1. Sociology 12: Culture
How do cultures change?

2. How do cultures change?
First… a quick review!
Culture is everything that is learned and shared and produced by members of a social group.
This includes the values or ideas about what is important to the people in the group.

3. Definitions
ethnocentrism—regarding one’s own culture as the superior standard by which all other inferior cultures are judged
cultural relativism—viewing and analyzing the behaviours and customs of a culture by the culture’s own standards

4. Factors that shape culture…
Climate, resources, and geography limit or provide opportunities for food, clothing and physical well being.
Isolation or integration can help or hinder acquiring from other countries.
Example: Ancient Greece …Athens and Sparta
Discoveries and inventions can provide advantages.
Cultural goals and values can direct efforts and shape cultural institutions.

5. Cultural Change
Cultural change- the process by which new patterns of shared/learned behaviours are developed to meet the needs not provided by traditional patterns

6. Cultural Change Cultures do not generally remain static
Many forces shape and change culture
Adaptation vs culture shock leading to ethnocentrism
Material and non-material culture can both change

7. Dynamic- societies- change is rapid
Pace of Change…
Dynamic- societies- change is rapid
Stable societies- cultural change is slow but still occurs

8. Culture Lag
Rules for teachers example Think of forces or changes that have dramatically shaped our culture in the last 50 years Culture Lag: a gap between the technical development of a society and its moral and legal institutions Page 81 Example: Medical Records Database Cell phone use

9. Innovation: Discovery and Invention
Discovery : the process of learning about something previously unknown or unrecognized
Discovery often occurs through science
How did the following produce cultural change?
Fire
The shape of the earth
Vaccinations

10. Innovation: Discovery and Invention
Invention: the process of reshaping existing cultural items into a new form
How have these cultural items been reshaped?
Guns
Video games
Charter or Rights and Freedoms

11. Cultural Diffusion
Cultural Diffusion is the transmission of cultural items or social practices from one group or society to another
“McDonaldization” (Ritzer, 2000)
Could globalization and McDonaldization water down unique aspects of various cultures

12. Cultural Diffusion vs. Cultural Confusion
Cultural diffusion can be very beneficial or it can be problematic… Bhutan- introduction of broadcast television in 1999 Marketing Hall of Shame (pg 82)