11.2 Culture Flashcards
culture
the entire lifestyle for a given group; flavours interpretations of the world and is often passed through family lines
it is what makes human societies unique from one another
artifacts
material items that people make, possess, and value
drives the concept of material culture
material culture
includes the physical ITEMS one associates with a given group
ex. artwork, clothing, foods, tools, etc.
material culture is often the tangible embodiment of the underlying symbolic culture
symbolic (nonmaterial) culture
focuses on the IDEAS that represent a group of people
culture lag
the phenomenon that symbolic culture is usually slower to change than material culture
values
what a person deems to be important in life, dictates one’s ethical principles and standards of behaviour
beliefs
something an individual accepts to be truth
cultural barriers
a situation where cultural differences impedes interaction with others
norms
societal rules that define the boundaries of acceptable behaviour
norms are not laws, but they do govern the behaviour of society
ritual
a formalized ceremony that usually involves specific material objects, symbolism, and additional mandates on acceptable behaviour
tend to have a prescribed order of events or routine
can be associated with a specific milestone, with holidays, or will regular activities