2:1 The Meaning of Culture

Bell Ringer: Interpreting the visual pg. 26

EQ: What is the meaning of culture?

The San of South AfricaHunter gatherersSmall groupsCooperationRock painters

Physical objects, beliefs, values, and behaviors shared by human groups

Material WorldMaterial Culture

Physical objects/tangible items that members of society make, use, and shareRaw Materials → Technology → Stuff

Material WorldNon-Material Culture

Abstract/intangible human creations of society that influence people’s behavior

Language, beliefs, values, rules of behavior, family patterns, political systems

What’s the Difference?Society-interdependent group of

people who share culture and unityCulture-material/nonmaterial

products those people create

5 Components of Culture People of a culture share a broad set of

material and nonmaterial elements 5 components of Culture

TechnologySymbolsLanguageValuesNorms

5 Components of Culture1. Technology

Manmade products (material culture) that make life easier

Rules of acceptable behavior when using material culture

Components of Culture2. Symbols

Basis of human cultureAnything that represents something

elseHas a recognized, shared meaningGestures, images, sounds, physical

objects, events, etc.

Components of Culture3. Language

Organization of written or spoken symbols into a standardized system that can express any idea

Components of Culture4. Values

Shared beliefs about what is good/bad, right/wrong, desirable/undesirable

Determines character of people, kinds of material/non culture they create

Components of Culture5. Norms

Shared rules of conduct, expectations for behavior

Wide range of importance in norms: covering mouth to don’t kill

Some norms are selective: marriage, alcohol consumption, police

NormsFolkways v. Mores

Folkways-norms that describe socially acceptable behavior w/o great moral significance, do not endanger the well being or stability of society

Minor punishment for breaking a folkway norm

NormsFolkways v. Mores

Mores-great moral significanceViolation of these norms endangers

society’s well being and stability

LawsEstablished punishments for violating

norms to protect the social well beingWritten rules of conduct enacted and

enforced by the governmentMores laws: murder, rape, theft, etc.Folkway laws: parking tickets,

jaywalking

Culture is Dynamic

Continually changingNew material objects:

http://techland.time.com/2013/11/14/the-25-best-inventions-of-the-year-2013/

New expressions: http://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/

Levels of Culture

Culture Trait- individual tool, act or belief that is related to a particular situation or need: types of eating utensils/appropriate greetings

Culture Complexes- cluster of interrelated traits. Football (Complex) items needed to play, rules, business (traits)

Culture Patterns- combination of a number of culture complexes into an interrelated whole: American Athletic Pattern

Assignment

Using the diagram on pg. 27, create a visual for one of the following cultural patterns of our society:

AgricultureEducationFamily lifeManufacturingReligion

2:2 Cultural Variation

Bell Ringer: Interpreting the visual pg. 31

Cultural Universals

Features, common to all cultures, that fulfill basic human needs

1940 George MurdockIdentified 65 Cultural UniversalsNature of universal traits varies

widelyExample-Family

Cultural Universal-purpose is to add new members of society and care for them until they can care for themselves, introduce children to components of culture

Cultural Variation-the composition of a family

1930 Margaret MeadeStudy on Cultural variationPurpose-determine whether

differences in basic temperament is inherited or learned

Studied the cultural differences between the Arapesh and the Mundugumor

Conclusion: temperament is the result of culture rather than biology

Arapesh v. Mundugamor

Extreme Cultrual Variations-Why?Arapesh

Hunters/gathers/mountains/scarce foodMundugamor

Lots of food/river valleys/”easy” life

EthnocentrismViewing one’s own culture and group

as superiorHaving a negative response to

cultural traits very different from our own

Positive-builds group unityNegative-culture can stagnate

because we exclude people, and influences that might be beneficial

Cultural Relativism

Belief that cultures should be judged by their own standards rather than by applying the standards of another culture

Understanding cultural practices from the points of view of the members of the society being studied

Example: Cows in India

2:1 ActivityMancala Tournament

People of many races and ethnic groups often enjoy the same entertainments. For example, a board game called mancala is popular in many countries, including the U.S. Mancala is possible the oldest board game in the world. Egyptians played the counting and strategy game before 1400 B.C. Like being a sports star in the U.S., being a “Mancala” star carries much cultural significance in other societies.

Subculture

Group whose values, norms and behaviors are not shared by entire population

Example: ChinatownSame: education, democracy, role in

economyDifferent: living/shopping patterns,

language, food, etc.

Functional Subcultures

Subcultures by profession, age, gender, religion, ethnicity don’t threaten the stability of society and prevent society from becoming stagnat

Counterculture

Challenge the values of the alrger society

Reflects major values, norms and practices of the larger society and replaces them with a new set of cultural patterns

Examples: mafia, cults, 60s hippies