Download Sociology Ch. 3 S. 1

Sociology Ch. 3 S. 1
Obj: Identify the basic _____________ that form the foundation of American culture; Describe
_____ values that have developed in the US since the ___________.
Ethnic, racial, religious, social-status, and geographical variations in American society make
for a ___________ culture. Nevertheless, the vast majority of Americans _________
certain values. Sociologists are referring to these values when they speak of
_________________ American culture.
Traditional American Values
In his study American Society sociologist Robin M. _____________ analyzed American
values. He identified a set of ____ values that are ___________ to the American way of
life. Among these basic values are personal achievement, individualism, work, morality,
humanitarianism, efficiency and practicality, progress and material comfort, equality,
democracy, and freedom.
Personal Achievement
Most American value personal ____________. This value is not a surprise considering that
the US was built primarily by people who believed in individualism and ______________.
This belief in the importance of personal achievement is most evident in the area of
________________, where achievement often in measured in terms of power and wealth.
Individualism
For most Americans, ______________ effort is the key to personal achievement. They
strongly believe that success comes through hard work and initiative. This emphasis on
individualism has a _______________ side, however. Most Americans feel that if a person
does not succeed, that _______________ is to blame.
Work
Most Americans value __________, regardless of the rewards involved. Americans view
discipline, dedication, and hard work as signs of _____________. They often view those
who choose not to work as ____________ or even immoral.
Morality and Humanitarianism
The US was founded on strong _______________ faith, on a belief in justice and equality,
and on charity toward the less fortunate. Most Americans place a high value on
_____________ and tend to view the world in terms of right and wrong. At the same time,
they are quick to help those who are less _________________ than themselves.
Efficiency and Practicality
Americans tend to be practical and inventive people. They believe that every problem has a
______________. Problem solving involves discovering the most ________________
technique for dealing with a situation or involves determining the most practical response to
the issue at hand. As a result, Americans tend to judge objects such as new technology on
their _________________ and judge people on their ability to get things done.
Progress and Material Comfort
Americans have always looked to the future with _________________. They believe that
through hard work and determination, living standards will continue to improve. This belief
in progress is paired with a belief in the ability of ____________ and technology to make
the world a better and more comfortable place. Both views are important because most
American also place a high value on ______________ comfort.
Equality and Democracy
The US was founded on the principle of human _______________. Many Americans believe
that to have human equality, there must be an equality of opportunity and an equal chance
at success. Although Americans value equality of opportunity, they do not necessarily
believe that everyone will be __________________. The values of hard work and personal
achievement lead most Americans to view success as a reward that must be earned.
The belief in equality extends to the form of government that Americans value –
______________. Americans believe that citizens have the right to express their opinions
and to participate freely in choosing their representatives in government.
Freedom
_______________ is an important value for most Americans. Americans particularly value
personal freedoms of choice such as the freedom of ______________, speech, and press,
which are guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution. Americans steadfastly protect these
freedoms from _____________ government interference in their daily lives and in business
dealings.
Other Core Values
These values are not the only values that help define American culture. Williams also
included ___________________ and patriotism, science, and rationality, and racial and
group superiority in his list of core values. Another sociologist, James M. _____________,
suggested that additional values such as _________________ might be included. Many
Americans think that everyone should achieve the highest level of education that his or her
abilities will allow.
Henslin also pointed out that ______________ values are important in American culture.
While Americans do not expect people to belong to a church, temple, or mosque, they do
expect them to live according to basic religious ________________. Finally, Henslin
suggested ___________________ love was another core American value. Americans
strongly believe that people should marry primarily because they fall in love with each
other.
Even though values are vital to the ______________ of society, they may sometimes produce
_______________. Not everyone agrees on what are acceptable American values. Even
when people agree on the importance of a certain set of values, individuals do not uphold
all of these vales to the same ______________. Strongly upholding the values of personal
achievement and material comfort, for example, may weaken an individual’s commitment to
such values as morality and equality.
Our Changing Values
The problem of conflicting values is complicated by the fact that values, like all aspects of
society, are ________________. Over time, some values change and new ones emerge. In
the years since Williams’s and Henslin’s studies, sociologists have traced the development
of several related new values in the US. These values, which include _____________,
physical fitness, and youthfulness, might be grouped under the term
_____________________.
Self-fulfillment is a commitment to the full development of one’s personality, _____________,
and potential. The emergence of this value can be seen in the self-help industry and the
human-potential movement. ____________, television programs, and books offer people
ideas on how to improve their personal and professional lives. Health clubs and diet
centers promise to transform people’s health and looks. ____________________
challenge people to “be all you can be,” to “grab the gusto,” and to “experience the good
life.”
This growing emphasis on personal fulfillment created debate among social scientists. In this
book The Culture of Narcissism, social historian Christopher ___________ went so far as
to consider this emphasis on personal fulfillment a personality disorder. He termed this
disorder ____________________, which means extreme self-centeredness. Sociologist
Daniel Bell also saw dangers in the focus on the self. He felt that it weakened the
established values of hard work and __________________ and that it threatened the
stability of the capitalist system.
Psychologist and survey researcher Daniel ______________________ took a different view.
He admitted that this new value probably indicated that Americans believed less in hard
work than did earlier __________________. However, he viewed this shift toward selffulfillment as a beneficial change. It marked a movement away from satisfaction based on
_______________ gain, he suggested.
Studies during the 1990s noted the emergence of other new American values, such as
concern for the ____________________. Public opinion polls during that time then
reflected a growing support among Americans for environmental ________________.
Throughout much of the 1990s, for example, more than 60 percent of Americans said that
they favored protecting the environment, even if it limited _________________ growth.
However, according to a 2001 poll, these numbers may be dropping.
The emergence of environmentalism illustrates how values often ____________. For long
periods in American history, the desire for progress led people to alter the natural world.
Americans cleared _____________, diverted rivers, and built factories and roads in an
effort to improve life in the US. After a time, however, it became clear that some of these
actins had damaged the environment. This damage had an _______________ effect on
quality of life. Americans then began to realize that they value the environment as well as
industrial progress.