Introduction to Culture and Society 4A2

8/12/2019 Introduction to Culture and Society 4A2

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Introduction to Culture and Society


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Basic Terminology

A culture is a societyssocial heritage, the system

of values, systems, beliefs, knowledge, norms,

customs, and technology shared by almost

everyone in a particular society.

A society is a group of people who share a

common culture. Some of the most significant

elements of a culture are symbols, language,

values, norms, and technology.


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Symbols and Culture

A symbol is something used to represent

something else, and their meanings can be

transient and even different in different contexts

e.g. the hand gesture V

e.g. the A-Okayhand gesture

Video clip


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Language and Culture

The most important set of symbols is language, thesystematic usage of speech and hearing to convey orexpress feelings and ideas.

Cultures develop not only a verbal and written language,but also a nonverbal language of gestures, expressions,mannerisms, and even the use of space.

More crucially, language also influences peoplesthoughts,perceptions of the world and experiences. This is oftenreferred to as the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis (research topic1).


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Values and Culture

Values are ideas shared by the people in a society, regardingwhat is important and worthwhile (e.g. freedom, rights,patriotism, being frugal).

Most of our basic values are learned early in life from parents,families, friends as well as the mass media.

Because values are learned cultural products, they differ fromone society to another:

e.g. American individualism vs Japanese group harmony

e.g. North Americansperception of being dominant over naturevs the Navajo living in harmony with nature


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Norms and Culture

Social norms are rules of conduct or social expectations for behaviour.They are both prescriptive (they tell people what they should do) andproscriptive (they tell people what they should not do).

e.g. honesty is a value, while the expectation that students will not cheatin a test is a norm.

Certain norms that a society feels strongly about may become laws.

The process of violating norms beyond the range of group acceptability iscalled deviance (research topic 2), while the process of applying

sanctions to obtain social conformity is known as social control (researchtopic 3).


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Interpreting Culture: our own and

others

Ethnocentrismis the attitude that our own culture is superior to others

e.g. religious groups believe that they know the truth and are moremoral than others. Some are even missionary in nature.

e.g. Americans believe that capitalism is far superior to communism.e.g. Singaporeans believe that our food is tastier than our neighbourstothe North (the feeling is mutual)

Ethnocentrism is functional for a groupsexistence as it promotes grouployalty, cohesiveness and unity.

But Ethnocentrism can also be destructive, as evidenced by the Nazis.


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others

Xenocentrism, the belief that what is foreign is

best, is the opposite of ethnocentrism

Xenocentrism may focus on a product, an idea, ora lifestyle

e.g. food producedin the USA

e.g. continental carse.g. Swiss standard of living

e.g. studying abroad


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others

The belief that cultures must be judged on their

own terms rather than by the standards of

another culture is cultural relativism.

Judging other societies on the basis of cultural

relativism makes us less likely to ridicule or scorn

the beliefs and habits of people from other

cultures.


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Question for Group Discussion

Using the concepts of ethnocentrism,

xenocentrism and cultural relativism, discuss the

impact that a bilingual education might have on

understanding other cultures.


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Social Groups

An in-group is a social category to which personsfeel they belong and in which the members have ashared consciousness.

e.g. members of an alumni group, members of thesame religion.

Conversely, an out-group is one to which peoplefeel they do not belong, and with whom they maybe indifferent or even hostile towards.


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Social Groups

In-group members tend to stereotype out-group

members, and perceived threats (imaginary or

real) from the out-group heightens in-group

solidarity.


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Social Groups

Reference groups are the groups we identify with

psychologically. They serve as sources of self-

evaluation and influence how we think and act.

e.g. what might an aspiring executive do if he

notices that other successful executives play golf,

wear suits and read TheEconomist?


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Socialisation

Socialisation is the process of incorporating new

members into the group by teaching them about

the society.

Agencies of Socialisation: The family, the schools,

peer groups, the mass media.


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The Family as Agency of Socialisation

The family is considered the primary agency ofsocialisation, as it is within the family that the firstsocialising influence is encountered by most children,

and this influence affects them for the rest of theirlives.

The family gives children their geographical location,

their social class, their race, religious background,their language, their values. Each of these factors hasa profound influence on children.


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What are some factors that have strengthened or

compromised the family as an agency of

socialisation in your society?


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The School as Agency of Socialisation

Schools teach students to develop themselves, totest their achievements through competition, todiscipline themselves, to cooperate with others,

and to obey rules, all of which are necessary if ayoungster is to achieve success in a societydominated by large organisations.

Citizenship and character education are alsoimportant socialisation stages of a childsgrowing-up years.


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The Mass Media as Agency of

Socialisation

The mass media play major roles in:

-Teaching people to consume goods

-Teaching values and needs-Teaching what idealised life is like

Socialisation of gender roles in the mass media(research topic 4)


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Think about the television shows that you watch.

Discuss how they present idealised lifestyles and

may possibly subject audiences to discontent in

reality.


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Think about the television shows that you watch.

Discuss how they present idealised lifestyles and

may possibly subject audiences to discontent in

reality.

-The BeautyIdeal

-Dysfunctional families

-Even reality tv is not realistic


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Social Stratification and Inequality

Inequality the unequal distribution of scarce

goods or resources is found in most, if not all,

societies.

The ranking of people according to their wealth or

prestige is known as social stratification.


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Social Stratification and Inequality

There are 2 basic types of stratification in theworld today: caste and class.

In a caste system, caste is ascribed at birth. It isvery rigid: a closed system.

In a class system, social level is defined in terms ofwealth and income. It is very fluid: an opensystem.


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Questions for Discussion

What are some dimensions of stratification that HCIstudents experience?

Discuss how inequality is present and combated inthe following domains in Singapore or your homecountry:

1)Education

2)Occupations3)Housing

4)Medical Care


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Group Interaction & Multiculturalism

Segregation is the physical and social separation ofgroups or categories of people. It results in ethnicenclaves such as black ghettos, chinatowns,

japantowns, koreatowns, little indias.

Integration or assimiliation occurs when ethnicitybecomes insignificant and everyone can freely andfully participate in the social, economic and politicalmainstream. 2 types:

Melting Pot: A + B + C = D

Anglo conformity: A + B + C = A


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Group Interaction & Multiculturalism

Cultural Pluralism can be defined as a situation inwhich the various racial, ethnic, or other minoritygroups in a society maintain their distinctive cultural

patterns, subsystems, and institutions.A + B + C = A + B + C

Where then does Multiculturalism (research topic 5)fit in?

Policy Debate: Affirmative Action / PositiveDiscrimination (research topic 6)


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Gender Inequality

Gender differentiation and inequality (research

topic 7) can be felt:

- At the workplace comparative median income

as well as limited upward mobility (invisible

glassceiling),sexual harassment

- At home family violence

- Both when attempting to balance work and

family


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Age Differentiation and the Aged

Demographic

aspects of

aging:

-The greying

of Singapore


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Demographic

aspects of aging:

- Life

expectancy

(85 and 80

for women

and men

respectively)


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Demographic

aspects of aging:

- Social

characteristics

(housing,

marriage,

income)


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Demographic

aspects of aging:

- Social

characteristics

(housing,

marriage,

income)


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Demographic

aspects of aging:

- Social

characteristics

(housing,

marriage,

income)


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Demographic

aspects of aging:

- Social

characteristics

(housing,

marriage,

income)


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Statistics

Y.M Wong, Z.W. Teo (2011). The Elderly in

Singapore in Singapore Statistics Newsletter.

Retrieved from:

http://www.singstat.gov.sg/publications/publicati

ons_and_papers/population_and_population_str

ucture/ssnsep11-pg1-9.pdf

(Last accessed: 10 Mar 2014)


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Abuse of the elderly

- The severity of the mistreatment of older peopleranges from neglect to severe emotional and

physical abuse.- Most common form of abuse is passive neglect

when an elderly is left alone without essentialmedical care, food or clothing

- Active neglect occurs when needed goods orservices are intentionally withheld

- Physical abuse


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Compare government-supported programmes

designed to alleviate child abuse, spousal abuse,

and elderly abuse in Singapore. Use the concepts

of passive neglect, active neglect, and physical

abuse. What are some conclusions that you can

draw based on this comparison?


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Research Topics at a Glance

1. Explanation of the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis (present their research and casestudies). Explain linguistic determinism and linguistic relativity. (Riley Yap)

2. Research on the sociology of deviance and present 2 case studies of deviantcultures (one in Singapore, one abroad). Lim Xuan Ting

3. Research on the sociology of social control and present 2 case studies of social

control policies (one in Singapore, one abroad). ( wei yang)4. Research on the socialisation of gender roles in the mass media, with the

primary focus on how gender roles are portrayed in the media.(Reagan)

5. Research on gender inequality at the workplace and at home. Present both ahistorical and sociological perspective. Low Ming Lim

6. Lead a class discussion on Issues in Multiculturalism, with Amartya Sens TheUses and Abuses of Multiculturalismas a trigger. Teo Xin Hui

7. Present the policy debate of Affirmative Action in the USA and related policiesin our region. (Lim Shengyuan)

8. Research on the use of euthanasiaaround the world and discuss the argumentsfor and against it. Analyse case studies, both local and foreign.Mak Wei Zheng


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Project Deliverables

A minimally 15-min presentation. This should include a video clip

not exceeding 5 mins in length.

A minimally 15-min student-led Q&A session. Presenting groupswill raise questions for group discussion, gather opinions, and offer

their views.

An A3-sized poster (digitally-designed).

All powerpoint slides must be sent to me immediately after the

presentation.

Introduction to Culture and Society 4A2

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