Culture Flashcards
Culture is
the collection of values, beliefs and material objects that define a society as a cohesive unit/ a whole way of life of a group or society
Material culture
cars, clothes, homes
Non-material culture
values and beliefs
Four major components of culture
symbols, language, values, norms
values are… and norms are…
general, specific
W.G Sumner noted what two special types of norms that are evident in a societies
mores and folkways
what is a mores
norms that provoke outrage when they are violated
what are folkways
norms that do not provoke outrage when they are violated
Subculture
cultural patterns that distinguish some segment of a society population
Countercultures
cultural patterns based on a rejection of mainstream society’s values
Functionalist theory of culture
culture plays an integrative role for society. It strengthens solidarity
Critical theory of culture
to understand culture, look at a given society’s type of economy
Who spoke of Cultural capital? What is it?
Pierre Bourdieu: a body of knowledge and interpersonal skills that reflects one’s class position
Who spoke of and what is conspicuous consumption?
Thorstein Veblen: an ostentatious display of wealth thats intended to trigger admiration or envy in others
Feminists say culture is
a system that has historically favoured males and much of this inequality survives today
