Bellringer 1/29

1. List all the elements of what you think makes

up CULTURE
2. Does America have a culture? (read below
excerpt)
When I brought up the differences between Chinese and American
culture she interjected, “What American culture?” The U.S. is too
young a country to have a culture, she began arguing. In her mind,
real culture was something that could only exist after thousands of
years of civilization. Besides, she argued, American culture is
merely a collection of snippets from other cultures. It is not
atrue culture. This was not the first time I’d heard such criteria for
culture from a Chinese friend. What does this perspective, if
anything, say about how the Chinese generally view culture as a
concept and how that might differ from the American viewpoint?
Chapter 3

Section 1: The Basis of Culture

 CULTURE
 DEFINITION: Knowledge, values, customs, and
physical objects that are shared by members of a
society.
 Two types

Non material culture Material culture

What is difference between culture and

society?
Society
 A group of people that live in a defined
territory and share a common culture.
 CULTURE and SOCIETY- 3
Points
 Culture helps explain human social behavior
 Culture and society are interwoven
 Culture is a societies total way of life
How does our biology influence our actions?

Instincts- innate and unlearned patterns of

behavior; happens without
knowing/understanding (ENSURE
SURVIVAL)
Examples:
fear
anger
secretiveness
fight or flight response
REFLEXES= automatic reaction to physical
stimulus; body controls (PROTECTION)
Examples: pupils, flinching, tears, sweat
DRIVES= impulse to reduce discomfort;
unlearned biological responses to specific
needs necessary for survival (TO SATISFY
NEEDS)
Examples: eat, sleep, drink, procreate
Nature v. Nurture

Talking points
The people who bring you up have
the biggest influence on your life.

Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
Our character does not change, no
matter what happens to us in life.

Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
We always take after our parents,
often in ways we can’t see.

Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
We tend to date and marry people
like our parents.

Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
Nature v. Nurture
Nature v. nurture is an age old debate. Do you think
genetics or environment have more influence over a
person’s behavior, thoughts, personality, etc? Maybe
you think it is half and half. If so, which one has the
stronger influence?
Nature v. Nurture

 Consensus is that about 40-50% of your

personality is influenced by genetic factors and the
other half is environmental (cultural) factors
 If humans were controlled by instincts alone, we
would all behave in the same way in respect to
those instincts
 Human infants cannot survive long off natural
instincts
 Culture channels the expression of our biological
characteristics
Nature v. Nurture ACTIVITY- I will
give you slips of paper to fill out
Make a list of the ways in which you feel you are the product of your nature--of
your DNA or genetic code. List things like eye color, height, etc., and which
parent and/or grandparent you may have received it from; also list personality
traits you have that are similar to your parents', if you think these traits might
have something to do with genetic coding passed from your parents to you.

Then make a similar list of the ways in which you feel you are the product of
nurture: the ways in which your parents brought you up that made you what you
are now, the ways your surroundings affect you to make you what you are now.

NATURE NURTURE
@ least 4 @ least 4

LIKE THIS
Sociobiology= The study of how biology
influences human behavior

Sociobiologists think that people behave as they do

because they are animals who act according to animal
instincts. Argue that behaviors that best help people
survive and thrive in an environment are biologically
encoded.

Sociobiology is very controversial and has been

compared to eugenics.
Eugenics was the racist pseudoscience determined to
wipe away all human beings deemed "unfit," preserving
only those who conformed to a Nordic stereotype.
Sociobiology
Middle Ground
• Most sociologists agree that
genes and environment work
together to shape a person
Criticisms
• used to justify labeling some
as superior to others
• Too much variation in
societies around world to
explain behavior strictly due
to biology
• Humans have created social
lives that go far beyond
heredity
 Chapter 3

Section 2: LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

Common Cultural Proverbs…we know them…but does everyone else
around the world?

 The pen is mightier than _____________

 The squeaky wheel ______________
 Better safe than __________
 Its always darkest before ___________
 Don’t bite the hand that _________
 No news is ___________
 If you lie down with dogs, you’ll
 None are so blind as __________
 Better late than ____________
 Birds of a feather ______________
 If it ain’t broke _______________
Symbols
Symbols= things that stand for or represent something
else

Can range from physical objects to sounds, looks, gestures,

etc.

EXAMPLES:
 Thumbs up
 Waving
 Flag
 Shaking head
 Language

 Language= Method of communication- written or

spoken-- helps pass experiences, ideas, and
knowledge to others. Allows us to create culture/socia
learning
FYI…Not all language is verbal A common
symbol is shaking hands, which is done in some societies but not in others. It
commonly conveys friendship and is used as a sign of both greeting and
departure. Probably all societies have nonverbal symbols we call gestures,
movements of the hand, arm, or other parts of the body that are meant to
convey certain ideas or emotions. However, the same gesture can mean one
thing in one society and something quite different in another society (Axtell,
1998).

EXAMPLES:
[1] In the United States…if we nod our head up and down…what does
that mean?
[2] If we shake it back and forth…what does that mean?
[3] In the United States, if we make an “O” by putting our thumb and
forefinger together…what does that mean?
[4] “Thumbs up” in the United States means what?
[5] Do you use both hands while eating?
 The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis
 AKA The Hypothesis of Linguistic Relativity
 Theory stating that our idea of reality depends largely
upon language
 When something is important to a society there are
many words to describe it
 The less a society cares about something…the less
words there are
 Example in United States
 Time
 Snow: English has a few but Inuit has twenty
 Quote:
 “England and America are two countries separated by the
same language”
Examples of how language shapes culture

 American language – lots of words that

describe time intervals
 Chinese language – no word for “sin”
 Some tribes had no word for one all powerful
god
 Eskimo language – over 20 words to describe
snow
Do you know what all of these are?
 Synonym Activity:
1. On a sheet of paper, write the five following words and
skip some lines between them. For each of these words
write as many SYNONYMS as you can that express the
same word in a different way.

 MONEY

 FRIEND

 HELLO

 VEHICLE

 HOUSE
Slang words-APPROPRIATE
Slang words- APPROPRIATE
Chapter 3

Section 3: NORMS AND VALUES

 Norms
Rules defining appropriate and inappropriate
behavior
 Help explain why people in a society behave similarly
 Can vary from group to group
 Violations (the breaking of a rule or law) of norms are
dealt with in different ways
 So ingrained they guide our behavior without our
awareness
 There are 3 types of norms folkways, mores, laws
EXAMPLES:
 Standing in line
 What happens when someone cuts?
 In America people typically establish and
maintain eye contact when speaking with
someone. However, this may be perceived as
rude or suggestive in other countries.
 In Zambia eye contact with the opposite sex
could imply romantic overtures.
Some of the most interesting norms that differ by culture govern how
people stand apart when they talk with each other (Hall & Hall, 2007).
[14] In the United States, people who are not intimates usually stand

about three to four feet apart when they talk. If someone stands more
closely to us, especially if we are of northern European heritage, we
feel uncomfortable. Yet people in other countries—especially Italy,
France, Spain, and many of the nations of Latin America and the
Middle East—would feel uncomfortable if they were standing three to
four feet apart. To them, this distance is too great and indicates that the
people talking dislike each other. If a U.S. native of British or
Scandinavian heritage were talking with a member of one of these
societies, they might well have trouble interacting, because at least one
of them will be uncomfortable with the physical distance separating
them.
Scenario
 You are on a bus…totally empty…someone
gets on and picks the seat directly next to you
 You are at the park…benches are
everywhere and they are currently empty.
Someone walks up and sits next to you on
the same bench you are currently enjoying.
FOLKWAYS= Norms that lack
moral significance
 Specific norms related to customs of a group
 Rules of behavior without a moral component/overtone
 If you don’t follow norms you would appear odd, be rejected
by some but not seen as wicked/immoral. Usually no serious
consequences
 EXAMPLES:
 Sleeping on the floor opposed to a bed
 A man taking off his hat inside
MORES= Norms that have moral dimensions and
that should be followed by members of society
 Based on the word moral
 Deals with conduct related to what is right and
wrong; Vital to well-being of a society
 Pressure to follow Mores is great, more serious than
folkways
 Examples: Jewish bar mitzvah/bat mitzvah
 TABOOS: Most serious mores; norm so strong that
its violation demands punishment
 Ex: incest taboo – you do NOT marry your relatives
Examples of Taboos
 Pork= prohibited by Muslims and Jewish followers
 Beef= prohibited for Hindus
 Eating carnivorous animals
 Cannibalism
Laws= norms that are formally defined
and enforced by officials
 You can get in legal trouble (jail, fines, etc.) for
breaking these norms
Examples:
 Driving while drunk, theft, murder, and trespassing
are all examples of laws in the United States. If
violated, the person violating the law could get
cited, owe a fine, or go to jail.
Complete the boxes in your notes!
 Figuring out the different types of norms can be
tricky. Remember the following:
 Folkways: Behavior/conduct related to customs, or
appropriate or accepted behavior
 Mores: Norms that have a moral component, right and
wrong
 Taboos: If you break them it is a really big deal

 Laws: If you break them you are in trouble with the

law!
SANCTIONS
Rivers,

Formal and Informal

 WHAT IS A SANCTION?

 Rewards (approval) and punishments (disapproval) that are

used to encourage people to conform to the “norms” of a
society.
 Sanctions are not random. Specific sanctions are associated
with specific norms.

 There are 2 types of sanctions: FORMAL and INFORMAL typ

 Both have the ability to be POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE.
 FORMAL SANCTIONS= SANCTIONS IMPOSED
BY PERSONS GIVEN SPECIAL AUTHORITY.
OFTEN INVOLVE ACTION IN THE CRIMINAL OR
CIVIL JUDICIAL SYSTEMS

 Examples:
 A judge ruling that a person must go to jail or pay a fine.
(NEGATIVE)
 Teachers reward a student for the correct answer.
(POSITIVE)
INFORMAL SANCTIONS= REWARDS OR
PUNISHMENTS THAT CAN BE APPLIED BY
MOST MEMBERS OF A GROUP

 Example:
 Thanking someone for assisting you.
(POSITIVE)
 Staring at someone who talks too loudly in a movie theater.
(NEGATIVE)
VALUES=Broad ideas about what most
people in a society consider to be desirable
 They are very general- involved in most aspects of daily life
 Different among societies
 Form the basis for norms

 EXAMPLES:
 Justice
 Democracy
 Wealth
 Fairness
 Patriotism
 Pursuit of happiness
 Chapter 3

Section 4: BELIEFS AND MATERIAL

CULTURE
 Cultural Elements
 Essential question: How do we study culture?
What are the elements of culture?

Material culture Non material culture

Society’s physical objects, such Values, beliefs, ideas, symbols,
as its tools, technology, and language that define a
clothing, eating utensils, and society
means of transportation
Non-Material & Material Culture
Relations
The uses and meanings of physical objects
varies among societies. An object that is part of
our material culture that holds little (or great)
meaning might be the opposite way for another
culture.
New Title/New Section Material v. Non-material culture

Objects Activity:
Make a list of the most important objects in your life (@ least 7).
Explain what they are for and how it relates to your culture.

Here is an Example of what I am looking for:

Toothbrush because it keeps my teeth clean and in my culture it
is expected that I have good hygiene practices.
Beliefs= Ideas about the nature of reality
that people in society believe to be true
 Provide sense of continuity to community; help put into
action the values that a culture considers important
 Beliefs are important because people base behavior on
what they believe…regardless of how true/false the
belief is
 Don’t have to be religious to have beliefs
 Ex:There is no god. There is no heaven.
 People are born evil.

 People are born good.

Beliefs
 EXAMPLES:
 Germans believed having picture of Hitler in house would
protect from bombing
 Divine right of kings, queens, emperors, czars, etc.
 Hindu belief of reincarnation
 Karma
 Heaven, Hell, Purgatory
 Praying 5 times a day/Hajj
 Spilling salt
 Knocking on wood
 Wearing the same thing you wore when your team won
Weird Beliefs
 South Korea and fans http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/24/world/what-in-the-
world/a-uniquely-korean-household-worry.html?_r=0
A gap sometimes exists between
cultural guidelines and actual
behavior. This gap is captured in
the concepts of ideal culture and
real culture
 Ideal versus Real culture
Ideal culture
 Cultural guidelines that
group members claim to
accept.
 Example: Abstinence
 Example: Tolerance
 Example: Studying for an
exam
 Example: Paying taxes
Real culture
 Actual behavior patterns of
members of a group.
 Example: Overly sexual
society
 Example: Bullying
 Example: cheating on the
exam
 Example: Tax evasion
Chapter 3

Section 5
Understanding Causes of Cultural Change

 Discovery
Process by which something is learned or interpreted within a culture
Example: The realization of female athletic ability in the last few decades.
 Fusion (diffusion)
Process by which one culture or society borrows from another culture or
society
Example: Food is a great example of diffusion (McDonalds in other countries.)
 Invention
The creation of something new from previously existing items or processes
within a culture
Example: Science and technological inventions (cellphones!)
Social Categories= Groupings of persons
who share a social characteristic
 Men, women
 Catholics, Baptists
 LGBTQ
 Super rich, impoverished
 By region/country/state

Groups of people who hold different beliefs (from the broader

dominant culture) are commonly known as subcultures and
countercultures and occur within large, complex societies.
Subcultures
 Group that is part of the dominant culture but
that differs from it in some important aspects
 http://abcnews.go.com/ABC_Univision/Entertainment/subcultures-strong-online-
presence/story?id=18511594
Countercultures
 Subculture deliberately and consciously
opposed to certain central beliefs or attitudes
of the dominant culture
 Can only be understood in context with its
opposition
http://www.newsweek.com/rise-preppers-americas-new-survivalists-75537
ETHNOCENTRISM= A practice of judging others
based on the terms of your own cultural standards

Advantages of Ethnocentrism Disadvantages of Ethnocentrism

 Builds group loyalty  Can prevent change for

 Likelihood that people
will uphold values
 Adds to stability of
society
the better if society is
too rigid- people won’t
accept new ideas
 Can divide people &
lead to hatred and
violence
  Example 2― Imperialism
 Example 1― Nazi
 The most famous example of it
Germany
This is one of the worst, most
extreme, and most tragic
examples of ethnocentrism.
Hitler believed that Jews, as
well as people belonging to
some other communities were
all inferior to his ethnicity, and
did not deserve to
liveethnocentrism is not always
this extreme, history does tell us
stories about how the concept
and prejudice that rose from it,
took such a turn for the worse,
and had horrible consequences.
would be European imperialism,
where European countries believed
that the other areas of the world,
such as Africa, America, India, etc.
needed to be controlled by them
owing to their supposed
underdeveloped natures. European
countries establishing their colonies
in other parts of the world is an
example of ethnocentrism: they
believed that they were superior,
civilized, and developed than other
countries, which is why they
'needed' to establish control in order
to help these countries come up to
their standards, too.
 Cultural Universals –
What cultures have in common
 Traits that exist in all cultures; general commonalities
 Food

 Shelter

 Clothing

 Values

 Traditions

 Communities

 Music

 Games
Why do these commonalities exist?
 All people have similar needs related to their
biology; have to eat, care for children to survive,
medical care for the ill
 Humans have to respond to their environment;
shelter, protection
 Many people face similar social issues/problems;
education, jobs, unifying activities
 Cultural Particulars
 The ways in which a specific culture expresses universal
traits; specific ways

ACTIVITY: Fill out the list below by providing some

examples of USA particulars
 Food –
 Shelter –
 Clothing –
 Values –
 Traditions –
 Communities –
 Music –
 Games –
Universals & Particulars Activity
 Use the book given to you about teens in another
country.
 Pick 15 universals from the list
 Write a very brief explanation of the cultural
particular from your assigned country
 If some of the 20 you picked are not discussed in
the book you will have to pick other universals.