Culture

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Chapter 3
Culture
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Nacirema
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Culture The knowledge, language, values,
customs and physical objects that are passed from
generation to generation among members of a group
Material culture skyscrapers, fast-food, cell
phones, cars
Nonmaterial beliefs, rules, customs, family
systems
Society Group of people who live in a defined
territory and participate in a common culture
Why is culture more important than instincts?
Instincts, Reflexes, Drive Heredity
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Sociobiology Study of the biological basis of
human behavior. Combines Darwin and modern
genetics.
Behaviors that help humans the most are passed on.
Critics believe Labeling of inferior
races Too much variation around the
world Human culture too complex for genetics
alone
Sheet of paper do Pg. 75 4 Be ready to explain!
Answers AR, BD, CI/R, DC, ED, FC
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• The pen is mightier than the ___________
• Better safe than ____________
• Its always darkest before ____________
• Dont bite the hand that _____________
• No news is _______________
• If you lie down with dogs, youll ___________
• A penny saved is a ______________
• None are so blind as ________________
• Children should be seen and not ______________
• Better late than _______________

Same answers? Why?
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Symbols Things that represent something else
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Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis of linguistic relativity
Our perceptions can be shaped by language, i.e.
importance
Inuit words for types of snow
qanuk qanir qanunge qanugglir kaneq kaner
kanevvluk kanevcir natquik natquvigte nevluk
nevlugte aniu apun qanikcaq qanikcir muruaneq
qetrar qerretrar nutaryuk qanisqineq qengaruk
utvak navcaq navcite pirta pircir pirtuk
cellallir piretepag pirrelvag
English words for types of snow
Avalanche blizzard blowing snow dusting flurry
frost hail hardpack igloo powder sleet slushsnow
snow-bank snow-fort snow-man snow-mixed-with-rain
snowflake snowstorm
How many different words for money can you think
of?
Without talking the class must arrange itself by
birthday, starting with January and going to
February.
Can you communicate without words? Is it easy?
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Norms Rules defining appropriate and
inappropriate behavior
Folkways Norms that lack moral significance
Mores Norms that have moral dimensions and that
should be followed by members of a society
Taboo A rule of behavior, the violation of
which calls for strong punishment
Law A norm that is formally defined and
enforced by officials
Sanctions Rewards and punishments used to
encourage people to follow norms
Formal/Informal Sanctions Examples?
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Values Broad ideas about what is good or
desirable shared by people in a society
How do Calvins values differ from societys?
Do Pg. 91 1 on your own
Answers A-M, B-F, C-V, D-M/L, E-F, F-L, G-L, H-V
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Beliefs and Material Culture
Beliefs Ideas about the nature of reality
Material Culture The concrete, tangible objects
of culture
Does the meaning of an object ever change?
Ideal v. Real culture what we claim to do
versus what we actually do
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Cultural Change Discovery, Invention Diffusion
Social Categories Grouping of persons who share
a social characteristic i.e. age, gender or
religion
Subculture v. Counterculture
Ethnocentrism Judging others in terms of ones
own cultural standards How are you, compared to
me?
Cultural universals General cultural traits
that exist in all cultures Economy, Social
Institutions, Arts, Language, Environment,
Recreation and Beliefs
Cultural particulars The ways in which a
culture expresses universal traits Culture
differences