Culture 2017

Definition of culture- pg 54 in Du Toit
 The total of the man-made
environment and products,
material and non-material, which
is carried forward from generation
to generation.

Culture
 1. Culture is being seen as a state of mind.
 2. Culture is related to the idea of civilization.
 3. Culture is the collective body of arts and intellectual work within any
society.
 4. Culture is a whole way of life (as a social Heritage)

Culture in SA
 Diverse
 Languages
 Values
 Effective nursing care- tolerance

South African cultures
 South Africa’s culture is one of the most diverse in the world and has given
rise to the term “Rainbow Nation”.
 With 11 official languages and 8 other recognised languages, the rich culture
of each of these groups brings its own vibrancy to our diversity.

How did we get so many different
cultures in one country?
 The original South African individuals- KhoiKhoi
and San.
 They were joined by two main migrations – that of
the Bantu peoples from the north in Africa and
the colonisation by the Europeans from the south,
all bringing their own cultures, skills, arts and
farming methods with them.

 KhoiKhoi and San culture in South Africa
 The indigenous KhoiKhoi and San were the early artists of South Africa
as can be seen in the wonderful rock art across the country. The San,
known as “Bushmen” were extraordinary hunters and trackers, and
their tracking skills are still invaluable in the fight against poachers.
 Today, their language is under threat, as is their nomadic way of life
in the desert regions of the country. Organisations are at work to try
and preserve this special culture with projects like bringing the
language back into the school curriculum.

 The Bantu migrants were not all of the same culture; there were the
Zulu, Xhosa, Sotho, Ndebele, Shangaan and Venda to name a few,
each with their own colourful and interesting way of life.
 It is a popular tourist attraction to see these traditional cultures with
their interesting homes, dress, wonderful beadwork, pottery, arts &
crafts and cultural events in the rural areas.

 Zulu culture in South Africa
 The Zulu traditional culture was well known for the ferocity of its shield
bearing warriors, especially under Shaka; for its beadwork and basketry and
the beehive grass huts that pepper the KwaZulu-Natal hills.

 Zulu beliefs are based on the presence of ancestral
spirits, which often appear in dreams, and a supreme
being who is seldom involved in the affairs of mortals.
Magic is used and many cases of illness or bad luck are
considered to be caused by an evil spirit.
 A diviner will communicate with the spirits or use
natural herbs and prayers to get rid of the problem.

 Xhosa culture in South Africa
 The Xhosa culture is well known for the complex dress
code that indicates a person’s social standing. How
senior they are, if they are married or single, if they are
the new wife or have had a baby – all shown in the
headdress and dress of the wearer. A combination of a
long skirt with no slit in front, together with a marriage
bib and two beaded aprons means the wearer is a
widow.

 The more elaborate the hat, the more senior the
wearer. Only young girls may go around bare-breasted.
The pipe smoking of Xhosa women is also well known
and a huge variety of beaded pipes
abound. Traditionalists were described as ‘Red’ because
of their practice of daubing (ukuqaba) red clay on their
faces and bodies. Women and men also use cosmetic
white clay on their faces.

 Ndebele culture in South Africa
 The Ndebele culture is renowned for the skill of the
women who decorate their homes in vibrant geometric
designs. Skills are passed from mother to daughter and
the shapes used are often inspired by their intricately
fashioned beadwork. Ndebele woman wear neck rings
and traditional blankets of striking colours.

 Sotho culture in South Africa and Lesotho
 The Sotho groups of the South Sotho, Pedi and Tswana have
some major cultural differences from the Nguni group (Zulu,
Xhosa, Ndebele and Swazi), especially with respect to how
they organise their villages and their marriages. The Sotho
peoples tend to organise their homes into villages, rather
than scattered settlements. In Nguni society, marriages to
kin is frowned on while the Sotho will seek brides from kin,
notably cousins on the maternal side.

 The Shangaan culture in South Africa
 The Shangaan people are located mainly in the area of
the Kruger Park in Mpumalanga. Their culture is of
mixed ancestry and was brought about due to the
military actions of Soshangane, one of Shaka’s generals
who fell into disfavour. To escape Shaka, Soshangane
fled north, through Swaziland, finally settling in
Mozambique. His men found wives among the locals –
among them Tsongas – and thus the Shangaan people
were established.

 The Venda culture in South Africa
 The Soutpansberg Mountains of the Limpopo Province in South Africa is the
home of the Venda people, the smallest of the South Africa cultures.

 The Venda culture is built on a vibrant mythical belief
system, and water is an import theme, believing lakes
and rivers to be sacred, and that rains are controlled by
the Python God. One of the most sacred sites of the
Venda is Lake Fundudzi where annual rites are held.
This is where the famous Domba Python Dance is held
and young maidens, as the final stage of their initiation
into womanhood, line up in single file and dance in long
winding lines, like a snake. The Domba is also important
to secure good rains for the following season.

 The culture brought to South Africa by the European settlers
 The European settlers were also from different cultures of which the Dutch
were the most influential. They were joined by the French Huguenots, British
and German Settlers, each bringing their own flavour to the mix.

 Indian, Chinese and Cape Malay culture in South Africa
 As South Africa developed, more labour was required and Indian and Chinese
indentured labourers were brought in, as were slaves from Madagascar, East
Africa and the East Indies.

 Today, many of the younger generation from all cultures have moved to the
city where they lead a Westernised lifestyle and speak either English or
Afrikaans in addition to their home language. Many live in the “Township”
areas where township tours are a must for visitors.
 Over time, the townships developed a unique fusion of culture which has its
expression in the music, art and food. The very interesting art forms, using
everything from plastic strips to bicycle spokes will keep you enthralled. Local
music is vibrant and a visit to a shebeen, the local pub, is always a hit.

The Components of Culture: Symbols,
Language, Values and Norms
 All cultures include symbols which confer meanings to
things and events.
 These symbols are expressed through what we call
language. Language conveys the beliefs and values of
a culture.
 Values are ideas. These ideas are translated into
norms which give us in concrete terms how we should
behave.

Culture
 In sociological sense: Includes the total way of life of a group of
people. This way of life is shared, it comprises some
learning/teaching, and is based on symbols.
 The social grouping sharing a way of life can be a nation, a region or
even an occupation.
 Within a group in which most members share what we call the
dominant culture- these being subcultures
 We are all born cultureless- and have to be taught our culture by
various individuals, such as our parents
 This process is called socialisation
 All new parents are actively involved in socialisation when they teach
their children to talk, walk and behave

Culture
 Culture is an element of society- the most extensive element
 It can be described as society’s ‘personality’ and comprises the
following aspects of social life: behaviors, norms, values, beliefs and
the physical artefacts, i.e. all the objects made by the members of a
society.
 The latter, tangible products of human society are what we call
material culture e.g. cars, televisions, beds, homes, churches,
technology, paintings, etc.
 Intangible creations or objects of human society (non-material
culture), includes knowledge, beliefs, norms, values, symbols and
language.

Material Culture and
Non-material Culture
Material culture
 Physical features that define a
particular culture, society, or
group, such as jewelry, art,
buildings, weapons, machines,
clothing, hairstyles, etc.
Non-material Culture
 Non-physical aspects like a group’s
ways of thinking (beliefs, values,
and assumptions) and common
patterns of behavior (language,
gestures, and other forms of
interaction).

Components of Culture
1) Knowledge and beliefs- the
Cognitive Component
2) Value and Norms- the Normative
Component
3) Symbols and Language- the
Symbolic Component

The Cognitive Component:
Knowledge & Beliefs
 Knowledge forms the foundation for social behaviour
 Knowledge is a collection of relatively objective ideas and
facts about our physical and social worlds
 Beliefs are ideas that are relatively subjective, unreliable
or not linked to evidence
 We acquire our beliefs through the process of
socialisation; they help shape how we perceive our
surroundings and our personality development

Knowledge now is considered as a storage of information fact or assumption, and
these knowledge can be passed down from one generation to another.
Every culture has beliefs about health, disease, treatment, and health care providers. Not
scientifically based. FILLIPINOS: Children sometimes use the words "mama," "opo," "po" and "papa"
to show respect to their elders, and they may often take care of their parents when they age.
Some other folk beliefs are that paying debts at night will lead to poverty, having an itchy palm
means money is coming and using a coin found on the road leads to a shortage of money. It's also
common for women to not use medications during childbirth due to a belief that pain comes from
god, and for the father to take care of both mother and child for a month after delivery.
&
Seeing a black cat will bring bad luck . Avoid joining a meal of 13 people In Friday, do not clip
your nails
&
Roman Catholics belief that God’s Ten Commandments provide a moral compass — an ethical standard to live by.

The Normative Component:
Values, Norms and sanctions
 Comprises elements necessary for the maintenance of integration and
conformity in society
 This component specifies the correct ways of thinking and behaving
and of defining morality
 Values are defined as socially shared ideas or standards about what is
good, desirable or important
 They represent general criteria for evaluating our own views and
actions or those of others
 The social rules that determine how we ought to behave arise from
the values
 Thus, laws against murder clearly reflect the value we place on
human life.

Value, Norms and Sanctions (continued)
 Sometimes the values within a society conflict
 Most human populations, no matter how diverse, share at least some
consensus over values such as what is good or bad, appropriate or
inappropriate
 The consensus is often not perfect, but without some degree of value
consensus, societies will be characterized by conflict and tension. Some
general values respected by most globally:

Values are defined as culturally defined standards of desirability, goodness and
beauty, which serve as broad guidelines for social living.
American values Japanese values European values
• Equality
• Individuality
• work hard, play hard
= success
• the sky is the limit
• Freedom
• Mobility
• Safety
• Competition
• efficiency
• obligation to the
group
• behaving according
to status
• Harmony
• Effort
• self-improvement
• self-criticism
• Aesthetics
• Intellectualism
• Socialism
• Tradition
• Leisure
• Sensuality
• Family and friendship

South African values……
 Greeting- hellos and handshakes
 Respect for elders
 Pointing at things
 Eat with the Right Hand
 Time – A Little Less Important
 Use Flexibility
 Do NOT Publicly Show Anger, Frustration, or Impatience
 Positive Communication
 Relationships Matter
 Don’t Talk Too Much During a Meal
 Receive a Gift With Both Hands
 The Un-Stated – “Sorry We’re Out”
 https://migrationology.com/african-cultural-values-travel-africa-17/.

 Norms are the social rules that specify how people should
behave
 They serve to guide people’s actions in particular
situations and within particular roles, groups,
organizations and institutions
 Eg tell us how to act in elevators, how to address our
parents, teachers and how to greet people
 Norms can be prescriptive: defining how one ought to
behave in given situations OR
 Norms can be proscriptive: defining how one ought not to
behave.

Cultural norms are the standards we live by. They are the shared expectations and rules
that guide behavior of people within social groups. Cultural norms are learned and
reinforced from parents, friends, teachers and others while growing up in a society. Norms
often differ across cultures. Eg: values regarding public behavior:
- Shake hands when you meet someone.
- Have direct eye contact with the person you are speaking with.
- Consume alcohol in moderation.
- Do not pick your nose.
- Say please and thank you.
- Be kind to the elderly, like opening a door or giving up your seat.
- When at someone’s home, ask permission, such as turning on the television or using the
bathroom.
- Stop at a red light.
- Go at a green light.
- Pull over for emergency vehicles.
- Drive on the right side of the road in the United States.
- Try to avoid burping or farting in public.
- Flush the toilet.
- Say "please" when asking for something.
- Say "thank you" when someone does something for you.
- Call to let someone know you will be late.

 Folkways are norms that designate a society’s
customs for routine and casual interaction and for
distinguishing between right and rude.
 They are weak norms that specify expectations
about proper behaviour
 Violating folkways are not considered serious-
may be considered impolite and inappropriate
 Will not be arrested for it

A Folkway is the traditional behaviour or way of life of a particular community or
group of people. Eg:
For example, the practice of waiting in (or on) line in many societies is an
example of a folkway. This practice creates order in the process of buying things
or receiving services, which smooths and expedites the tasks of our daily lives.

 Mores (pronounced mo-rays)
 Refers to strongly held norms that specify normal behavior and constitute
demands, not just expectations
 Violation of mores involves a strong negative societal reaction
 In many societies, some such norms are considered so important that they are
called laws
 Some categories of people are put in charge of enforcing such laws and
specific punishment is imposed on violators
 E.g. committing murder- brought to justice by laws and police, severely
punished by a judge

The term "mores" refers to the norms set by society, largely for behavior and
appearance. Individuals who do not follow social mores are often considered
social deviants. EG:
- It is not considered acceptable or mainstream to abuse drugs, particularly those
such as heroine and cocaine.
- It is expected that one would hold the door for a person behind him or her
when entering a building.
- It is expected that alcohol consumption in public will be in moderation.
- Talking to oneself in public is not considered a normal behavior.
- Adults are expected to work in order to support themselves.
- People are expected to be honest.
- If a promise is made, it is expected it will be kept.
Chewing with one's mouth closed is expected.

 Norms guide behavior
 How does society force people to obey the norms of a society?
 Via Sanctions:
 Can be positive (reward) or negative (punishment)
 Can be informal (enacted by friends/family) or formal (enacted by formal
institution)
 The process by which are used to make people conform is called social control
 Socialization causes us to internalize cultural norms and impose constraints on
our own behavior
 When we disregard an internalized norm, it results in our experiencing guilt
and shame

Sanctions are mechanisms of social control. Sanctions can either be positive
(rewards) or negative (punishment), and can arise from either formal or informal
control.
Positive sanctions:– an action that rewards a
particular kind of behavior!
Eg: Teachers give good grades for good work
Negative Sanctions – punishment or threat of
punishment to enforce conformity.
Eg: Traffic fine when ignoring red light

The Symbolic Component:
Symbols and Language
 A symbol is used to represent or stand for something. Can take various forms
 Key example: Language. It differs across different cultures. It does more than
enable us to communicate. It can determine or influence how we think and it
can be a source of thought.
 It can be a physical object such as a wedding ring standing for a promise
between two people
 It can also be a characteristic of an object, like the Aids- awareness ribbon
 Or a gesture: a fist raised in the air

Analyzing Culture
 Due to different theories on the social phenomena,
culture is also being seen through different lenses
 The theories help us to understand
 Assists us to view our own culture more
objectively/scientifically
 Malinowski (anthropologist in branch of functionalism): he
maintains that cultural phenomena do not develop
because people accidently or unintentionally invent them
or simply borrow them from others. Rather, they are
determined by basic needs and the possibilities of
satisfying these. 3 kinds of needs:

Analyzing Culture
Structural Functionalism
 Biological needs: food, shelter, reproduction
 Instrumental needs: social control, education, political
organization, economics
 Integrative/symbolic needs: knowledge, religion, art
 Stable orderly system with interrelated parts that serve
functions
 Core values
 Cultural universals: values found in every culture in the world

Analyzing Culture
Structural Functionalism
(continued)
 Culture functions: to meet the needs of individuals rather than society
as a whole
 When the needs of individuals- who comprise society are met, the
needs of society are also met
 The way in which individuals’ needs are served, is that society
provides institutions, customary practices and beliefs
 Eg for the need of production- the institution of marriage and family
has been provided
 Eg to ensure order and stability- society has developed laws
 Eg as means of intellectual, emotional and pragmatic control of
destiny and chance- society has developed magic and religion

Analyzing Culture
The Conflict perspective
 Based on the assumption that social life is about competition and struggle
 With members of powerful groups seeking to control scarce resources
 Acc to this perspective of culture, values and norms help sustain the privileged position of the powerful
 Culture thus reflects the interest of the rich and powerful in this perspective
 Certain values- such as competitiveness- benefit the powerful like stimulating worker productivity,
enabling obtaining larger profits
 By believing in competition, the powerless will feel that the powerful are entitled to their riches and
privileges
 This illustrates the way in which certain ideas are cultural creations are used
 A system of ideas that guides the way in which people think and act accordingly, is called ideology
(capitalism, communism and apartheid)

Analyzing Culture
Symbolic Interaction
 Describes people as active in that they create, maintain and
modify culture during their numerous daily symbolic interactions
 This means that one’s culture does not determine one’s behavior;
neither are the norms and values static-but dynamic in that we are
constantly interpreting and re- them, thus changing them

Concepts related to Culture
Cultural Universals &
Cultural Diversity
 Cultural Universals – the
commonalities that cultures
share. Language, marriages,
health systems, religion,
economic system, recreation
 Cultural Diversity- the
differences that cultures
share. different ways of
looking at things, different
ways of dressing, different
ways of expressing
personality/goodness
Cultural Relativity &
Ethnocentrism
 Ethnocentrism: the practice of
judging another culture by the
standards of one’s own culture
and regarding one’s own as
superior.
 Cultural relativism: the practice of
judging another culture by its own
standards

Subcultures
 Groups within a group
 They develop their own unique symbols, norms and values.
 Can be formed around many aspects such as age, occupation, ethnic
group and sport interests
 A person can belong to various subcultures simultaneously
 Have unique traits
 Do not oppose the dominate culture of a society (opposite of
counterculture)
 Members of counterculture are likely to question the morality of the
majority group and engage in some or other form of protest activities

Subcultures:
Alcoholics Anonymous - a group for recovering alcoholics
Bikers - people interested in motorcycles and often form groups that travel
together
Bodybuilding - using certain exercises to build muscle
Emo - started with the hardcore punk movement, attitudes and dress are
melodramatic
Goth - characterized with dark hair, eyeliner, nail polish and clothes
Hip hop - started in South Bronx in the 70s, includes break dancing, graffiti, DJs
combining two songs and rap music

Cultural Change
 Culture is not static, but changes over time
 Something considered unacceptable
behavior years ago, may be acceptable now
 Change is inevitable, people resist change
often

Cultural change: EXAMPLE
 An invention that substantially changed culture was the development of the
birth control pill, which changed women's attitudes toward sex. Prior to the
introduction of the birth control pill, women were at a high risk of pregnancy
as a result of sex. After the introduction of the pill, their risk of pregnancy
was substantially reduced, increasing their willingness to engage in sexual
activity outside of wedlock.

Cultural lag
 The term cultural lag refers to the notion that culture takes time to catch up
with technological innovations, and that social problems and conflicts are
caused by this lag.
 Example: Medical technology is being used to keep people’s bodies
functioning long after they would otherwise have been considered dead. This
raises cultural questions about when life ends, who has the right to end
artificial life support, etc.
 Needle-Free Diabetes Care

Cultural diffusion
 Cultural diffusion is the spread of cultural beliefs and social activities from one group to
another. The mixing of world cultures through different ethnicities, religions and
nationalities has increased with advanced communication, transportation and technology.
 Example1: Some people in the United States play hockey, which is played in Canada.
 Example 2:The spread of music throughout the world shows cultural diffusion. For example,
jazz started as a blend of the music of Africa and the Caribbean.

Cultural Change- PG 44 in Pretoruis
3 main sources of influence responsible for change,
but also for resistance to change:
 1) Forces within a society:
 Invention: a key process of cultural change e.g. cellphones,
electronic money
 Culture loss
 2) Habit
 3) Contact between societies:
 When societies come into contact with one another; it leads
to change
 Diffusion- the movement of cultural aspects from one
culture to another
 Acculturation- when traits replace traditional cultural
patterns

Cultural contact & culture and health
 Cultural Contact : occurs between cultural groups in the society
 Culture and health:
 - influences of culture on health and rehabilitation is important
 - a good healthcare provider( able to recognize, learn about cultures of
his/her patients. Be aware of the fact that people define themselves
culturally)
 - what should health providers do with such knowledge?

Cultural competence concepts
 Cultural Awareness: involves the understanding of the
importance of cultural differences. Also entails being conscious
of one’s personal reactions to people who are different
 Cultural Sensitivity: which goes beyond awareness and
comprises an appropriate attitude towards cultural differences
 Cultural Competence: involves having the capabilities of
dealing with differences effectively
 Cultural Responsiveness: which falls between sensitivity and
competence, is the ability to respond to a patient's care needs
in a way that matches the patient’s expectations

Cultural competence concepts
 Cultural shock: an experience a person may have when one moves to
a cultural environment which is different from one's own; it is also the
personal disorientation a person may feel when experiencing an unfamiliar
way of life due to immigration or a visit to a new country, a move between
social environments.
 Ethnocentrism: evaluation of other cultures according to preconceptions
originating in the standards and customs of one's own culture.
 Xenocentrism: is the preference for the products, styles, or ideas of someone
else's culture rather than of one's own.
 Xenophobia: dislike of or prejudice against people from other countries.

NB!! Culture formation and expansion-
PG 40-43 in Du Toit
 Through discovery
 Through invention
 Cultural diffusion
 Speed
 Selection
 Accumulation
 Corroboration

Reference list
 Source: Boundless. “Mechanisms of Cultural Change.” Boundless Sociology.
Boundless, 26 May. 2016. Retrieved 12 Jul. 2016 from
https://www.boundless.com/sociology/textbooks/boundless-sociology-
textbook/culture-3/culture-and-adaptation-31/mechanisms-of-cultural-change-
200-8100/
 Pretorius, E. Matebesi, Z and Ackermann, L. (2013). Juta’s Sociology for healthcare
professionals. Lansdowne, Cape Town, South Africa. Page 9- 24.
 Read more at http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-cultural-
diffusion.html#6D6wS4JVGtBGJoA8.99
 Read more at http://examples.yourdictionary.com/social-norm-
examples.html#T6HapslVwsHTDhm2.99

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