Chapter 3: What is Culture? Flashcards
culture
the sum of learned customs, knowledge, material objects, and behavior
material culture
the physical stuff that we use every day
- food
- shelter
- clothing
- transportation
- technology
non-material culture
the social fabric that connects a society
material culture establishes
the framework for how we live out our lives
5 components of non-material culture
cultures are typically studied through:
- Symbols
- Language
- Rituals
- Values
- Norms
(Single Ladies Read Vampire Novels)
symbols
anything that carries a particular meaning recognized by people who share a culture
language
system of symbols that allow communication within a culture
Sapir-Whorf hypothesis
people see and understand the world through the “lens” of their language
argot
specialized language used by members of a group or subculture
culture shock
a sense of disorientation that occurs when entering a radically new social or cultural environment
ethnocentrism
the principle of using one’s own culture as a means or standard by which to evaluate another group or individual, leading to the view that cultures other than one’s own are abnormal or inferior
cultural relativism
the principle of understanding other cultures on their terms rather than judging or evaluating according to one’s own culture
signs
symbols that stand for or convey an idea
gestures
the ways in which people use their bodies to communicate without words
values
broad guidelines for social life that direct what is desirable
norms
the rules and guidelines regarding what kinds of behavior are acceptable
laws
types of norms that are formal, which means they are officially codified and explicitly stated
folkways
norms for routine, casual life
mores
norms based on morality or ethics
taboos
a type of mores, are the most powerful of all norms; extremely serious
moral holiday
a specified time period in which some norm violations are allowed
sanctions
a means of enforcing norms
social control
the formal and informal mechanisms used to elicit conformity to values and norms and thus promote social cohesion
multiculturalism
generally describes a policy that involves honoring the diverse racial, ethnic, national, and linguistic backgrounds of various individuals and groups
dominant culture
the values, norms, and practices of the most powerful groups
hegemony
describe the cultural aspects of social control, whereby the ideas of the dominant group are accepted by all
subculture
a part of society that takes on additional cultural patterns to distinguish itself
counterculture
a group within society that openly rejects or actively opposes society’s values and norms
culture wars
clashes within mainstream society over the values and norms that should be upheld
ideal culture
the norms and values that members of a society believe should be observed in principle
real culture
the patterns of behavior that actually exist
cultural diffusion
the dissemination of material and nonmaterial culture (tools and technology, beliefs and behavior) from one group to another
cultural imperialism
the imposition of one culture’s beliefs and practices on another culture through media and consumer products rather than by military force
cultural leveling
occurs when cultures that were once distinct become decreasingly similar to one another
rituals
routine behavior that affirms belonging to a culture
