As you come in….

Remember or write the answer to this question:

Imagine you must evacuate your house for one month. List the top five items that you will take with you:

How you responded to these is an expression / reflection of your culture (and values). Your idea and items were chosen because they are a part of your value system and culture.

Write now a list of 3 of your personality traits.

Genetic research indicates that your personality traits are ½ inherited (genetics) and ½ learned (environment)

Human social behavior (how we interact with others) is 100% learned (from culture)

Cultural Diversity

A. What is Culture (Learned vs. Shared)

VOCAB-CULTURE- language, beliefs, values, norms & behaviors that are passed from one generation to another

1. Material Culture

– concrete, tangible objects

Examples: skyscrapers, fast food, cell phones, Ipods, cars, computers, tv

2. Non-Material Things

a. Abstract or intangibles associated with a group or society

VOCAB-SOCIETY- groups of people who live in a defined territory and have a common culture

Examples: Education is good, democracy is the best form of government, be on time for appointments

Because of our society…..

Human behavior is based on culture! We are NOT born knowing our culture! It is

learned! Because of our culture: many teenage males lift to be masculine many teenage girls wear makeup most teenage people want/have cell phones

B. Components of Culture

1. Technologya. combo of objects & the rules which govern them

2. Symbols

a. Anything that represents something else

3. Language

a. Organization of written and spoken symbols into a standardized system

4. Values

a. Shared beliefs about what we think is important

-    Examples:  achievement, success, equal opportunity, patriotism, honesty, power, wealth, friendship, helping others, family, freedom of speech, respect

5. Norms

a. rules that define appropriate and inappropriate behavior (expectations)

VOCAB-FOLKWAYS- norms that don’t have a great moral significance

VOCAB- MORES- norms with great moral significance

Norms Continued

Law – consciously created and enforced- ability to change as culture changesEXAMPLE: smoking ban- Maine: not allowed to step out of a flying plane- Miss.: elephants cannot drink beer

3. Norms finished

Sanctions – a way to keep people in line (can be + or -)Formal

+ soldier, teacher earns honor- court punishment Informal

Informal+ thanking someone

- staring at/saying something to someone acting stupid in movie theatre

II. Cultural Variation

A. What do we have in common?

1. Cultural Universals features that are common to all cultures

2. George Murdock 65 cultural universals

Examples cooking, dancing, family, feasting, funeral ceremonies, gift giving, housing, music, myths & folklore, religion

B. Why does culture change?

1. What is different from your life now – parents when they were your age – grandparents when they were your age?

Cultural Change

1. Invention

- creation of something new

- cell phone, ipod, computer

 2. Diffusion

- borrowing aspects of a culture

- food (pizza, taco)

- ideas (Japan, post WWII democracy and economy)

 

3. Subculture

a. unique cultural characteristics of a group or race within a society

4. Counterculture

a. Consciously challenging the prevailing values & attempt to replace them

Example: Hippies

C. Threats to Studies of Cultural Variation

1. Ethnocentrism tending to view ones own culture & group as superior

2. Cultural Relativism

a. Belief that cultures should be judged by their own standards rather than standards of another culture