Wednesday

Bell WorkGrab BooksGrab FoldersGrab Notes Outline from Back:

Answer in Folders (Task #1)Read opening box (pg.60)WHAT IS CULTURE? WHAT DOES IT

MEAN TO YOU? (leave room to answer again later)

Chapter 3

Culture

What is Culture?

Refers to the beliefs, values, behavior and material objects that, together, form a people’s way of life

Two basic componentsNon-Material Culture

Intangible creations of human society (ideas)Material Culture

Tangible products of human society (things)

What is Culture

Cultures Role Two components describe a peoples way of life Also plays a role in shaping human personality

Culture Shock Occurs when an individual suffers personal

disorientation when experiencing an unfamiliar way of life

Task #2 Read Thinking Globally pg.63: Answer

What is Culture

Only humans depend on culture to ensure survival What do all other animals (except some primates)

depend on? Natural Instincts

Culture is very recent and took a long time to develop as a strategy Human achievement set us on evolutionary course,

making culture the primary survival strategy Concept of culture is different

To concepts of nations (political entities) and societies (organized interaction of people)

Elements of Culture

All cultures have five common components: symbols, language, values/beliefs, norms, and material culture

Symbols Anything that carries a particular meaning

recognized by people who share culture Meanings can vary form society to society, w/in a

single society, and over time. Read Symbols (pgs. 64-66)

Symbols

How does this represent a symbol Peace?

Lesson Closing

Task #3L-J#1

In your foldersWhat is culture now? What does it mean to

you?

Pre-Read

Pages 66-69

If you don’t finish, read on own

Bell Work: Get books and Folders

Should have Pre-Read pages 66-69 Task #4: Read/Answer What are the 5 elements of a culture? What are the 2 basic components of Culture? What occurs when a person suffers personal

disorientation when experiencing an unfamiliar way of life?

Task #5 Read/Answer Applying Soc in Folders

Elements of Culture

LanguageSystem of symbols that allows people to

communicate w/one anotherKey to Cultural transmission

Process by which one generation passes culture to the next.

Sapir-Whorf Thesis:People perceive world through cultural lens of

language.Look @ Global Map of languages

Values and Beliefs

ValuesCulturally defined standards by which

people judge desirability, goodness and beauty, and serve as broad guidelines for social living.

Beliefs (supported by values)Specific statements that people hold to be

true.

Task #6

Read Robin Williams Key values of cultureWrite them down in your folder. Then reflect on at least 3 that you either identify

the most with, or strongly disagree with.

Video on Cultural NormsPower Media Plus

Social Interaction in Everyday life

HW or during VideoAnswer 71-80 of T/F: Will be in pages 60-69

Lesson Closing

Bell Work

Get Books/Folders/Paper in backTask #7

Read/Answer Essay on page 41 of HO Morals in the U.S

Values and Beliefs

Values in Conflict Values w/in a society are often inconsistent and can

even oppose one another Task #8 “Don’t Blame Me” Outloud

Americans may be becoming increasingly unwilling to accept personal responsibility for their failings and misfortunes

Values Globally differ somewhat from high to low income countries in general. (3-2 pg.72) Low= often values of survival High= often values of individualism/self-expression

Norms

Rules and expectations by which a society guides the behavior of its members

2 Types described by William SumnerMores: widely observed/morally significant

normsFolkways: Norms for routine/casual

interaction.

Norms

Social Control (Reward/punishment)Various means by which members of

society encourage conformity to normsCould be a weird look, nod of approval or

greater than either

Task #9: Lesson Closing

Complete Your Turn in folders on pg. 72But think of it in terms of our high-schoolAnd the social control factor that could play into

it. Have at least an example to share for one or the

otherRead 70-76: Up to Multiculturalism

Answer T/F 81-90Finish Video on Culture/Humor

Thursday Bell Work Bell Work: Get books/folders Culturally Defined standard that serve as broad guidelines?

Values Specific Statements that people hold to be true

Beliefs Norm that is widely observed; often moral….

Mores What is an example of social control when a person burps or farts in

a restaurant? People usually react likes they’re gross, and immature! How does the person then feel?

What is social Control Rewards/punishment a society uses to encourage conformity to norms

L-J #2

Material Culture

Material Culture reflects a society’s values and a society’s TechnologyTechnology

Knowledge that people apply to the task of living in their surroundings

What are some examples of how we’ve used technology to adapt to our surroundings?

Irrigation, harvesting techniques, cars, computers

Distinguishing

Sociologists Distinguish between ideal and real culture

1. Ideal Culture Social patterns that are mandated by

cultural values and norms

2. Real Culture Actual social patterns that only

approximate cultural expectations

Cultural Diversity: Many ways

Who is the most multicultural of all the industrial countries?U.S.

Cultural Diversity can even include social classes.

People often judge others activities in regards to two main patternsHigh CulturePopular Culture

Cultural Diversity

High Culture Cultural patterns that distinguish a society’s elite Examples of judgments?

Opera, “Theatre,” Ballet, etc. Popular Culture

Cultural patterns that are widespread among a society’s population

Examples of judgments? Hip-hop, rock, sporting events

High culture is not superior to popular culture Often people just have different interests/tastes Which culture would play a violin….fiddle?

Subcultures Cultural patterns that distinguish some segment of

a society’s population Involve both differences and hierarchy People too often view “mainstream” culture what really

is those patterns favored by the powerful segments of the population

They also view the lives of disadvantaged people as “subculture”

Task #10: Your Turn pg. 75 Are hunting, skeet shooting, and ATV driving any less

cultural patterns than Aspen skiing, playing polo, and going to the opera?

That is what has led sociologists to Multiculturalism

Lesson Closing

Task #11Complete in the times on pgs. 76-77

Pre-Read pgs. 76-81 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDvLk7e2Irc T/F: 91-96; Have up through 96 done for tomorrow

Turn in Small sheet of paper with name on it that has: Person, or two, that you plan on contacting for your interview Their information, and your reasoning for interviewing them!

Friday Bell Work

Bell Work: Get Books/folders Answer these questions as Task #12 Cultural patterns that distinguish some segment of a

society’s population? Subculture

Cultural patterns that distinguish a society’s elite High Culture

Cultural patterns that are widespread among a society’s population Popular Culture

T/F High culture is often superior to Popular culture False

Video

Multiculturalism

Educational program recognizing the cultural diversity of the U.S. & promoting equality of all cultural traditions Euro centrism: Dominance of European cultural

patterns

Supporters argue that it helps us come to terms w/a diverse population and use that as a strength Often argue for Afro-centrism:

Dominance of African cultural patterns

Multiculturalism

Opponents Argue that it

encourages divisiveness over unity

People begin to evaluate ideas based on race/gender

Leading to judgments like “African experience” and “Asian experience”

Cultural Diversity

Counter Culture Cultural patterns that strongly oppose widely

accepted ones in a society

Cultural Change Promoted by three things: Invention, discovery, and

diffusion. Cultural integration: close relationship among

various elements of a cultural system. Cultural Lag: cultural elements (material/non)

change at different rates, causing disruption

Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism

EthnocentrismThe practice of judging another culture by

the standards of one’s own cultureLook @ pg. 81 Figure

Cultural RelativismPractice of judging a culture by its own

standards

Lesson Closing

L-J #3 : Dice GameVideo

The Way We Live: Common Ground: Culture

Read from book for MondayEthnocentrism and Cultural Relativism

Monday Bell Work Bell Work

Grab book/folder Answer Questions Dominance of European cultural trends

Euro-centrism Dominance of African cultural trends

Afro-centrism Stands in direct opposition of Euro-centrism

Multiculturalism Education program promoting equality of all cultural traditions

Multiculturalism Material things moving faster than nonmaterial things

Cultural lag Counter-Culture?

Cultural patterns opposite of widely accepted one’s. Finish: The Way We Live: Common Ground: Culture

Emergence of a global culture

Read A Global Culture? Pgs. 81-82Much evidence exists that suggests the

emergence of a global culture3 Key Factors that are promoting it

Global Economy: The flow of goodsGlobal Communications: Flow of informationGlobal Migration: Flow of people

Emergence of a Global Culture

Three LimitationsGlobal culture is more advanced in some

parts of the world than othersMany people cannot afford to participate in

the material aspects of a global cultureSatellite communication, air travel, etc.

Different people attribute different meanings to various aspects of the global culture.

Good and bad; different things learned from similar elements.

Lesson Closing

L-J#4Video

Way We live: The Sociological Perspective

Tues

Bell Work Grab books/folders

Review: Task #13 3 Factors that promote global culture?

Global economy, communication, migration 3 Limitations of a global culture?

More advanced in some areas Many can’t afford material parts People attribute different meanings to it.

Practice of judging another culture by standards of own Ethnocentrism

Cultural patterns that strongly oppose widely accepted ones in a society

Counter-culture Practice of judging a culture by its own standards

Cultural Relativism

Theoretical Analysis of Culture

Attempting to understand how culture helps us make sense of ourselves and the surrounding world

Three Macro level approachesStructural FunctionalSocial ConflictSociobiology

Structural Functional

Sees culture as a complex strategy for meeting human needs

Considers values the core of a cultureValues direct our lives, give meaning to

what we do, and bring people togetherCultural Universals

Traits that are part of every known cultureEx: Family, funeral rites, joking

Structural Functional

StrengthsHelps show how culture operates to meet

human needsWeakness

Ignores cultural diversityDownplays importance of change

Social Conflict

Idea that any cultural trait benefits some members of a society at the expense of others

Rooted in MaterialismTies our cultural values of competitiveness

and material success to our country’s economy

Social Conflict

StrengthsSuggests that cultural systems do not

address human needs equally, allowing some to dominate others

This inequality pressures for changeWeakness

Understates the ways that cultural patterns integrate members of a society

Lesson Closing

Finish: Way We live: The Sociological Perspective

Bell Work

Get books and foldersFinish Movie after Task 14Make sure you have your sociology

reading bookTask #14: Copy down Chart on page 85

Sociobiology

Theoretical approach that explores ways in which human biology affects how we create culture

Claim that the large number of cultural universals shows the fact that all humans are members of a single biological speciesBased on Darwinism and the process of natural

selection

Sociobiology

Critical ReviewStrengths

Has generated intriguing theories about biological roots of some cultural patterns

WeaknessesMay promote racism/sexism by claiming only

natural selection and other biological arguments of old

Research support is limited

Read Thinking Globally

Task #1510 Min.s

Culture and Human Freedoms

Culture brings sociologists to one important questionTo what extent are human beings, as cultural

creatures, free?Two Views

Culture as constraintCulture as freedom

Culture and Human Freedoms

Two ViewsConstraint

Humans cannot live w/out culture, but the need for culture does have some drawbacks

Culture is largely habits, meaning we will repeat mistakes

FreedomCulture forces us to choose as we make and

remake a world for ourselves The more people understand the workings of culture

the better prepared we can be to use those freedoms

Lesson Closing

L-J #5Read book, make up any notes that

you’ve missedRead soc. Novel or work on project stuffReview Tomorrow: Complete any workTest Friday