Ch. 2 Characteristics of CultureThe Concept of CultureCulture is LearnedCulture is SharedCulture is Based on SymbolsCulture Gives Meaning to RealityFunctions of CultureCulture and ChangeEthnocentrism and Cultural Relativism

SuperstructureSuperstructure: A culture’s worldview, including morals and values, oftentimes grounded in religion

Social structureSocial structure: The rule-governed relationships—with all their rights and obligations—that hold members of a society together. This includes households, families, associations, and power relations, including politics.

InfrastructureInfrastructure: The economic foundation of a society, including its subsistence practices and the tools and other material equipment used to make a living.

The Barrel Model of Culture

What is Culture?

What is Culture?The beliefs and behaviors of a society

Culture consists of abstract ideas, values, and perceptions of the world that inform and are reflected in people’s behavior

Culture is the lens through which we view our world, it “invents” our reality

Iceberg example…

Culture is like an Iceberg…

Culture is LearnedRather than inherited biologicallyEnculturation: The transmission of culture from one

generation to the nextMammals in general display cultural behavior (I.e. we all

have the urge to eat/sleep, but when we do/with whom/in what order is determined by our social relationships). With humans, our social rules are more varied and complex. Ex: Social animals…Lions, dogs, chimpanzees…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VCJ1ybkjnA (Chimp Culture)

If animals display cultural behavior as do we, should we also view animals through an Anthropological perspective?

Sub disciplines of Primate Behavior and Animal Communication deal with this question.

Culture is SharedBy members of a society and produces behavior

that is intelligible (able to be understood) to other members of that society

Society vs. CultureSociety: An organized group or groups of

interdependent people who generally share a common territory, language, and culture and who act together for collective survival and well-being. There can be no culture without a society, there are no

known human societies that do not exhibit culture. Cultural Anthropologists focus on the Cultural aspect of

society. The study of society itself is Sociology (very closely related discipline to Cultural Anthro).

Subcultures Cultural variation between subgroups in societies that share an

overarching culture. Ex: Ethnic group (A type of subculture).

People who collectively and publicly identify themselves as a distinct group based on various cultural features such as shared ancestry and common origin, language customs and traditional beliefs. Ethnicity: The expression of the set of cultural ideas

held by an ethnic group Pluralistic Society: A society in which two or more ethnic

groups or nationalities are politically organized into one territorial state but maintain their cultural differencesSometimes can lead to some pretty nasty misunderstandings… Ex: Yearning for Zion Ranch Texas, Warren Jeffs, Polygamy Ex: Branch Davidians, Waco Texas Ex (book –pg 33): Shetland pony seller Salt Lake

City/Tongan B-day party

Culture is Based on SymbolsWhat are some symbols of U.S. pop culture?

What do they mean?

Cultures ChangeIn response to environmental or societal

pressures.Ex: North American apparel

Capitalism, need market growth = fashion changes constantly. Ideas about what is “proper” always evolving. Compare to ancient Egypt: ~3,000 years style of dress

pretty much the same. No capitalism, instead a Theocracy. Balance, harmony, emphasis on sameness and repetition of cycles.

Ex: New symbols emerge or are invented to convey changed cultural meanings Ex: Religion Osiris + Zeus = Sarapis

For TuesdayWrite a 1 paragraph response each for

DeVita chapters 4, 15, & 22, using 2 terms from Cultural Anthropology Chapter 2 in each story.

Prepare for Chapter 2 Quiz