Unit 3: Culture Flashcards
Culture
refers to the beliefs, values, practices, behaviors, and tech shared by a society and passed down from generation to generation
elements of culture
clothing, literature, food, music, festivals, holidays, attitudes, and values
Cultural Trait
each attribute in/of the culture, vary across regions and societies (can be artifacts, sociofacts, or mentifacts)
Artifact, Sociofact, Mentifact
Artifact: visible object/technology that a culture creates
Sociofacts: Structures and organizations that influence social behavior. Define way people act and establish rules that govern behavior
Mentifact: Central, enduring elements of a culture that reflect its shared ideas, values, knowledge, and beliefs.
Culture is…
naturally dynamic; subject to change, transform in response to countless environmental, human, and technological forces
Popular Culture
Widespread behaviors, beliefs, and practices of ordinary people in society at a given point (changes very quickly)
Traditional Culture
Composed of long-established behaviors, beliefs, and practices, passed down from generation to generation (language, food, customs)
Cultural Norms
Shared standards/patterns that guide the behavior of a group of people, play an important role in upholding traditions and keep traditional culture from changing.
Ethnocentrism
Tendency of ethnic groups to evaluate other groups according to preconceived ideas originating from their own culture (leads to discrimination)
Cultural Relativism
Evaluation of a culture solely by its unique standard (attempts to understand concept of another culture)
Cultural Landscape
a natural landscape that has been modified by humans, reflecting their cultural beliefs and values (agriculture, industry, religion, etc)
Cultural imprint
a collection of evidence about human character and experiences within a geographic region, which shapes the cultural landscape
Sequent occupance:
the notion that successive societies leave behind their cultural imprint
ethnicity
state of belonging to a group of people who share common cultural characteristics
ethnic neighborhoods
cultural landscapes within communities of people outside their areas of origin
-forms due to the bonding of groups due to exclusion, segregation, and discrimination
-they come together to retain identity
Gender Spaces
certain spaces designed and deliberately incorporated into the landscape to accommodate gender roles (can be positive or negative, provide safety or segregation)
Gender identity
ones innermost concept of self as male, female, both, or neither
Gentrification
renovations and improvements conforming to middle-class preferences. increases demand and cost of living
third place
-1980s
-communal space such as coffee shop, gym, etc that is separate from home (first place) or work (second).
-people need social spaces to develop sense of self, form relationships, relax, etc
sense of place
geographic location with meaning by connecting memories and feelings to it
place making
community-driven process in which people collaborate to create a place where they can live, work, play, and learn
centripetal force
a force that unites people
centrifugal force
a force that divides people
assimilation
process by which a person’s/groups culture is brought to resemble those of another group, or a culture fully accepting and living by a new culture. leads to loss of original culture
acculturation
the culture change that comes from blending cultures (China Town)
Syncretism
the combining of different, often contradictory beliefs, while blending practices of various schools of thought (like Jazz, mixed race music)
Multiculturalism
the presence of several distinct cultural and/or ethnic groups within a society
diffusion
process by which a cultural Trait spreads from one place to another
relocation Diffusion
spread of cultural traits or ideas through relocation/movement of people (migration)
Expansion Diffusion
when an aspect of culture spreads outward from the cultural hear (trait moves while people don’t)
Forms of Expansion Diffusion
Contagious: when an idea or culture trait spreads adjacently, or to people/places that are next to or adjoining one another. (spreads quickly, like a wave over society)
Hierarchical: spread of an idea or trait from a person or place of power/authority to other people or places
Stimulus: when a fundamental idea behind a cultural Trait stimulates a new innovation
Colonialism
policy or practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with settles, and exploiting it economically
imperialism
policy of extending a country’s power and influence through diplomacy or military force
urbanization
creation and expansion of cities
globalization
expansion of traits and qualities throughout the entire world (entertainment industry, internet, movies)
Language
the carrier of human thoughts and cultural identities
toponyms
place names, helps define what is unique about a place, like geographic features or history
Dialect
a variation of a standard language specific to a general ara. differences in pronunciation, degree of rapidity in speech, word choice, and spelling)
Lingua Franca
common language that is adopted between speakers whose native language is different (usually for trade and politics)
Pidgin
an unofficial mixture of words/phrases from two different languages that allow speakers to communicate with each other (spanglish)
creole
a fully developed language that is the combination of two language
Language tree
(Frederick DIggory Got a Lucky Day)
F: Family (Indo-european)
B: Branch (Germanic)
G: Group (West Germanic)
L: Language (english)
D: Dialect (southerner)
religion
system of beliefs that helps form cultural perceptions, attitudes, beliefs, and values
-impacts cultural behaviors, practices, and landscpaes
-Slowest cultural Trait to change
adherents
people loyal to a belief, religion, or organization
branches
large fundamental division in a religion (Catholic, protestant)
denominations
separate organization that unite a number of local congregations (baptist is denomination of protestant)
sect
relatively small group that has separated from an established denomination
ethnic religion
generally found near its Hearth, generally spread only by relocation diffusion. Can be tied to ethnicity (doesn’t seek outsiders)
Universalizing religion
Spread through relocation and expansion diffusion (seeks for everyone to be in religion)
Agnostic
Believes in the possibility of God
Deist
Believe in God, but not religion
-believe He has left
-Clockmaker idea
Atheist
Does not believe in God or religion
Theist
Believes in God and religion
Top religions in the world
1.Christianity
2.Islam
3.Hinduism
4.Buddhism
5.Sikhism
Top Universalizing Religions
1.Christianity
2. Islam
3.Buddhism
4.Sikhism
5.Bahai
Top Ethnic Religions
- Hinduism
2.Eahs Asia (confucianism, Shintoism, Daoism)
3.Judaism
4.Animism
Buddhism
Origin: India, Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha)
Diffusion: East Asia, Southeast Asia, Silk Road, almost extinct in India now
Landscape Features: Pagoda, Bodhi tree in India
Christianity
Origin: Israel, Jesus Christ
DIffusion: Expansion and relocation, roman empire, European missionaries
Landscape Features: Prominent cathedrals
Islam
Origin: Mecca, Muhammad
Diffusion: Spread quickly, fastest growing today
Landscape Features: Mosque, geometric patterns
Sikhism
Origin: Pakistan
Diffusion: Northern India, global diaspora today.
Landscape features: golden temple
Hinduism:
Origin: India
Diffusion: Mostly in India
Landscape features: Shrines and temples, cremation, Ganges River
Judaism
Origin: Palestine, Abraham
Diffusion: Scattered
Landscape features: Synagogue, six pointed star
