Cultural Diversity

Cultural Diversity CHAPTER 2TRUTH OR FICTIONAll cultures are the same.TRUE: All consist of the same basic elements; religion housing, and familyFALES: Societies have created many different cultures in which language, values, beliefs, and practices vary a great dealCultural practices are only dictated by wealthy societies.TRUE: Wealthy societies produce most of the culture and entertainment that is popular around the world, therefore dictating many cultural practices.FALSE: Each society dictates its own cultural practices. Sociologists consider western culture superior to all other cultures.TRUE: Only superior because it is more technologically advanced and provides better quality of life. FALSE: Cultures cannot be ranked and should be considered on their own merits.What is culture?Humans can adapt to and change their environmentThe methods humans use to deal with their environment, form the foundation of their cultureCulture: all the shared products of human groupsPhysical, beliefs, values, and behaviorsMaterial Culture: physical objects that people create and useCars, books, buildings, eating utensils, and clothingNonmaterial Culture: abstract human creationsBeliefs, family patterns, ideas, language, political/economic systemsWhat is culture?Society and Culture are differentSociety: a group of interdependent people who have organized to share common culture and feeling of unity Society consists of peopleCulture consists of material and nonmaterial products that people createComponents of cultureTechnology: combination of objects and their rulesWe need knowledge and skills to use technology Interested rules of acceptable behavior when using material culture.hacking Other examples?

Components of cultureSymbols: anything that represents something elseA shared meaning attached to it

Components of cultureLanguage: organization of written or spoken symbols into a standardized systemExpresses ideas and thoughts Different kinds of language?

Components of cultureValues: shared beliefs about what is good/bad, right/wrong, desirable/undesirable, etc.Language and symbols allow us to communicate valuesTypes of values held by a group determine their characterDetermine the material and nonmaterial culture they create

Components of cultureNorms: shared rules of conduct that tell people how to act in specific situationAll groups create them to enforce cultural valuesWhat are some American norms? Respect flag, schooling, job, respect elders, not killing someone, etc2 types of Norms: Folkways and MoresFolkways: socially acceptable behavior but not great significance (every day customs)Shake hands when meeting someone, dont talk with a mouthful, never let the flag touch the ground. What else? Components of cultureMores: : socially acceptable behavior that has great moral significance Dishonesty, fraud, murder, etc. Society has established punishments for violating mores and to protect social well being. What would these mores be called? Laws: written rules of conduct enacted and enforced by government.

10Examining culture Culture is continuously changing. We call this constant change dynamic opposed to staticThere are new words, expressions, ideas constantly being introduced as well.Name someSince things are changing all the time, how do sociologists study culture?By breaking it down into 3 levelsExamining culture Culture trait: is an individual tool, act, or belief that is related to a particular situation or need.Simplest level of cultureName some examples: eating utensils, saying hello, shaking hands, standing and taking a hat off during the National Anthem.Culture Complexes: a cluster of interrelated traits. Football is a culture complexMaterial: football, cleats, helmets, pads, etc.Beliefs: rules should be followed, penalties for violations.

Examining culture Culture Patterns: a combination of a number of culture complexes into an interrelated whole.Separate complexes of MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, PGA, MLS, NASCAR combine to form the American athletic pattern.Other patterns relate to aspects of society: agriculture, education, family life, religion.Apply your knowledgeDuring the 1970s the term politically correct, which referred to the liberal view of what is socially acceptable, gained popularity. The term was valuable in increasing peoples sensitivity to offensive words and actions. In time, however, the term politically correct became trite as some people used it to support extreme views. By the 1990s jokes about some of the absurd uses of the term were common and being politically incorrect even gained popularity among some.

Write to me an essay relating the term politically correct to the concept of norms. Cultural variation Your Japanese friend invites you to their home for a traditional dinnerwould you know what to expect? Must bring a small gift to show appreciation Take off your shoes and put on slippersDecline the seat of honor a few times then acceptYou have to sit on the floor (no chairs) and you cant stretch your legs out (pointing the soles of your feet at someone is bad manners)Never pour yourself a drink, pour drinks for othersClean your area after your mealPlace your chopsticks on your plate and fold your napkinWhat do we have in common?Even though humans have the same basic needs, we are vastly differentHumans have numerous needs and we meet them in numerous waysSOME needs are so basic that all societies must develop features to ensure their fulfillment. The features that are common to all cultures are cultural universalsWhat do we have in common?A list of more than 65 cultural universals has been establishedAnthropologist George Murdoch studied hundreds of cultures to find commonalities Among the 65; body adornment, cooking, dancing, family, feasting, forms of greeting, funeral ceremonies, gift giving, housing, language, medicine, music, myths and folklore, religion, sports, and tool makingThe family structure is one of the strongest in all culturesCaring for the young until old enough and introducing them to their cultureHowever family makeup varies from culture to cultureVariation Among societies 1930s Margaret Mead conducted studies of cultural variation.Wanted to determine whether differences in basic temperament (fundamental emotional disposition) results mainly from inherited characteristics or from cultural influences. Studied two native groups in Papua New Guinea The Arapesh and the Mundugumor (Only 100 miles apart) Do you think these two shared social traits and cultures?The arapeshGentle, nonaggressive, receptive, trusting peopleSociety is based on complete cooperationLive in close-knit villages of clansWomen bring firewood and water, prepare daily meals, and carry goods.

The arapesh Men clear/fence land, build/repair houses, hunt, plant, care for crops, cook and carve ceremonial foodBoth men and women care for the children (fathers are heavily involved in child care) Children are brought up in a friendly societyLent out to relatives to increase their trust in peopleTaught to channel aggressive behavior in a non threatening way

The mundugumor Aggressive, competitive, jealous, and violent Delight in showing off and fighting Open hostility between members of the same sex, forcing scattered settlements Brothers dont speak, hostility between father and son (same for sisters/mothers and daughters)Family ties are through rope of opposite sexRope: Father, his daughters, his daughters sons, his daughters sons daughters, etc. (same for mother and son)

The mundugumor Wealth and power for men derive from having numerous wivesMany have 8 to 10 wives (help with daily activities) Children push parents apart rather than uniteFather wants daughter to trade for wife, Mother wants son to help with activities and be her heir Children also receive no motherly contact or comfortMany rules for Mundugumor childrenComparedHow are these cultures different?Arapesh lived in the Mountains, Mundugumor in a river valley Arapesh planted gardens while Mundugumor were gatherersFood was scarce for Arapesh, abundant for Mundugumor Mead concluded that temperament is mainly a result of culture rather than biology.Studying variationBecause there are so many variations in culture, it makes it difficult to study and form conclusions Remember the Japanese dinner? Were some of those customs strange?Common to think that when traits are so different then our ownThis tendency to view ones own culture and group as superior is called ethnocentrism Ethnocentrismgood or bad? Studying variationWe are all at one time ethnocentric It can be good and lead to group unity Patriotism! USA USA USACan also be bad in extreme casesCultural stagnation, limits creativity and possible influences

Studying variation We should keep an open mind toward cultural variationsCultural Relativism is the belief that cultures should be judged by their own standards rather than applying the standards of another culture. Cultural relativism helps us understand practices that seem strange or different from those of our ownVariations within society Cultural variations among societies as well as within societies!As Americans, what are some cultural things we share (weve named them dozens of times)The collection of traits, complexes, and patterns make us distinct from other societiesSome groups within society share values, norms, and behaviors that are not shared by the entire populationThe unique cultural characteristics of these groups form a subcultureAge, gender, ethnic, religious, political, geographical, social class, and occupation can all be subcultures Variations within society Subcultural practices can challenge the values of the larger society Rejecting major values, norms, and practices and create their own pattern known as a Counterculture Anarchists, organized crime families, and the hippie movement during the 60s