Chapter 2 Culture

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Sociology
Chapter 2-Culture

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Society, Values, Culture, Reflexes, Drives, Instincts, Sociobiology,
Material traits, Nonmaterial traits, Personality traits, symbols,
folkways, law, norms, taboos, cultural etiquette,
Subculture, counterculture
Chapter 3 Vocabulary

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The basis of culture
• Culture consists of the knowledge, language, values, customs, and physical objects that are passed
from generation to generation among members of a group.
• Culture helps to explain human social behavior.
• What people do and do not do-what one believes and does not.

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Material/Nonmaterial Sides
• In the United States, on the material side, the culture of the US includes physical objects such as
sky scrappers, McDonalds, cell phones, and cars.
• On the nonmaterial side are the customs, beliefs, family systems.

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Society
• This is a group of people who live in a defined area and participate in a common culture.
• Culture is a society’s total way of life.
• Human behavior is based on culture –it is learned through where one lives.

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Instincts
• These are genetically inherited patterns of behavior.
• Culture is more important than instincts because the culture around them determines what type of
shelter they will build, food, survival all depend on the culture that is created around them.

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How does heredity affect behavior?
• Genetic inheritance plays a role in human behavior
• Researchers say that half of your personality traits are determined by your genetic makeup and the
other half by environment.

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Reflexes/drives
• Reflexes-simple, biologically inherited automatic reactions to physical stimuli.
• Drives-biologically inherited, also called impulses, these reduce discomfort.
• Examples of drives-eat, sleep, drink.

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Sociobiology
• The study of the biological basis for human behavior.
• This combines Darwin’s theory of natural selection with modern genetics.
• Sociobiologists do not have distinguish the differences between animals and humans that much.
• They claim that nonhuman animals act on knowledge-and some show intelligence.

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Criticisms of Sociobiology
• The major criticisms are that genetics are used to label races as being superior to others
• Critics say that there is too much variation in societies around the world for human behavior to be on
strictly biological grounds.

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Symbols
• Things that stand for something else
• Can you think of some symbols?
• Can range from physical objects, to sounds, smells, and tastes.
• Examples of symbols that can be either good or bad would be…..

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Norms
• Norms are rules defining appropriate and inappropriate behavior.
• Example-A Hindu peasant is found dead of starvation next to a fat cow.
• Norms are learned as part of society.
• They guide our behavior without thinking about them.

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Cultural Etiquette
• Each country has their own set of customs and norms.
• Examples: In Japan-if you are offered a gift, thank the person and wait for one or two more offers
before accepting it. Receive the gift with both hands.
• In China-a visit to a Chinese home is rare-one must get government approval.

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What are Folkways?
• Folkways are norms that lack moral significance.
• Example: sleeping on a bed rather than the floor.
• These are not considered vital to group welfare.
• For some people it is more important-a person who is constantly loud in class is usually avoided and
no one wants to sit near them.
•

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Mores
• Based on the word moral
• Morality deals with conduct related to right and wrong.
• Mores are norms with great moral significance.
• Conformity to mores is a social requirement
• Example: someone who uses profanity in a church.
•

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Taboo
• The most serious of mores
• So strong that its violation of demands punishment by a group
• Ex: In India, followers of Hinduism have a taboo forbidding the killing/eating of cows.

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Law
• The 3rd type of norm
• Formally defined and enforced by government officials
• Examples of Silly Laws:
• Maine-You must not step out of a plane in flight
• Arizona-hunting camels is prohibited

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With a partner decide if each statement is a folkway,
more, law or a value�
• 1.The idea of progress
• 2. norm against overtime parking
• 3. the norm against cursing in a church
• 4. norm against burning a national flag
• 5. norm prohibiting murder
• 6. the idea of freedom
• 7. norm encouraging eating three meals a day.

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Enforcing the Rules
• Sanctions-rewards & punishments used to encourage people to follow norms.
• Formal Sanctions-sanctions applied by officials such as judges.
• Informal Sanctions-rewards & sanctions that can be applied by most members of a group.

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VALUES
• These are broad ideas what most people in a society consider to be desirable.
• In America, since it is so diverse, there are some values that researcher Robin Williams (1970)
guides the daily lives of Americans:
• (a). Achievement and success
• (b). Democracy,
• (c). Equality,
• (d). Efficiency and practicality –most of these are interrelated.

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Cultural Diversity & Similarity
• Cultural Diversity exists in all societies.
• Some diversity is the result of social categories-groups that share a social characteristic such as
age, gender or religion.
• Example- devout Catholics are expected to attend mass regularly

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Subcultures/Countercultures
• A subculture is a group part of the dominant culture but that differs from it in some important
respects.
• Example-those formed by circus people
• Counter-culture is culture that is deliberately opposed to certain central beliefs in the majority or
dominant culture.
• Ex: College students protesting the Vietnam War in the 1960s, or the hippies