Cultural DiversitySociology Chapter 2

What is Culture?

•Definition: All the shared products of human groups

Culture can be divided into 2 categories:•Material: things such as clothing, books,

cooking utensils

•Non-material: creations that can not be touched such as beliefs, ideas, language, rules

What is society versus culture?• Society: definition is a group of interdependent people

organized with common culture and unity

• Culture- things people create both material and non- material

• SOCIETY= PEOPLE and CULTURE= THINGS

Components of Culture

Technology

• Definition: combination of objects and rules to use those objects

Symbols

• Definition: Anything that represents something else

• Example- any word gesture , image..• Everyone in the society must recognize the

symbol to be effective

Language

•Definition: organization of written or spoken symbols

•Rules of grammar

•Primary means of communication

Values

• Definition: shared beliefs about what is good or bad; right or wrong

• Values are shared from generation to generation

• Societies may have different values•One may value conflict; another

compromise

Norms

•Definition: shared rules of conduct

•Created by society to enforce cultural values

2 types of Norms:Folkways and Mores

•1. Folkways- socially acceptable behavior with no moral significance.• Example- get to class on time or don’t

butt in line.

•May result in a reprimand or minor punishment

2. Mores (pronounced mor-ayz)

•Behavior with a moral importance•Violation of mores may endanger

society• Ex. Fraud, murder, dishonesty•Bigger and harsher consequences• Some mores are also laws which is a

written mores and will be enforced by the government

High Culture