3. Characteristics of Society & Culture Flashcards
The major groups that were identified during the historical process of the Caribbean have now formed a society of their own, due to the fact that
they settled in specific areas for a long period of time. In the respective areas of settlement, they would have developed
Society has (4)
- A shared, common purpose
- A defined territorial space
- Continuity over time and space
- They are all citizens within a space
Culture (in Caribbean territories) has: (5)
- learned behaviours
- customs and traditions
- norms and values which guide behaviour
- Institutions would have emerged to prescribe behaviour (church, school, courts, government)
- Gendered practices (child rearing, employment)
Examples of cultural diversity in Caribbean (3)
- Pudding and Souse - Began as a source of protein for the enslaved. Use of corn meal to make cou-cou.
- Amerindians used cassava, pepper-pot.
- Europeans - Religion, Government Systems (Governor-General), Dress
Culture can be divided into two groups
- The material culture – foods, etc.?
2. Non-material culture – that learned through observation or formal teaching
Culture can also be seen as its subcultures such as (4)
1) Drug culture
2) Cyber culture
3) Literacy culture
4) Migration culture
High Culture is
elitist understanding of culture
Popular Culture is
music, arts, festivals, cuisine promoted through the mass media. Not necessarily a people’s
indigenous culture; heavily influenced through globalization
the geographical definition of society
a group of people that originates from a common place or in the same geographical area over a long period of time or a group that calls a particular location ‘home’.
In the context of the Caribbean, a society is referred to as the boundaries of a nation state.
For instance, the Jamaican society, the St Lucian Society, the Cuban Society, etc
the sociological definition of society
involves the sharing of certain values and attitudes that serve as standards by which behaviours are measured and controlled
historical definition of society is
people who share similar historical background, culture and interests
for instance, the Jamaican Horticultural Society, Jamaican Society for the Aged.
social structure definition of society
within each society, there is a strict social structure.
This refers to a network of interrelationship among the individuals and groups.
In their pursuit of understanding the general make-up of a society, sociologists study relationships to verify their effects on the function of the society
society is
a collection of people living in the same area over time
Culture is the
the ways of life of a people,
including aspects of lifestyle, products, ideas and symbols, common to members of a specific society, community or organization.
Like society, the concept of culture involves a number of meanings or aspects that work on different levels
The social world is characterized by
constant change.
So too is the natural world; for example, rivers, earth movements, the subatomic world, diseases, viruses and so on present a dynamic, highly interactive and constantly changing milieu
To the sociologist who is involved in the systematic study of society, the important aspect in defining society is its group structure framework. Each society has a social structure - that is a
network of interrelationships among individuals and groups
A society is not usually defined only by political borders on a map, but also by
the similarities among the group that are used to identify them.
Groups made up of members of a society may migrate to other places because of
wars, shortages in food, natural disasters or even political and religious differences and thus transport their society with them
elements that determine the general social conditions of a society are (5)
1) population characteristics
2) social behaviour
3) social institutions
4) cultural influences and
5) social change
how population characteristics determine the general social conditions of a society
Population characteristics determine the general social patterns of a group of people living within a certain geographical area.
There are two chief kinds of population studies, demography and human ecology.
Demographers compile and analyze various studies, including people’s age, birth and death rates, marriage rates, ethnic background and migration patterns.
Many demographic studies explain the effects of social conditions on the size and composition of a population. For example, several studies of the 1900’s found a direct correspondence between the growth of science, medicine and industry and a decline in the death rate.
Human ecology on the other hand deals mainly with the structure of urban environments and their patterns of settlement and growth.
Studies in human ecology explain why and how cities and other communities grow and change
how social behaviour determine the general social conditions of a society
Social psychologist usually work with small groups and observe attitude change, conformity, social interaction, leadership morale, other forms of behaviour and examine the results of conflicts between groups such as crime, social movement and war.
In most societies standard of behaviour are passed on from one generation to the next.
Sociologists and psychologists in the pursuit to uncover the mysteries behind social change within the societies observe how people adjust their behaviour to conform to these standards (a process called socialization).
Change may be caused by fashions, inventions, revolutions, wars or other events and activities
Sociologists also study social roles and status (a person’s importance or rank).
social behaviour is studied where
extensively in the field of sociology.
social interaction is
the way members of a group respond to one another and to other groups.
how social institutions determine the general social conditions of a society
Social Institutions are organized relationships among people which tend to perform specific Inaction within the society.
These institutions include business organizations, churches, government, security forces, hospitals, family and schools.
Each institution, has a direct effect on the society in which it exists.
For example, the attitudes and the goals of an entire society are influenced by the transmission of learning and knowledge in educational institutions.
Some branches of sociology study the influence of one particular type of institution.
These branches include the sociology of the family and the sociology of law.
Demography is
the systematic study of the size, composition and distribution of human populations.
Being able to associate with and feel like part of a group or society based on its culture is referred to as
cultural identity
Cultural identity is the
feeling of belonging, usually based on one’s self-perception, to any kind of social group that has its own distinct culture
social roles is the
function or expected behaviour of an individual within a group
