Culture is essential for our individual survival and communication with others

We are not born with the information we need to survive

Culture is essential for the survival of societies

It establishes our laws and rules for interaction

Nature is our biological and genetic makeup Nurture is derived from our social

environment We are not born knowing kindness or hatred Humans do not have instincts but we do

have reflexes

An instinct is biologically determined behaviour

patterns common to all members of

a species

A reflex is biologically determined involuntary

response such as sneezing

Drives are biologically determined impulses

common to all members of a species that satisfy needs such as food, water, safety,

and shelter

Our ‘tool kit’ is divided into two partsOur ‘tool kit’ is divided into two parts

Since humans Since humans cannot rely cannot rely on instincts on instincts for survival, for survival, culture is a culture is a ‘tool kit’ for ‘tool kit’ for

survivalsurvival

Consists of the physical or tangible creations that members of a society make, use, and share

Items begin as raw materials and transformed into usable items through technology

We use these items first for survival such as shelter

Beyond survival, we make use and share objects that are interesting and important to us

Consists of the abstract or intangible human creations of society that influence people’s behaviour

LanguagLanguagee

BeliefsBeliefs

ValuesValues

Rules Rules of of

BehavioBehaviourur

Family Family PatterPatter

nsns

Political Political SystemsSystems

Central component of nonmaterial culture is beliefs

Beliefs are the mental acceptance or conviction that certain things are real or true

May be based on faith, tradition, experience, scientific research, or a combination of these

We also have beliefs in our material culture

All human beings face the same basic needs such as food, water, and shelter

Thus we engage in similar activities that contribute to our survival

Cultural universals are customs and practices that occur across societies

The universal categories created by anthropologist George Murdock are present in all cultures

Appearance such as bodily

adornment and

hairstyles

Activities Activities such as such as sports, sports, games, games,

dancing, and dancing, and jokesjokes

Q. Why are fish so

smart?

A. They always go

around in schools.

Social Social institution institution

such as such as religion, religion, law, and law, and familyfamily

Customary Customary practices practices such as such as cooking, cooking,

folklore, gift folklore, gift giving, and giving, and hospitalityhospitality

These general customs and practices may be present in all cultures in one form or another

Specific forms may vary and could be misinterpreted between cultures such as telling a joke

Considered useful because they ensure a smooth and continual operation of society

Society must satisfy its basic needs and degree of safety in order to survive

Children and other new members of society must be taught the ways of the group

Society must settle disputes between its members

May not be the result of functional necessity for a society

The practices of one society may be imposed over members of another

A conquering nation may use its power to impose its behaviours and beliefs on those defeated

Assimilation and conformity of indigenous peoples by those who hold economic, political, and religious power

Symbols Language Values Norms Folkways Mores Laws Beliefs

Anything that meaningfully represents something else

Can function to produce loyalty and animosity; love or hate

Key is that there may be one symbol but it is interpreted differently by different cultures

The Middle Finger

Heartlove Peacedove Hate Nazi Swastika Siren an emergency Raised middle finger hostility Pink female Blue male

A set of symbols that express ideas and enable people to think and communicate with one another

Kinds:◦ Verbal◦ Nonverbal such as written or in gestures

Unique to humans as a species

Language not only expresses our thoughts and perceptions but also influences our perception of reality

Some languages do not have gender: most Canadian Aboriginal languages, Cibano of the Philippines

Hopi: has no present, past or future tenses

Exclusive language – English language ignores women with words like mankind and chairman

Often he or she denotes occupations – Doctors are usually referred to he and teachers as she

Often gendered language connotes positions of power

Predisposition to think of females in sexual terms – broad, fox, bitch, babe

Men have performance pressure and sexual prowess placed on them – stud, jock, hunk, dude

Language may create and reinforce our perceptions

about race and ethnicity by transmitting preconceived ideas about the superiority of one category of people

over another

Words that have more than one meaning (i.e. black as in blackhearted) which reinforce a negative image

Derogatory terms (especially those popularized in movies, music, or comedy routines)

Words are used to used to reinforce perceptions about a group i.e. savage, primitive

The voice of certain verbs, which minimizes a group’s achievements, i.e. given the right to vote versus, fought for the right.

Canada is a linguistically diverse society consisting of Aboriginal languages, French and English, and many other languages

A major issue throughout Canadian history has been how to balance a cultural policy of multiculturalism against a language policy of bilingualism

Language as a keystone to culture because it is the chief vehicle for understanding and experiencing one’s culture

Some key concepts◦Bilingualism◦Two solitudes

Aboriginal Languages: New attempts to revive them

Example: Ancient Hebrew was a dead language until it was re-created in recent history by Jewish peoples

Collective ideas about what is right or wrong, good or bad, and desirable or undesirable in a particular culture

They provide the criteria for evaluating people, objects and events

Criteria by which we evaluate others, objects, and events

Often in pairs of opposites: good/ bad; brave/cowardly; hardworking/lazy, light/darkness

Are very general in orientation

Citizens Forum on Canada’s Future identified the following core Canadian values:

Equality and fairness Consultation and dialogue

Accommodation and tolerance Support for diversity

Citizens Forum on Canada’s Future identified the following core Canadian values:

Compassion and generosity Canada’s natural beauty

Canada’s world image

Values that conflict with one another or are mutually exclusive

For example, people believe that the poor should have adequate living, yet vote in governments which are not in accord with this value

Ideal: values and standards of behaviour that people in a society profess to hold

Real: the values and standards of behaviour that people actually follow

Issue of Hypocrisy – Pretending to be something that we are not

Established rules of behaviour or standards of conduct◦ Prescriptive: what behaviour is appropriate

(example: to pay taxes)◦ Proscriptive: what behaviour is not appropriate◦ Formal Formal: written down as laws◦ Sanctions: rewards for appropriate behaviour and

punishment for inappropriate behaviour

Those informal norms or everyday customs that may be violated without serious consequences within a particular culture

Examples: brushing teeth, kinds of clothes, gestures, religious fasting, kinds of cars we buy, kinds of houses we live in

Are strongly held norms with moral and ethical connotations that may or may not be violated without serious consequences in a particular culture

Examples: sexual morality Taboos: So strong that their violation is

considered to be extremely offensive Example: sexual bonding between close kin

Formal, standardized norms that have been enacted by legislatures and are enforced by formal sanctions

Examples: in Canada, the taboo of incest is illegal

Types:◦ Civil: deals with disputes between people◦ Criminal: deals with public safety and well-being