warm up: what is culture?
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Warm Up: What is culture?. Monday, 9/30. Objective:. I will be able to apply my understanding of cultural relativism by citing an example from American culture. Definition of Culture. Components of Culture. Culture vs. Heredity. Instinct – innate (unlearned) patterns of behavior - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Warm Up: What is culture?
Monday, 9/30
Objective: I will be able to apply my understanding
of cultural relativism by citing an example from American culture.
Definition of Culture
Components of Culture
Culture vs. Heredity Instinct – innate (unlearned) patterns of
behavior Reflexes (crying when hurt) Drive (eating, drinking, sex)
Nature vs. Nurture Boys in some cultures are taught not to cry in
response to pain. Jewish & Italian boys are taught to express it more
openly. Identical Twins
About half of personality traits are inherited, the other half are taught through culture
Social Biology The study of the biologic basis of human
behavior. Idea that the behaviors that help people
are biological based and transmitted in the genetic code.
Why are stepfathers more likely to abuse their step children then the biologic fathers are?
Culture Within Us•We came into this world “without a language;
without values and morality; with no ideas about religion, war, money, love , etc…”
•These “learned and shared ways of believing and of doing” were acquired very early
•Language allows us to transmit culture.
•Culture = the “lens through which we perceive and evaluate what is going on around us”
Enforcing Cultural Rules Sanctions – rewards and
punishments Formal Sanctions - only awarded
by authorized people. Grades Medals of Honor Prison sentences
Informal Sanctions Thanking someone Staring at someone talking loudly
in a restaurant
Culture ShockWhen we
experience a culture and things (material and/or nonmaterial) are
NOT the way “they ought to be”
Ethnocentrism
•tendency to view one’s own culture and group as superior
•there are both positive and negative consequencesocan lead to discriminationocreates in-group loyalties, patriotism
Cultural Relativism•the belief that cultures should be judged by their
own standards•bullfighting in Mexico or Spain
•creating long necks with brass rings in Thailand
•eating monkey in parts of China
•binding girls feet to make them small and make her a desirable marriage prospect
Sources of Social Change
•values and beliefs
•technology
•population
•diffusion
•physical environment
•wars and conquests
Cultural Universals
•cooking
•feasting
•tool making
•body adornment
•religion
•sports
•Medicine
•forms of greeting
•dancing
•family
•housing
•music
•funeral ceremonies
•gift giving
Variations Within Societies•Subcultures
o“a world within the larger world of the dominant culture”
odoctorsorodeo participantsobody buildersotruckersoteachersomotorcyclists clubs
•Countercultureso“the group’s values and
norms place it at odds with the dominant culture”
omotorcycle gangsosurvivalistsosatanistsoMormons (doesn’t always
have to be negative)oAmish???
Task At your table, come up with one example of
cultural relativism . On the provided paper, write “Cultural
Relativism”, then illustrate an example under the title.