Ralph Linton and Clyde Kluckhohn's Definitions of Culture Quiz and Flashcards

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Questions and Answers

According to Ralph Linton, how does he define culture?

Culture is the way of life of its members, the collection of ideas and habits which they learn, share, and transmit from generation to generation.

What does Clyde Kluckhohn state about culture?

Culture is a design for living held by members of a particular society.

Why must human behavior be based on guidelines according to the text?

Since man has no instinct to direct his actions, his behavior must be based on guidelines which are learned.

Why is it important for society to have shared cultural guidelines?

Without a shared culture, people would be unable to communicate and cooperate, leading to confusion and disorder. Signup and view all the answers

How does culture influence the feelings, thoughts, and actions of society members?

Culture determines how members of a society feel and think, directs their actions, and defines their outlook on life. Signup and view all the answers

What components are included in the 'complex whole' that defines culture?

Knowledge, beliefs, values, behaviors, arts, morals, laws, customs, and other capabilities acquired by man as a member of society. Signup and view all the answers

What are the characteristics of culture?

Culture is learned, transmittable, shared, fulfilling, social, adaptive, integrative, ideational, and symbolic. Signup and view all the answers

How do values influence norms in society?

Values provide a general conception of what is desirable and worthwhile, influencing the content of norms in a society. Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between mores and folkways?

Mores are important norms that carry moral authority, while folkways are informal norms that guide daily behavior. Signup and view all the answers

What are taboos in a culture?

Taboos are norms that are so strongly ingrained that even the thought of them is greeted with revulsion. Signup and view all the answers

Why are values considered important in shaping culture?

Values provide a sense of what is good, right, and desirable, influencing the content norms and behaviors within a society. Signup and view all the answers

How do norms contribute to standardized behavior?

Norms establish shared rules and expectations that help standardize behavior within a society. Signup and view all the answers

What role do mores play in upholding societal values?

Mores are important norms that carry moral authority and directly challenge society's values when violated. Signup and view all the answers

Provide an example of a taboo in society.

Eating human flesh or having sex with siblings or parents are examples of taboos that are greeted with revulsion. Signup and view all the answers

How do folkways influence everyday behavior?

Folkways are informal norms that guide everyday behavior, determining aspects such as clothing style, diet, and manners. Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between folkways and mores?

Folkways are customs that guide social interactions, while mores are norms based on moral values. Signup and view all the answers

Explain the role of government in enforcing laws.

Government enforces laws through official statements and punishments. Signup and view all the answers

Describe the concept of sanctions in cultural norms.

Sanctions are rewards and punishments for conforming or violating cultural norms. Signup and view all the answers

Why is language considered a crucial component of culture?

Language allows for the transmission of cultural ideas and interaction among individuals. Signup and view all the answers

What do symbols represent in culture?

Symbols reflect cultural elements and convey ideas to people. Signup and view all the answers

How do beliefs contribute to defining reality in a culture?

Beliefs are ideas about what is true and provide a common basis for understanding the environment. Signup and view all the answers

Differentiate between material and nonmaterial culture.

Material culture consists of tangible things, while nonmaterial culture includes intangible aspects like beliefs and values. Signup and view all the answers

Give an example of material culture.

Food, clothing, and shelter are examples of material culture. Signup and view all the answers

Explain the significance of nonmaterial culture.

Nonmaterial culture includes intangible components like language, norms, and values. Signup and view all the answers

How does language aid in the continuity of society?

Language allows the transmission of cultural ideas across generations and facilitates societal interaction. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Definition of Culture

Culture is the way of life of a society's members, including the collection of ideas and habits learned, shared, and transmitted from generation to generation.
Culture is a design for living that guides human actions and behavior.
Without a shared culture, people would be unable to communicate and cooperate, leading to confusion and disorder.

Culture and Society

Society provides the context for cultural creation and sharing through regularized patterns of social interaction.
How we structure society constrains the kind of culture we construct.
Cultural preferences vary across societies.

Characteristics of Culture

Culture is learned or acquired.
It is transmittable from one generation to the next.
It is shared by people and is kept relatively uniform.
It is fulfilling, as cultural habits persist only as long as they bring satisfaction.
It is social, originating and developing through interactions between people.
It is adaptive, tending to adapt to the environment over time to survive.
It is integrative, forming a consistent and integrated system.
It is ideational, considering group habits as ideal.
It is symbolic, using symbols to convey meaning.

Components of Culture

Values

Values are socially shared ideas about what is good, right, and desirable.
They influence the content of norms and provide a general conception of what is desirable and worthwhile.
Examples of values include freedom, liberty, and education.

Norms

Norms are shared rules and expectations about behavior.
They concern the rules that govern social action.
Without norms, we would not know how to act.
Norms are specific expressions of values.
They ensure that behavior is standardized, predictable, and orderly.

Types of Norms

Folkways: informal, socially defined norms that guide daily behavior.
Mores: more important norms that carry moral authority.
Taboos: strongly ingrained norms that are greeted with revulsion.
Laws: formalized norms that are officially stated and enforced by government.

Sanctions

Sanctions are rewards and punishments for conforming to or violating cultural norms.
Positive sanctions include approval, smiles, and popularity.
Negative sanctions include disapproval, glares, stares, and comments designed to make one conform.

Language and Symbols

Language and symbols are essential components of culture.
Language allows the transmission of cultural ideas through generations.
Symbols typify and reflect elements of culture and signify ideas to people.
The meaning of symbols can be derived only from their cultural context.

Beliefs

Beliefs are ideas about what is true.
They help define reality and provide a common basis for understanding the environment.
Beliefs are culturally relative and vary across societies.

Material and Nonmaterial Culture

Material culture includes physical or technological aspects of daily life, such as food, clothing, and shelter.
Nonmaterial culture refers to intangible components of our ways of life, including language, norms, ideas, values, and beliefs.

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Description

Explore the definitions of culture proposed by Ralph Linton and Clyde Kluckhohn, focusing on the way of life, ideas, habits, and guidelines learned and transmitted through generations. Understand how culture shapes human behavior and societal operations.

Definitions of Culture by Ralph Linton and Clyde Kluckhohn