1. 1 Elements of Cultural Systems

2. 2 What is culture? Society Culture

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

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

5. 5 Elements of Culture History Inner Core

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

7. 7 American history informs what we value!

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

9. 9 Recent events shape our national consciousness!

10. 10 Elements of Culture History Identity Inner Core

11. 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. 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. 13 Elements of Culture History Identity Cultural Beliefs Inner Core

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

15. 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. 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. 17 Roles Behaviors, obligations, privileges attached to a status Role exit

18. 18 Cultural Roles Age roles Occupational roles Friendship roles Gender roles

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

20. 20 Elements of Culture Cultural Activities Inner Core

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

22. 22

23. 23 Artistic Expression

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

25. 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. 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. 27 Communication Styles How much of a message is conveyed by spoken language? How much of a message is conveyed by the context?

28. 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. 29 Systems of symbols in a culture Rules and customs Nonverbal communication Spatial relations (proxemics) Rewards and gifts Conceptions of time

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