Society, Culture, and Subculture Flashcards
Critical theory: frankfurt school
mass consumerism and popular entertainment discourage independent thinking and alternatives to the established order of things
critical theory: antonio gramsci
intellectuals who are or work in the interest of the ruling class shape public opinion and the dominant culture
critical theory: karl marx
material circumstances of individuals or groups shape society and culture, not ideas
Symbolic interactionism
Symbolic interactionists investigate how culture is actively created and recreated [by individuals and groups] through social interaction. As people go about their everyday lives, they create and modify culture as they engage in the negotiation of reality based on shared meanings grounded in cultural symbols
material culture
The physical and technological aspects of people’s lives, including all the physical objects that members of a culture create and use
non-material culture
People’s values, beliefs, philosophies, conventions, and ideologies: in short, all the aspects of a culture that do not have a physical existence
Non-material aspects of culture
Values Norms Folkways Mores Laws Sanctions
cultural universals
athletic sports, bodily adornment, dancing, funeral ceremonies, gift giving, language
ideal culture
That aspect of culture that lives only in people’s minds. It is the set of values people claim to believe in, profess openly, hold up for worship and adoration, and in day to day life, pay ‘lip service’ to
ethnocentricism
the tendency to use one’s own culture as a basis for evaluating other cultures
stereotyping
Making a stable and sweeping generalization about a category of people
high culture
The set of preferences, tastes, and norms that are characteristic of, or supported by, high status groups, including fine arts, classical music, ballet, and other ‘highbrow’ concerns
Popular culture
aka mass culture, culture of ordinary people. includes objects, preferences, tastes that are widespread in society. includes popular music, goods/services for mass market, movies, tv, fashion trends
Cultural capital
A body of knowledge and interpersonal skills that helps people to get ahead socially, which often includes learning about and participating in high culture
Cultural variation
Unlike high culture, popular culture is fragmented along age, sex, and social class lines. Market research shows us there are many lifestyle types in North American society
