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Questions and Answers
What is the key characteristic that distinguishes secondary groups from primary groups, according to the provided text?
What is the key characteristic that distinguishes secondary groups from primary groups, according to the provided text?
Secondary groups are characterized by formal interactions, role-based relationships, and a focus on achieving specific goals. Members are primarily interested in personal gain and often lack strong emotional connections.
Based on the provided text, why do social institutions tend to resist change and support the status quo?
Based on the provided text, why do social institutions tend to resist change and support the status quo?
Social institutions are seen as essential for the survival of society and tend to be conservative because they are highly effective in meeting basic needs and are deeply ingrained within the social fabric.
Explain how the concept of "culture within us" influences our perception of the world.
Explain how the concept of "culture within us" influences our perception of the world.
"Culture within us" refers to the deeply ingrained cultural norms, beliefs, and values that shape our understanding and evaluation of things. It creates a framework through which we interpret and judge the world, often leading us to perceive our own culture as natural or normal.
What is 'culture shock' and how is it brought about?
What is 'culture shock' and how is it brought about?
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According to the provided text, identify three key elements that define culture.
According to the provided text, identify three key elements that define culture.
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What is the primary purpose of social institutions, as explained in the text?
What is the primary purpose of social institutions, as explained in the text?
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Based on the provided text, explain the interconnectedness of social institutions.
Based on the provided text, explain the interconnectedness of social institutions.
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How does the definition of culture provided by Kluckhohn and Kelly (1945) differ from the definition given by Useem and Useem (1963)?
How does the definition of culture provided by Kluckhohn and Kelly (1945) differ from the definition given by Useem and Useem (1963)?
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What is the sociological definition of society?
What is the sociological definition of society?
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What are the foundational elements that help societies address differences and conflicts?
What are the foundational elements that help societies address differences and conflicts?
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How do sociologists differentiate between 'status' and 'prestige'?
How do sociologists differentiate between 'status' and 'prestige'?
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What is an ascribed status and how does it differ from achieved status?
What is an ascribed status and how does it differ from achieved status?
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What challenges did Chantelle Brown-Young face in her early life?
What challenges did Chantelle Brown-Young face in her early life?
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At what age did Chantelle first discover her interest in modeling?
At what age did Chantelle first discover her interest in modeling?
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What distinguishes positive sanctions from negative sanctions?
What distinguishes positive sanctions from negative sanctions?
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How did Chantelle Brown-Young turn her challenges into success?
How did Chantelle Brown-Young turn her challenges into success?
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What role do social interactions play in the formation of a society?
What role do social interactions play in the formation of a society?
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How does cultural relativism help in understanding different belief systems?
How does cultural relativism help in understanding different belief systems?
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According to Robert Edgerton, when may cultural practices be judged as inferior?
According to Robert Edgerton, when may cultural practices be judged as inferior?
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What are the key differences between subcultures and countercultures?
What are the key differences between subcultures and countercultures?
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What is culture shock and how might it manifest?
What is culture shock and how might it manifest?
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How do shared cultures contribute to the cohesion of societies?
How do shared cultures contribute to the cohesion of societies?
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Why is it significant to recognize that cultures are not static?
Why is it significant to recognize that cultures are not static?
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In what ways might the dominant culture respond to countercultures?
In what ways might the dominant culture respond to countercultures?
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What impact did Chantelle's modeling photos have on her social media followers?
What impact did Chantelle's modeling photos have on her social media followers?
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Define achieved status and how it differs from ascribed status.
Define achieved status and how it differs from ascribed status.
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Explain the relationship between status and role.
Explain the relationship between status and role.
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What is role conflict, and how does it manifest in social situations?
What is role conflict, and how does it manifest in social situations?
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Differentiate between prescribed role and role performance.
Differentiate between prescribed role and role performance.
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What defines a primary group and how does it differ from other social groups?
What defines a primary group and how does it differ from other social groups?
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Describe the concept of role strain.
Describe the concept of role strain.
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How can social media be linked to achieved status in the context of modeling?
How can social media be linked to achieved status in the context of modeling?
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What is ethnocentrism and how can it be both functional and dysfunctional?
What is ethnocentrism and how can it be both functional and dysfunctional?
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Identify two examples of material culture and explain their significance.
Identify two examples of material culture and explain their significance.
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What distinguishes nonmaterial culture from material culture?
What distinguishes nonmaterial culture from material culture?
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How can gesture meanings differ across cultures, and what are the implications of these differences?
How can gesture meanings differ across cultures, and what are the implications of these differences?
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What role does language play in culture according to the provided content?
What role does language play in culture according to the provided content?
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Describe the three types of non-verbal actions mentioned and their importance in communication.
Describe the three types of non-verbal actions mentioned and their importance in communication.
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What are values, norms, and sanctions, and how do they function within a culture?
What are values, norms, and sanctions, and how do they function within a culture?
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Why is it crucial to learn how non-linguistic forms of communication vary across societies?
Why is it crucial to learn how non-linguistic forms of communication vary across societies?
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Flashcards
Status
Status
A social position that an individual occupies in a society.
Role
Role
Expected behaviors and responsibilities associated with a particular status.
Achieved Status
Achieved Status
A status that is earned or achieved through an individual's efforts and choices.
Prescribed Role
Prescribed Role
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Role Performance
Role Performance
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Role Conflict
Role Conflict
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Role Set
Role Set
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Role Strain
Role Strain
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What is society?
What is society?
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What are social statuses?
What are social statuses?
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What is an ascribed status?
What is an ascribed status?
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What is an achieved status?
What is an achieved status?
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What is a master status?
What is a master status?
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What is a social role?
What is a social role?
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What are social groups?
What are social groups?
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What are social institutions?
What are social institutions?
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Secondary Group
Secondary Group
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Social Institution
Social Institution
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Institution
Institution
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Culture
Culture
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Culture Shock
Culture Shock
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Culture Within Us
Culture Within Us
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Cultural Imperative
Cultural Imperative
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Institutional Conservatism
Institutional Conservatism
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Ethnocentrism
Ethnocentrism
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Material Culture
Material Culture
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Nonmaterial Culture
Nonmaterial Culture
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Gestures
Gestures
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Language
Language
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Non-Verbal Communication
Non-Verbal Communication
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Values
Values
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Norms
Norms
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Sanctions
Sanctions
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Cultural Relativism
Cultural Relativism
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Subculture
Subculture
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Counterculture
Counterculture
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Society
Society
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Dynamic Culture
Dynamic Culture
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Study Notes
Introduction to Anthropology & Sociology - Society & Culture
- Society is a collection of interacting individuals who share a common lifestyle and live within the same territory.
- Large societies are highly complex, exhibiting diverse characteristics including customs, religions, politics, economics, families, and schools.
- Societies function despite internal differences and conflicts due to established foundational building blocks like statuses, roles, groups, and institutions.
- Nature creates a human, but society educates them.
Statuses
- Status, in sociological terms, refers to a position in society. This differs from the common understanding of status as prestige.
- People's behavior generally aligns with their statuses; a student's behavior is different from a friend's.
- Modern societies possess numerous statuses. Some are inherited (ascribed), while others are earned (achieved).
1. Ascribed Status
- Ascribed statuses are inherited or present from birth, with individuals having little control.
- Race, gender, and age are examples of ascribed statuses.
- Ascribed statuses are often associated with closed societies characterized by little social mobility.
The Power of a Social Status (Examples)
- Ascribed status can negatively affect various aspects of life, leading to:
- Lack of access to education
- Lack of economic opportunities (poverty)
- Lack of access to medical care
- Lower life expectancy
- Discrimination, social devaluation, and dehumanization
- Family destabilization
- Political indifference, leading to a lack of political support
- Violent victimization and indifference from the criminal justice system
- Religious stigmatization and negative beliefs about magical powers.
- Albino people in Tanzania represent an example of negative impacts of ascribed status.
2. Achieved Status
- Achieved statuses are earned through individual effort and action, not necessarily tied to group or class.
- Examples include professions.
- Achieved statuses are associated with open societies that accommodate social mobility.
Roles
- Every status comes with rights and obligations, defining expected behaviors.
- Status and role operate like two sides of a coin (differently defined but conceptually linked).
- Status is static like a label, while roles are dynamic.
- Example: A nurse's interactions differ depending on the individual (patient vs. doctor).
- Prescribed role - the expected behavior of an individual with a given status.
- Role performance - the actual execution of a role.
- Role conflict - clashes between two roles stemming from different statuses.
- Role set - a group of roles connected to a single status.
- Role strain - stress originating from incompatible demands of a single status.
Groups
- When individuals interact based on statuses and roles, they form social groups, characterized by shared feelings of unity.
- Social groups can include families and classes.
- There are two types of groups:
- Primary groups—informal, close-knit groups of individuals. Lasting relationships and shared feelings of unity are critical; Example: families, friends, and neighbors.
- Secondary groups—formal, instrumental groups where members interact to achieve a common purpose, often temporary. Emotional ties are minimal; relationships are more transactional and goal-oriented. Example: business teams, sports teams.
Institutions
- Societies need social institutions to survive. A social institution comprises shared beliefs, norms, and procedures that address societal needs.
- The major institutions are family, education, religion, economics, and politics.
- Institutions generally resist change and uphold the status quo due to their vital role in maintaining society.
- Institutions depend on one another, showing integration and interdependence within society.
Culture
- Culture encompasses historically established patterns for living, encompassing explicit and implicit, rational and irrational aspects.
- Culture acts as a guide for human behavior, both rational and irrational.
- Culture is learned conduct shared by a community, acting as a program for the human mind that varies across communities.
- Defined as learned and shared behaviors of a community, including beliefs, values, and shared assumptions.
- Language, gestures, and interaction patterns are integral parts of culture.
Culture (cont.)
- Culture establishes norms, values, and expectations, influencing behaviors within a society.
- Positive sanctions (rewards) and negative sanctions (punishments) reinforce conformity to norms.
- Culture impacts perception and judgment of other cultures (ethnocentrism).
- Ethnocentrism is judging other cultures based on a person's own culture's values, which can create both unity and discrimination.
Culture (cont.)
- Cultural relativism attempts to comprehend other cultures within their context without judgment, avoiding cultural smugness.
- However, certain cultural practices leading to exploitation are seen as morally inferior to practices improving people's lives (Robert Edgerton).
Subcultures and Countercultures
- Subcultures are groups distinguished by distinct values and behaviors but remain compatible with the dominant culture. Examples: specific age groups and special interest groups.
- Countercultures actively oppose or challenge the values of the dominant culture. They are sometimes seen as a threat, prompting conflict with the dominant culture, frequently over differing values.
Culture Shock
- Culture shock is the feeling of bewilderment and distress stemming from exposure to a new environment. This can include social and cultural surroundings.
- The overall acculturation process is often described as a "W-curve."
The Adjustment Process
- The adjustment process to a new culture and surroundings can be described.
- The adjustment process is not linear.
Language
- Languages are systems of symbols used to express thoughts. Every language serves as a critical method of communication.
- Words in language are symbols that represent culturally-specific meanings.
Nonverbal Communication
- Nonverbal communication encompasses non-linguistic forms like: -Paralanguage -Kinesics -Proxemics
- Nonverbal communication carries cultural meaning that varies significantly across societies.
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Description
This quiz explores the intricate concepts of society and culture as introduced in the field of anthropology and sociology. It delves into key topics such as statuses, roles, and the complexities of large societies. Test your understanding of how societies function despite their inherent differences and conflicts.