Chapter 3 Culture Defining Culture group or society Culture the complex system of meaning and behavior that defines the way of life for a given o Includes beliefs values knowledge habits language food and dress o Includes a way of thinking as well as patterns of behavior o Holds society together Gives meaning to society Gives shape to the human experience Gives people a sense of belonging instructs them in how to behave and tells them what to think in particular situations Material culture consists of the objects created in a given society i e buildings art publications toys and other tangible objects Nonmaterial culture the norms laws customs ideas and beliefs of a group of people Characteristics of Culture 1 Culture is shared o It is collectively agreed upon and experienced o What makes society possible may be difficult in complex societies where groups have different traditions and perspectives o Placed in a different country such as Cuba Cuban Americans would likely recognize elements of their culture but they would also feel culturally distinct as Americans o Culture varies by age religion ethnicity class and other social factors 2 Culture is learned o Learned indirectly through observations and imitation i e the proper behavior for o A person becomes part of a culture through both formal and informal transmission of men culture o Until the culture is learned he she will feel like an outsider o Socialization learning culture 3 Culture is taken for granted 1 o Members of a given society seldom question the culture they belong to unless they begin to question the usual cultural expectations o Culture makes these practices seem normal o If you suddenly stopped participating in your culture and questioned each belief and every behavior you would soon find yourself feeling detached and perhaps a little disoriented You would become increasingly ineffective at functioning within your group o Culture unifies people but lack of communication across cultures can have negative consequences 4 Culture is symbolic significance o Symbols the meaning is not inherent in the symbol but is bestowed by the cultural o Symbols mean different things in different contexts o Cultural meaning is created in specific social contexts o Symbolic attachments guide human behavior o Learning a culture also means learning their symbolic meanings within the culture 5 Culture varies across time and place o People are creative in adapting culture to the challenges they face culture is not fixed from one place to another o Cultural relativism the idea that something can be understood and judged only in relationship to the cultural context in which it appears does not mean that every cultural practice is morally acceptable but it suggests that without knowledge in the cultural context understanding why people behave as they do is impossible o Understanding a cultural practice requires knowing the cultural values on which it is based does not make the practice right but it illuminates why it occurs thereby better informing efforts for change o As people encounter new situations the culture that emerges is a mix of the past and present Human and Animals Is There A Difference Animal species do develop what we might call culture Animals can learn how to simulate expressions and gestures to communicate Animals can also make and use tools but are far less complex than human tools it s a matter of degree Elements of Culture 1 Language 2 o Language a set of symbols and rules that put together in a meaningful way provides a complex communication system o Becoming part of a group i e sorority friendship circle or professional organization requires learning the language the group uses You have to learn the common language to become a member of any social group o Language systems are fluid and dynamic evolves in response to social change i e AIM language has influenced how we communicate o Language reflects the values of a culture o Language Shapes Culture Sapir Whorf hypothesis language determines other aspects of culture because language provides the categories through which social reality is understood Language determines what people think because language forces people to perceive the world in certain terms It is not that you perceive something first and then think of how to express it but that language itself determines what you think and perceive People who speak different languages have different perceptions of reality Language shapes culture and culture shapes language o Social Inequality in Language Patterns of race gender and class inequality are reflected in language through stereotypes and assumptions that may be built into what people say What someone is called can impose an identity on that person why names for various racial and ethnic groups have been so heavily debated Language reflects the social value placed on different groups why it is so demeaning when derogatory terms are used to describe a group of group member When derogatory terms are used between those of similar status it is not seen as derogatory i e two homosexual males call each other fag By reclaiming this terms as positive within their own culture they build cohesiveness and solidarity When used by someone is a position of dominance it is demeaning i e a strait man calls a homosexual fag Language constructs a sense of truth why racism and sexism in language is such an important issue 2 Norms o Norms the specific cultural expectations for how to behave in a given situation o Implicit need not be stated for people to understand what they are May not be formal rules but violation of these norms might produce a harsh response 3 Learned through specific instruction or by observation of the culture They are part of a society s or group s customs Folkways the general standards of behavior adhered to by a group The ordinary customs of different group cultures i e men wear pants women wear dresses o Explicit when the rules governing behavior are written down or formally communicated and specific sanctions are imposed for violating them Mores control moral and ethical behavior more serious than folkways Laws the written set of guidelines that define right and wrong in society Formalized mores and violation can bring serious repercussions o Social sanctions mechanisms of social control than enforce norms The severity depends on how strictly each norm is held Taboos strictest norms in society bring the most serious sanctions Negative sanctions may be
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