Chapter 3 Culture

1
Chapter 3 Culture
2
Chapter Objectives

• Explain how culture and heredity affect social
  behavior.
• Describe how language and culture are related.
• Name the essential components of culture.
• Discuss how cultural diversity is promoted within
  a society.
• Understand the role of a ethnocentrism in
  society.
• Identify similarities in cultures around the
  world.

3
Section 1 The Basis of Culture

• Culture and Society
• What is culture?
• Culture is the knowledge, language, values,
  customs, and physical objects that are passed
  from generation to generation among members of a
  group.
• Culture is a total way of life.
• What does culture help to explain?

4
Culture and Society

• Culture helps to explain human social behavior.
• Examples
• What you like and dislike.
• What you believe.
• What you value.
• How has our culture shaped you?

• Society- is a group of people who live in a
  territory inhabited by people who share a common
  culture.
• How do we acquire Culture?

5
Culture and Heredity

• Instincts- are unlearned or innate patterns of
  behavior.
• What is more important in determining human
  behavior? Instincts or Culture?
• CULTURE
• What is hereditys affect on personality?
• Nature vs. Nurture
• Studies show about 50/50
• Ex. Studies in identical twins.

6
Culture and Heredity

• Reflexes are simple, automatic responses to
  physical stimulus.
• Drives- Impulses to reduces discomfort.
• Examples
• Reflexes
• - Blinking, Finger prick.
• Drives
• - Eating, sleeping, socialize.

7
Sociobiology

• Study of the biological basis of human behavior.
• Combo of Darwins theory of natural selection and
  modern genetics.
• How do sociobiologists view behavior?
• Behaviors that best help people are biologically
  based.
• Transmitted in the genetic code.
• Include Affection, friendship, reproduction, ed.
  of children.

8
Criticisms of Sociobiology

• Places such an importance on genetics
• Could be used as a way to justify labeling
  certain races as inferior.
• Why is this scary?
• Many argue that there is too much variation in
  societies to be explained purely on these
  grounds.
• A Common Ground?
• Believe genes work with culture in a complex way.
• Help shape and limit human nature and social
  life.

9
What will the future bring???

• Sociology is new to the field of social sciences.
• So called hard sciences could help to answer
  social questions.