Sanctions - Reaction to following or breaking norms
Positive Sanctions
Approval for following the norm (high fives, $, prizes, smiles, hugs)
Negative Sanctions
Reflects disapproval for breaking the norm (fines, frowns, stares)
Moral Holidays – Specified times when people are allowed to break the norms
Mardi Gras, Spring Break
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12. Folkways and Mores Folkways - Norms not strictly enforced
Walking on the right side of the sidewalk
Holding a door
Mores -strong and important norms of a society Violation of mores will evoke severe punishment.
Typically tend to be illegal (bigamy, stealing, murder)
Taboo – More that is so ingrained that the thought of its violation is greeted with revulsion
Cannibalism, incest
Laws
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13. Subcultures & Countercultures
Subculture – A world within the dominant culture (pg54-55)
Example – Doctors, Politicians (occupational groups)
Tens of thousands of subcultures in US society
Some broad (teenagers)
Some specific (body builders)
Can also have ethnic subcultures
Countercultures – Groups with norms and values at odds with the dominant culture
Motorcycle enthusiasts vs Hell’s Angels
Hippies
Mormons- 1800s challenged monogamy
Driven west; conditions of Utah’s statehood
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14. Values in U.S. Society (pg 53)
Romantic Love
Democracy
Science and Technology
Religiosity
Freedom
Efficiency and Practicality
Education
Humanitarianism
Activity and Work
Racism and Group Superiority
Material Comfort
Individualism
Equality
Progress
Achievement and Success
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15. Values Clusters, Contradictions, and Social Change
Value Clusters – values that together form a larger whole
Hard work, education, efficiency, material comfort, and individualism are bound together
Value Contradiction – to follow the one means that you will come in conflict with another.
Freedom, democracy applied only to some groups. Women's Liberation, Racism, Sexism
“It is precisely at the point of value contradictions, then, that one can see a major force for social change in a society.”
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16. Emerging Values Leisure Self-fulfillment Physical Fitness Youthfulness
Cruises, computer games, sporting events, flatscreen/HD
Self-fulfillment
Self help, reaching full potential, “be all one can be”
Physical Fitness
Nutrition/Organic foods, weightloss centers, Personal trainers
Youthfulness
Botox, anti-aging creams, plastic surgery
Concern for the Environment
Recycle; Go “green”
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17. Values and Culture Culture Wars:
Traditions being threatened and challenged
Gay Marriage
Efforts to change gender roles
Value as Blinders – Everyone can make it!
Despite obstacles they may face-poverty, family, education
“Ideal” vs. “Real” Culture
Norms, values etc. that the group sees as ideal
Being successful—worth aspiring to
Being a millionaire or famous
However most people don’t reach these ideals, this is what sociologist call real—norms and values that people actually follow.
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18. Cultural Universals
Some Activities are Universal - Courtship, Marriage, Funerals, Games
Page 56
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19. Sociobiology Controversial View of Human Behavior
Biology Cause of Human Behavior
Charles Darwin and Natural Selection
Sociologists and Social Biologists on Opposite Sides
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20. Technology in the Global Village
The New Technology - New Tools
Cultural Lag and Cultural Change
Technology and Cultural Leveling
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