Download Culture: Shared products of human groups (society) Learned human

Culture:
• Shared products of human groups (society)
• Learned human behaviors patterns
• Includes the physical and abstract:
• Material Culture: things, artifacts, physical objects
• Nonmaterial Culture: the abstract- ideas, beliefs, symbols
3 Layers of Culture
– Traits: body of cultural traditions that distinguish your specific society; an
individual tool, act or belief
– Culture Complexes are interrelated traits; ex. Everything needed to eat or
everything needed to play soccer
– Culture complexes form Patterns: the “whole,’’ what is typically studied by
sociologists. Ex: the pattern of American athletics
Cultural Universals:
• Features common to ALL cultures
• learned behavior patterns shared by all of humanity collectively. No matter
where people live in the world, they share these universal traits.
5 Components of Culture:
1. Technology: combination of objects and the rules for using them
2. Symbols– anything that stands for something else and people RECOGNIZE
and AGREE on its meaning.
3. Language—how the spoken/written word is organized into a standard
system all use
4. Values—shared beliefs about good/bad; wanted/unwanted; right/wrong,
etc.
5. Norms—shared rules of conduct created to enforce one’s culture and guide
social behavior (expectations for behavior)
1. Folkways: norms for socially acceptable behavior; no real moral
significance; non-conformity OK
2. Mores: norms of GREAT moral significance! CONFORMITY A MUST
FOR STABILITY!
3. Laws: written rules of conduct, implemented by the govt.
Culture vs. Society
• Cultures are learned behavior patterns.
• Societies are:
Group of mutually interdependent people who have organized in such a way as
to SHARE common culture
Cultural Variation
• Ethnocentrism- view your own culture superior to anyone else’s
• Cultural relativism- belief that cultures should be judged by their own
standards rather than by applying the standards of your culture.
• Subculture/Counterculture:
• Groups with their own values, norms, behaviors (unique traits) that
are NOT shared by entire population—subculture. Don’t reject all
values of larger society (live among)
•
Groups that challenge and reject values, norms, behaviors of larger
society and replace with a new set of cultural patterns—
counterculture (within). Can pose a threat to society.