Chapter 2: Identity; Self and Society Flashcards
What is cultural relativity?
Cultural relativity refers to how human behavior and cultural elements vary from community to community, with differences in aspects like language, dress norms, food habits, traditions, and moral ideas.
Name five areas of cultural relativity.
a) Language
b) Norms of dress and appearance
c) Food and drink
d) Traditions (festivals and rituals)
e) Ideas about morality
What are the main 5 variations related to food across cultures?
- Different cultures have varying views about what to eat and what not to eat
- Religious dietary rules
- Cultural variations on mealtime
- Cultural variations on who should eat with whom
- Different eating methods (hands vs. cutlery)
What is cultural defense?
Cultural defense refers to how some countries and people actively resist and reject Western ideas and influences to protect their own culture.
What are the two main categories of socialization agents?
Primary and Secondary socialization agents. Primary mainly refers to family during childhood, while secondary includes education, peer groups, media, religion, and workplaces.
Who is considered the main primary socialization agent?
Family is the main agent throughout childhood.
List five key social identity influencers
Age and generational differences, gender roles and expectations, ethnicity and cultural identity, social class, and digital identity/online presence.
What are the two types of social control?
Formal control (laws, police, courts) and informal control (family, peers, media).
What components make up formal social control?
formal social control includes legal systems and courts, police and law enforcement, educational institutions, and government regulations.
What components make up informal social control?
Family influence, peer pressure, media influence, and social norms and values.
What are the three main aspects of cultural globalization discussed?
Impact of westernization, cultural defense mechanisms, and multiculturalism and integration.
How does digital technology influence identity formation?
Through social media profiles, virtual communities and networks, digital self-presentation, online consumption patterns, and global connectivity and cultural exchange.
What aspects of gender roles have changed in modern society?
There is more flexibility in gender expression, challenge to traditional stereotypes, and changing workplace and domestic roles.
How does cultural globalization affect local cultures?
Through westernization of local cultures, creation of hybrid cultural formations, influence on global consumer patterns, development of multicultural societies, and emergence of cultural resistance and defense.
What is the relationship between social media and modern identity formation?
Social media contributes to identity formation through profiles, online presence, and digital self-presentation.
How do sanctions and rewards systems function in social control?
They serve as mechanisms to reinforce desired behaviors and discourage undesired ones in society.
What role do peer groups play in secondary socialization?
They act as influential agents that help shape behavior and values beyond the family unit.
How does religion function as a secondary socialization agent?
Religion acts as an institutional force that shapes values, beliefs, and social behaviors beyond primary socialization.
What impact does the workplace have on socialization?
Workplaces serve as secondary socialization agents that influence professional behavior, values, and social norms.
How does multiculturalism affect identity formation?
It creates opportunities for diverse cultural influences and hybrid identities while challenging traditional cultural boundaries.
What role does education play in secondary socialization?
Education serves as a formal institution that shapes values, knowledge, and social behaviors beyond primary family influence.
