Culture

Chapter 3

Test

▪ If you are retaking the test please take 5 minutes to review and ask any questions.

Culture

▪Read pages 61 – 66 (Stop right before the “Key Values of U.S. Culture)

▪ Answer the questions on the next slide that pertains to the reading.

Questions for pages 61-66

▪1. What is the difference between Culture, Nation and Society? Give an example of each.

▪2. What is happening to the number of cultures in the world? Why?

▪3. What are the elements of Culture?

▪4. Does language shape your culture? Explain.

New Symbols in the World of Instant Messaging

▪Read the “Seeing Sociology in Everyday Life” section on page 63.

▪Answer the “What Do You Think” questions in the bottom right corner.

Chapter 3 Key Terms

▪ Symbol - Anything that carries a particular meaning recognized by people who share a culture.

▪ Language – A system of symbols that allows people to communicate with one another.

▪ Cultural Transmission – The process by which one generation passes culture to the next.

Chapter 3 Key Terms

▪ Sapir-Whorf Thesis – The idea that people see and understand the world through the cultural lens of language.

▪ Values – Culturally defined standards that people use to decide what is desirable, good, and beautiful and that serve as broad guidelines for social living.

Chapter 3 Key Terms

▪ Beliefs – Specific thoughts or ideas that people hold to be true.

▪ Norms – Rules and expectations by which a society guides the behavior of its members.

▪Mores – Norms that are widely observed and have great moral significance.

Chapter 3 Key Terms

▪ Folkways – Norms for routine or casual interaction.

▪ Social Control – Attempts by society to regulate people’s thoughts and behavior.

▪ Technology – Knowledge that people use to make a way of life in their surroundings.

Culture

▪What is Culture?–Refers to the beliefs, values, behavior and

material object that, together, form a people’s way of life.

▪ There are two main components of a Culture:–Non-Material Culture–Material Culture

Culture

▪ Non-Material Culture–Also known as “the intangible creations of human

society” are the ideas created by a culture.

–Examples span from Art, Music, Morals, Beliefs and Values.

–Each culture associates themselves with their own Non-Material Culture that distinguishes them from other cultures.

Culture

▪Material Culture– Is the physical things and possessions created by

members of a society.

–Examples span from Houses, Clothing, Jewelry and Monuments.

–Both Material and Non-Material Culture plays an important part in shaping human personality.

Culture

▪ Read the “What is Culture” section on page 58.

▪When you are done, go to page 60 and read the “Confronting the Yanomamo” story.

▪ Answer the 3 questions on the “What Do You Think?” section.

Culture

▪ 1. As they came to know Chagnon, might the Yanomamo too, have experienced culture shock? Why?

▪ 2. Can you think of an experience you had that is similar to the one described here?

▪ 3. How can studying sociology help reduce the experience of culture shock?

Culture

▪ Only humans depend on culture rather than instincts to ensure survival of their kind.

▪ Culture is very recent and was a long time in the making.

▪ What sets primates apart is their intelligence. Human achievements during the Stone Age set humans off on a distinct evolutionary course, making culture their primary survival strategy.

Culture

▪ The concept of culture (a shared way of life) must be distinguished from those of a nation (a political entity) or society (the organized interaction of people in a nation or within some other boundary).

▪Many modern societies are multicultural, meaning that their people follow various ways of life that blend and sometimes clash.

Culture Activity

▪ In small groups, come up with 10 characteristics of U.S. culture.

▪Some characteristics are: Art, Music, Race, Religion, Language, Norms, Taboos, Gestures, Attitudes, Beliefs, Values, Priorities and so on.

▪We will discuss what you came up with shortly.

Write these in

your notebook

!

Culture Activity

▪Now come up with the same characteristics of a non-U.S. culture.

▪Some characteristics are: Art, Music, Race, Religion, Language, Norms, Taboos, Gestures, Attitudes, Beliefs, Values, Priorities and so on.

▪We will discuss what you came up with shortly.

Write these in

your notebook

!