CULTURE & SOCIETY

SOCIETY

Community of people living in a particular region

Shared customs, laws, & organizations

CULTURE

Learned way of life shared among members of a community

Language

Beliefs

Norms

Behaviors

Material objects

MATERIAL CULTURE

A.K.A. artifacts

Physical objects that distinguish a society

Jewelry

Art

Buildings

Weapons

Clothing

Etc.

NONMATERIAL CULTURE

Ways people think and act

Beliefs

Values

Common assumptions

Behaviors

Gestures

Forms of interaction

CULTURAL UNIVERSALS

Features common to ALL cultures

Myths

Sports

Cooking

Feasting

Language

Marriage

Rites of Passage

SYMBOLS

Something to which people attach meaning to communicate with each other

GESTURE

Communication with body parts & movement

SUBCULTURE

Group in society that shares values and norms NOT shared with the whole population

Examples: Doctors Smokers Chinese-Americans Amish Hipsters Athletes

COUNTERCULTURE

Reject norms & values of society

Develop their own

How are subcultures and countercultures different?

GROUP ACTIVITY

In small groups:Write a definition of each termWrite a few examples of each term

Material CultureNonmaterial CultureCultural UniversalsSymbolsGesturesSubculture

VALUES & SOCIETAL RULES

NORMS Societal rules that govern society

Guide what to do, when to do it, and what is not allowed or not okay

Provide structure & safety

Examples:No spitting in publicNo stabbing peopleNo eating corpsesNo shirt, no shoes, no service

3 Types:FolkwaysMoresTaboos

FOLKWAYS Patterns of behavior in society

Norms for everyday life

Habits learned from childhood

Examples: Things considered rude Wash hands before eating Don’t burp Don’t spit Walk on sidewalks Respect personal space Gender-appropriate clothing

Enforced by gentle social pressure & imitation Laughed at Frowned upon

MORES More strongly held norms or customs

Breaking mores is not just impolite, but actually upsetting or scandalous

Derive from established practices in society, but often enforced by written law

Examples: Wear clothes Be honest Don’t lie or cheat Avoid drug use Avoid sexual promiscuity

Enforced by more serious sanctions Socially ostracized Broken relationships Fines & jail time

TABOOS

Most serious norms

Forbid outrageous behaviors

Examples: Incest Murder Rape Cannibalism

Enforced by death, exile, & severe jail sentences

CLASS ACTIVITY Brainstorm at least 10 societal norms held here Label them as folkways, mores, or taboos