Cultural Variation Quiz - Group 2

Cultural Variation

• Represents the diversity in social patterns exhibited by human groups globally, including music, dance, languages, cuisine, and art.
• Awareness of differences and similarities occurs during cultural interactions.
• Cultural diversity exists not just among different countries but also within societies sharing the same culture.

Cultural Universals

• Family units are a common cultural universal recognized across all human societies as foundational for social structures.

Types of Cultural Variation

• Subculture: A shared culture featuring distinct mores, folkways, and values that differ from the larger society, showcasing unique beliefs.
• Counterculture: Cultures actively opposing mainstream societal norms and values.
• High Culture: Culture patronized by society's upper classes, such as opera and classical music.
• Popular Culture: Culture prevalent among middle and working-class populations.

Ethnocentrism and Culture Shock

• Ethnocentrism: A perspective that regards one's own culture as superior to others, potentially leading to conflict when faced with cultural differences.
• Culture Shock: Feelings of disorientation and uncertainty experienced when entering an unfamiliar culture, often accompanied by feelings of fear.

Cultural Relativism

• Involves evaluating a culture based on its own standards rather than through the lens of another culture.
• Promotes respect, equality, and cooperation among diverse societies, aiding in the preservation of cultural practices and traditions.
• Encourages a judgment-free society by fostering acceptance of different cultural practices.

Cultural Change

• Cultural change occurs through new living methods and ideas entering from globalization.

Causes of Cultural Change

• Discovery: Finding previously unknown objects, concepts, or practices, such as the ability to cook discovered through fire.
• Invention: Creative processes yielding new, original products or methods; examples include the development of languages and social systems.
• Diffusion: Spread of cultural traits through direct contact and interaction. Includes:
  • Acculturation: Cultural borrowing, such as Filipinos being proficient in English.
  • Assimilation: The blending of distinct cultures, e.g., American influences on Filipino immigrants.
  • Amalgamation: Biological merging of different societies, such as intermarriage.
• Colonization: Political and social control over a colony, illustrated by the Hispanic cultural influence in the Philippines.
• Rebellions: Movements aimed at transforming existing social structures and norms.

Additional Terms Related to Culture

• Cultural Diversity: Differentiation of cultures worldwide, emphasizing that no culture is inherently superior; best suited to meet particular group needs.
• Culture Lag: The phenomenon where certain societal parts evolve slower than others, leading to disparities.
• Ideal Culture: Social patterns defined by cultural values and norms.
• Real Culture: Actual cultural practices that may not always align with ideals.
• High Culture: Distinctive cultural practices of a society’s elite.
• Popular Culture: Common cultural practices among the general population.
• Culture Change: The process of a culture evolving over time.