Culture
What is Culture?
Culture is the ways of thinking, the ways of acting, and the material objects that together
form a people’s way of life. Culture includes what we think, how we act, and what we
own. Culture is both our link to the past and our guide to the future.
Types of Culture
Nonmaterial culture is the ideas created by members of a society, ideas that range
from art to Zen.
Material culture, by contrast, is the physical things created by members of a society,
everything from armchairs to zippers.
Culture shapes not only what we do but also what we think and how we feel—elements
of what we commonly, but wrongly, describe as “human nature.”
Cultural universals are patterns or traits that are globally common to all societies. One
example of a cultural universal is the family unit: every human society recognizes a
family structure that regulates the care of children.
Culture shock, personal disorientation when experiencing an unfamiliar way of life.
Culture refers to a shared way of life. A nation is a political entity, a territory with
designated borders, such as the United States, Canada, Peru, or Zimbabwe. Society is
the organized interaction of people who typically live in a nation or some other specific
territory.
Cultural Change
Innovation
Innovation refers to an object or concept’s initial appearance in society—it’s
innovative because it is markedly new. There are two ways to come across an
innovative object or idea: discover it or invent it. Discoveries make known
previously unknown but existing aspects of reality. Inventions result when
something new is formed from existing objects or concepts—when things are put
together in an entirely new manner.
Globalization and Diffusion
The integration of world markets and technological advances of the last decades
have allowed for greater exchange between cultures through the processes of
globalization and diffusion. We have since come to refer to this integration of
international trade and finance markets as globalization. On the other hand,
diffusion, is the spread of material and nonmaterial culture
Elements of Culture
Symbols
Like all creatures, humans use their senses to experience the surrounding world, but
unlike others, we also try to give the world meaning. Humans transform elements of the
world into symbols. A symbol is anything that carries a meaning recognized by people
who share a culture. A word, a whistle, a wall covered with graffiti, a flashing red light, a
raised fist—all serve as symbols
Language
Language, the key to the world of culture, is a system of symbols that allows people to
communicate with one another. Language not only allows communication but is also the
key to cultural transmission, the process by which one generation passes culture to
the next. Just as our bodies contain the genes of our ancestors, our culture contains
countless symbols of those who came before us. Language is the key that unlocks
centuries of accumulated wisdom.
Values and Beliefs
Values, culturally defined standards that people use to decide what is desirable, good,
and beautiful and that serve as broad guidelines for social living. People who share a
culture use values to make choices about how to live. Values are broad principles that
support beliefs, specific thoughts or ideas that people hold to be true.
Norms
Norms are rules and expectations by which a society guides the behavior of its
members. In everyday life, people respond to each other with sanctions, rewards or
punishments that encourage conformity to cultural norms. Mores norms are widely
observed and have great moral significance. Folkways norms for routine or casual
Interaction
Cultural Diversity
High Culture and Popular culture
High culture to refer to cultural patterns that distinguish a society’s elite and popular
culture to designate cultural patterns that are widespread among a society’s
population.
Subculture
Subculture refers to cultural patterns that set apart some segment of a society’s
population
Multiculturalism
Multiculturalism is a perspective recognizing the cultural diversity of the United States
and promoting equal standing for all cultural traditions.
Counter Culture
Counterculture refers to cultural patterns that strongly oppose those widely accepted
within a society
Theoretical Perspective
Structural Functionalism
Culture is a system of behavior by which members of societies cooperate to meet their
needs.
Conflict Theory
Culture is a system that benefits some people and disadvantages others.
