1. Cultural Theory
Just a little

2. Culture The way human beings adapt to the world
Adaptation – ways in which living things relate to their environment for survival and reproduction
Biological weaponry non existent
Culture is passed
Enculturation
Infants learning culture

3. Cultural Adaptation Advantages Disadvantages Quicker than biological
Depends on teaching not mutations
Disadvantages
May perpetuate misinformation that hinder not help
Short term success might lead to long term failure. (Ex. Dependence on a material)

4. Polychronic V. Monochronic
Poly = People: more emphasis is on relationships then on punctuality, multiple tasks at once.
Mono = Minute: time is linear fashion, punctuality is important, one task at a time.

5. Culture to Organize the World
Must put our perceptions into systems of classification so we comprehend our lives.
A human without the ability to organize and classify would be overwhelmed. (ex. Senses)
Culture is how people classify things and understand the world
Norms – ideal cultural pattern that influences behavior
Physical reality into experienced reality

6. Culture to give life meaning
Ideas, words and actions have practical value, symbolic meaning and emotional force.
Culture is the how people understand who they are and how they should act
Anthropologists try to analyze central symbols
Religion – reflects the deepest concerns of a cultures members
Subculture – perceptions, value beliefs significantly different than those of the majority

7. Interpretive Anthro
Some think the aim of anthro is to interpret the meanings that acts have for their participants.
Culture is a novel – stories that come together
Cultural Diffusion – spread of cultural elements from one culture to another

8. Cultural Universals Murdock’s Cultural Universals List(Ferraro, p. 40)
Although very diverse every culture shares certain characteristics with the others. (Good Anthro makes the strange familiar and the familiar strange.)
Murdock’s Cultural Universals List(Ferraro, p. 40)
Education
Family
Religion
Government
Technology
Marriage
Medicine

9. Culture

12. Functionalism ----YOU DECIDE ----
Theory that institutions function to support the entire society OR that they function to serve the needs of individuals.
Malinowski says its individuals
Radcliffe-Brown says cultural elements like religion reinforce the social structure of a society by making individuals dependent.
----YOU DECIDE ----