Bell Activity

Morals Success

Job Friendship

Education Health

Family Authority

Religion Money

Love Sports

Values affect the decisions we make and the and the actions we take in day to day activities. Rate the following values from 1 (most important) to 10 (least important):

Role of CultureIntroduction to Sociology- Mr. Morahan- 8-27-2009

CULTURE:

Group-specific behavior that is acquired, at least in part by, social influences. Material (artifacts): object made through

cultural applications to create raw goods (ex. Art, crafts, writings, science, etc.)

Symbolic: beliefs, values, norms, attitudes, language, and ideologies

Cultural Sociology Study of cultural impacts on society and societal

interaction

Culture is?

•Shared, yet diverse: combination of ethnicity, religion, and nationality

•Symbolic

•Way of life

•Learned and passed on from generation to generation (often through observation)

•Way to relate to individuals within a group AND a means to relate to others outside the “in-group”

•Varies across time and space (how?)

Components of Culture:

Value: Objects,

conditions, or character traits which members of society deem important

May vary in age groups and social status

Examples?

Belief: Assumptions made

about oneself and others based on cultural values to help judge right and wrong, good and bad, important from trivial, etc.

Become the basis for deciding, choosing, and acting

Examples?

Components of Culture:

Norms: Behavioral expectations Rules that a group uses to judge appropriate and

inappropriate values, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. May be implicit or explicit May evolve over time May vary from one age group to the next

Examples?

Class ExerciseWhat are your values?

Homework Assignment Pick 2 statements from today’s “what are your

values?” exercise and answer the following questions: (a) State your personal belief (i.e. I (dis)agree/not

sure/somewhat agree or disagree with ….) (b) Provide justification for your belief (c) Research statement and provide a brief (4

sentence) discussion on social perspectives surrounding the issue

(d) How do others feel: provide justification for the opposition’s point of view

Additional Questions: Did social pressure in any way effect your answer to

certain statements? Yes or no? Explain. Briefly discuss/analyze the implications/importance of

this exercise in the context of cultural sociology.

Value Statements: I am proud to be an American I agree with the death penalty Money is everything Do unto others as you have them do unto you The family is the most important institution in

society War is wrong, no matter what The environment is worth saving Thou shall not kill All people deserve equal rights Everyone in American has the right to health

insurance If my sibling/best friend killed someone, I would

visit them in prison