What would happen if? You cut into the middle of a line by yourself

and stayed in line for at least 2 minutes? You sang loudly on a public bus? You positioned yourself 6 inches from an

acquaintance’s nose during a conversation? You laughed during a funeral?

How would other people behave? How would you feel?

Reflection

Why is culture important?

What is Culture?

Culture is the entire way of life for a group of people (including both material and symbolic elements).

It is a lens through which one views the world and is passed from one generation to the next.

It is what makes us human.

What is culture?

Culture refers to the total lifestyle of a people, including all of their ideas, values, knowledge, behaviors, and material objects that they share

Culture shapes and guides people’s perception of reality

What is culture?What is culture?Standard 10.1Standard 10.1

The word The word cultureculture, , from from the the Latin colo, colo, -ere-ere, with its , with its root meaning root meaning "to cultivate“. "to cultivate“.

CultureCulture refers to refers to the universal the universal human capacity human capacity to classify, and to classify, and communicate communicate their their experiences experiences symbolically. .

Introduction to Sociology: Culture 6

What makes up culture?

Sociologists see culture as consisting of two different categories:

material culture (any physical object to which we give social meaning)

symbolic culture (the ideas associated with a cultural group).

Material World Material Culture

The physical or tangible (see, touch) that members of a society make, use, and share

Raw Materials → Technology → Stuff

Non-Material Culture or Symbolic The abstract or intangible human creations of

society that influences people’s behavior Language, beliefs, values, rules of behavior,

family patterns, political systems

Material and Nonmaterial Culture Material Culture includes all those things that

humans make or adapt from the raw stuff of nature: houses, computers, jewelry, oil paintings, etc (Stick from the forest might be a part of material culture)

Nonmaterial culture is a group's way of thinking (including its beliefs, values) and doing (its common pattern of behavior, including language and other forms of interaction) (Poem about stick)

Introduction to Sociology: Culture 9

Material Culture Material culture includes the objects

associated with a cultural group, such as tools, machines, utensils, buildings, and artwork.

Introduction to Sociology: Culture 10

Symbolic Culture Symbolic culture includes ways of

thinking (beliefs, values, and assumptions) and ways of behaving (norms, interactions, and communication).

Culture determines…

Food we eat Clothing Music Games we play How to express emotions What is good or bad What is high or low culture (if any)

Characteristics of Culture Culture is a universal feature of human

social life Culture is cumulative Culture is learned Culture is shared

Society vs. Culture Society refers to a group of people who

are relatively self-sufficient and who share a common territory and culture

Members of the society preserve and transmit it from one generation to the next (through literature, art, video recording and other means of expression)

Society vs. Culture Culture refers to that people’s traditions,

customs, and behaviors. It includes ideas, values, and artifacts

Sharing a similar culture helps to define the society to which we belong

Ethnic Group or Culture Group The cultural heritage, or aspects of

culture, that a group shares and attempts to hand down from one generation to the next through learning.

Info taken from: The Four Skills of Cultural Diversity Competence, by Mikel Hogan-Garcia

Cultural Universals Customs and practices that occur

across all societies

Elements of Culture• Language

• Shelter

• Clothing

• Economy

• Religion

• Education

• Values

• Climate

• Government/Laws

• Recreation/Entertainment

12 Aspects of Culture or Ethnicity

1. History-time period and conditions under which a group migrated or immigrated.

2. Social Status Factors – education, occupation, income3. Social Group Interaction Patterns: Intra-group (within group relations) and

Inter-group (between-group relations)4. Value Orientation – standards by which members of a culture judge their

personal actions and those of others.5. Language and Communication: Verbal and Nonverbal6. Family Life Processes – gender roles, family dynamics7. Healing Beliefs and Practices – attitudes and beliefs about health.8. Religion – spiritual beliefs and practices9. Art and Expressive Forms – art, music, stories, dance, etc.10. Diet/Foods – preferred food eaten by groups.11. Recreation – activities, sports for leisure, etc.12. Clothing – types, styles, and extent of body coverings.

Education

- the development of the mind and character through study and training

Education and Culture

Education Medium through which people are acculturated Language, “myths,” values, norms taught Teaches personal achievement and competition Critical to national competitive advantage

Education system may be a cultural outcome

Language- spoken or written words; human speech

Introduction to Sociology: Culture 23

Components of Culture One of the most important functions

of symbolic culture is it allows us to communicate through signs, gestures, and language.

Signs (or symbols), such as a traffic signal or product logo, are used to meaningfully represent something else. Gestures are the signs that we make with our body, such as hand gestures and facial expressions; it is important that these gestures also carry meaning.

Introduction to Sociology: Culture 24

Components of Culture (cont) Finally language, a system of

communication using vocal sounds, gestures, and written symbols, is probably the most significant component of culture because it allows us to communicate.

Language is so important that many have argued that it shapes not only our communication but our perceptions of how we see things as well.

Language: Culture BoundLanguage: Culture BoundLanguage, spoken

– “private” does not exist as a word in many languages

– Eskimos: 24 words for snow– Words which describe moral concepts can be

unique to countries or areas– Spoken language precision important in low-

context culturesLanguage, unspoken

– Context... more important than spoken word in high context cultures

Non-Verbal GesturesNon-Verbal Gestures

Non-Verbal GesturesNon-Verbal Gestures

Non-Verbal GesturesNon-Verbal Gestures

Non-Verbal GesturesNon-Verbal Gestures

CulturalCultural Diversity – “Diversity – “Chevy NovaChevy Nova Award”Award”

Dairy Association’s huge success with the campaign “Got Milk?” prompted them to expand advertising to Mexico

It was brought to their attention the Spanish translation read, “Are you lactating?”

CulturalCultural Diversity – “Diversity – “Chevy NovaChevy Nova Award”Award”

Clairol introduced the “Mist Stick”, a curling iron into Germany

Only to find out that “mist” is German slang for manure.

Cultural Diversity Cultural Diversity Chevy Nova AwardChevy Nova Award

When Gerber started selling baby food in Africa, they used US packaging with the smiling baby on the label.

In Africa, companies routinely put pictures on labels of what’s inside, since many people can’t read.

Cultural Diversity Cultural Diversity Chevy Nova AwardChevy Nova Award

Pepsi’s “Come Alive With the Pepsi Generation” in Chinese translated into

“Pepsi Brings Your Ancestors Back From the Grave”

              

Cultural Diversity Cultural Diversity Chevy Nova AwardChevy Nova Award

Coca-Cola’s name in China was first read as “Kekoukela”, meaning “Bite the wax tadpole” or “female horse stuffed with wax”, depending on the dialect.

Coke then researched 40,000 characters to find a phonetic equivalent “kokou kole”, translating into “happiness in the mouth.”

Introduction to Sociology: Culture 35

The Meaning of this red light depends The Meaning of this red light depends on the contexton the context

Shelter

- something that protects from the weather or from danger.

Clothing

- things worn to cover the body

Economy

- the way that money and goods are used by people

Climate

- the usual weather that a place has

Government/Laws

- rules made and enforced by the government of a country

-

Entertainment/Recreation

- something that is done for fun or relaxation

Religion

- a system of beliefs that goes beyond human powers

Religion, Ethics and CultureReligion, Ethics and Culture

Religion: system of shared beliefs about the sacred Ethical systems: moral principles or values that shape

and guide behavior; often products of religion Major religious groups and some economic

implications– Christianity protestant work ethic– Islam Islamic economic principles– Hinduism anti-materialistic, socially stratified– Buddhism anti-materialistic, social equality– Confucianism hierarchy, loyalty, honesty