Notes on Culture

I. Culture

• 1. Consists of the values the members of a given group hold, the norms they follow and the material goods they create.

2. Composed of material and non material

• a. Material: all things humans make and use• b. Nonmaterial: totality of

knowledge, beliefs, values, and rules for appropriate behaviors.

• c. Norms: rules of behavior agreed and shared within culture that prescribes limits to behavior.

II. 2 types of Norm violations.

• 1. Mores: strong norms based on values/morals of the culture.

• 2. Folkways: informal, loosely enforced rules and traditions.

• 3. Sanctions: formal and informal reactions to the breaking of norms

• Formal- Written, documented sanctions• Informal- Not written

III. Cultural Variation-Material culture changes much faster than a non material culture.

• 1. Change occurs due to borrowing.• 2. Change also occurs due to invention.• 3. Cultural diffusion-spreading of cultural traits.

• IV. 1. Ethnocentrism- judging another culture based on your own customs and values.

Avoid by using- cultural relativism: judge an action by their own cultural standards.

• 2. Universals of culture-elements of culture that can be found in ALL cultures; examples include: rites of passage, incest taboo, division of labor, ideologies

3. Culture shock-experiencing a new culture for the first time.

V. Subcultures-groups within a bigger culture with shared norms, etc.

• Ethnic Occupational Political• Religious Deviant• Social class Geographic

VI. Art forms and pastimes

• 1. Art forms-physical manifestations/symbols of culture.

• 2. Pastimes-what people do when they are not working, recreation, do not have to do it.

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