Download CURRENT THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES OF SOCIOLOGY

Mr. Sink’s Sociology – Unit 1: Culture & Social Structure
WHAT IS CULTURE?
What is meant by CULTURE in sociology?
 According to sociologists, culture consists of all shared products of human
groups. These products include both physical objects (material culture) and
abstract human creations, such as beliefs, values, and behaviors (non-material
culture), shared by a group.
What is the difference between a CULTURE and a SOCIETY?
 According to sociologists, a society is a group of mutually interdependent people
who have organized in such a way as to share a common culture and feeling of
unity. In simplest terms, the difference between a society and a culture is this… a
society consists of people, and culture consists of the products that people create.
What are the Five Components of Culture?
1. Technology– the physical objects created by a group of people and the
rules established for using those objects.
2. Symbols – anything that “stands for” something else; has a shared
meaning attached to it. Societies use symbols to create their culture
and communicate it to their members and future generations.
3. Language – organization of written or spoken symbols into a
standardized system
4. Values – shared beliefs about what is good or bad, right or wrong,
desirable or undesirable; determines the character of its people and the
kinds of material & non-material culture they create
5. Norms – shared rules of conduct that tell people how to act in specific
situations
1) Folkways – norms that do not have great moral
significance attached to them; common customs of
every day life
2) Mores – norms that have great moral significance
attached to them; violation of mores endangers wellbeing and stability of society.
3) Laws – written rules of conduct that are enacted and
enforced by the government; formalize norms that are
important to stability or well-being of society.