Funeral Sociology/History Flashcards
adaptive funeral rite
a funeral rite that is adjusted to the needs and wants of those directly involved; one that has been altered to suit the trends of the times.
blended family
membership consists of one male and one female and the children from their previous marriages and may include children from the present marriage.
bureaucratization
the creation of a system that governs through departments and subdivisions manage by sets of officials following an inflexible routine.
ceremony (ritual)
an instrumental action dealing with death, which is also expressional - that is, it is charged with symbolic content expressing, among other things, the attitudes of the participants and possible onlookers (passive participants) who may be regarded as co-beneficiaries.
class
a social grouping which members possess roughly equivalent culturally valued attributes.
cohabitants
two unrelated adults of the opposite sex sharing the same living quarters.
contemporary
living or happening in the same period.
cultural relativism
the emotional attitude that all cultures are equal and pertinent.
cultural universal
abstract patterns for living and dying which are identifiable in all cultures.
culture
consists of abstract patterns (the rules, ideas, beliefs shared by members of society) for living and dying; learned directly or indirectly.
customs
social behavior as dictated by the tradition of the people.
demographic
pertaining to demography; the science of vital statistics (births, deaths, marriages, etc.) of populations.
egalitarian
male and female have equal rights, duties, and governing power.
enculturation (socialization)
the method by which social values are internalized (learned).
ethnic
any of the basic divisions or groups of mankind, distinguished by customs, characteristics, language, rather than physical characteristics of race.
ethnocentrism
the emotional attitude that one’s own race, nation, group, or culture is superior to all others.
extended (joint) family
membership within household includes father and mother, all their children (except married daughters), their son’s wives and children (except married daughters).
folkways
behaviors that are construed as somewhat less compulsive than mores of the same society, and do not call for a strong reaction from the society if violated.
Folkways mark the distinction between rude and polite behavior, so they exert a form of social pressure that encourages us to act and interact in certain ways.
funeral
rites with the body present
funeral rite
an all-inclusive term used to encompass all funerals and/or memorial services.
funeralization
a process involving all activities associated with final dispostion
humanistic funeral rite
a funeral rite that is in essence devoid of religious connotation.
industrialization
individual crafting of products is replaced by manufacture of goods utilizing mass production techniques.
law
a must-behavior, not necessarily a basic or important pattern of a people (related to death), but one which is enforced by those governing; a rule of action prescribed by an authority able to enforce its will.
matriarchal
the mother rules the family; a woman holding a position analogous to that of a patriarch.
modern
of or characteristic of the present or recent times; not ancient, often used to designate certain contemporary tendencies.
modified extended family
a household or family unit created by related nuclear families and/or friendships.
mores
must-behavior; the basic and important patterns of ideas and acts of a people as related to treatment of the dead which call for a strong reaction from the society if violated.
The belief that forms of discrimination and oppression, like racism and sexism, are unethical is another example of an important more in many societies today.
