Soc Lesson 9

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary function of culture in our lives?

It establishes norms for social issues and principles for daily living

It gives our lives purpose and motivation (correct)

It teaches us what to eat, wear, and play

It influences our perceptions of right and wrong

What comprises material culture?

Artefacts, works of architecture, and other tangible objects (correct)

Rewards for good behaviour

Collective presumptions, lingo, and attitudes

Beliefs, values, and conventions

What do symbols achieve in human societies?

They establish norms for social issues

They convey beliefs, values, and understandings

They create material culture and technology (correct)

They influence our perceptions of right and wrong

What is the relationship between material and nonmaterial culture?

They are intertwined Signup and view all the answers

What do we learn from our groups that makes up culture?

Everything from early childhood to old age Signup and view all the answers

What does culture offer, according to Thomson and Hickey (2016)?

Rewards for good behaviour Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary difference between high culture and popular culture?

One is focused on the elite, while the other is focused on the general populace. Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of how a single instrument can be referred to differently depending on the social context?

A violin being referred to as a fiddle in a country music setting. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main distinction between a society and a culture?

A society is a group of people, while a culture is a set of rules and values. Signup and view all the answers

What is the theoretical school of thought that examines how human biology influences the production of culture?

Socio-biology Signup and view all the answers

What is the idea that living species change over time through a process of natural selection?

Evolution Signup and view all the answers

According to sociobiologists, what is the reason for the abundance of cultural universals?

All people are descended from a single biological species. Signup and view all the answers

What is a common outcome when a person enters a foreign culture and cannot interpret the meanings of local symbols?

They experience culture shock Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of language in the context of culture?

To facilitate cultural transmission Signup and view all the answers

What is a symbol, according to the passage?

A word or a gesture with a specific meaning Signup and view all the answers

Why do people take symbols for granted in their own culture?

Because they are so reliant on them Signup and view all the answers

What is the estimated percentage of men who are illiterate worldwide?

15% Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of language in human imagination?

It encourages human imagination, leading to new connections between symbols. Signup and view all the answers

What was the approximate time when humans first developed writing?

5,000 years ago Signup and view all the answers

What are values?

Abstract criteria for what is desirable, honorable, and attractive. Signup and view all the answers

How do values differ between high- and low-income countries?

Values in high-income countries focus on financial and physical security. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary difference between mores and folkways?

Folkways are moral and religious in nature, while mores are not. Signup and view all the answers

What is the social status of women in higher-income countries?

Comparable to that of men. Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of norms in society?

To guide group behavior and provide expectations. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of formal sanctions in society?

To enforce obedience to social norms Signup and view all the answers

What happens to those who severely violate moral standards?

They may face imprisonment, torture, or even death Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between laws and mores?

Laws and mores are closely related, but sometimes nuanced Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of taboos in society?

To forbid actions deemed unacceptable by the majority Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of sanctions in society?

To enforce social norms through rewards or penalties Signup and view all the answers

What is the consequence of not fulfilling certain social norms?

Facing penalties or losing custody of children Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Culture and its Types

Culture refers to a group's taught collection of beliefs, values, traditions, and material possessions.
Culture encompasses beliefs about what is real and what isn't, as well as what we may and cannot eat, wear, listen to, and play.
Culture influences our perceptions of right and wrong, health and illness, and life and death.
Culture establishes norms for significant social issues and principles for daily living.
Culture gives our lives purpose and explains why we should get out of bed every morning, follow the law, and live a long life.
Culture offers rewards for good behaviour and may even imply that these rewards will last beyond this world.

Material Culture and Nonmaterial Culture

Material culture includes artefacts, works of architecture, and other tangible objects that people produce and give meaning to.
Examples of material culture include technology, art, architecture, apparel, televisions, and consumer items from malls and supermarkets.
Nonmaterial culture refers to the mental blueprints that serve as rules for social interaction.
Nonmaterial culture includes the group's collective presumptions, lingo, beliefs, values, conventions, and attitudes.

High Culture and Popular Culture

High culture refers to cultural traits that differentiate a society's elite.
Popular culture refers to traits that are prevalent among the general populace.
Social class is a factor in the diversity of cultures.

Society and its Relationship with Culture

A society is a group of individuals who have relationships with one another.
Culture is a structured system of values and standards that people adhere to.
The distinctions between society and culture are hazy concepts.

Sociobiology is a theoretical school of thought that examines how human biology influences how humans produce culture.
The foundation of sociobiology is the evolution idea put out by Charles Darwin in On the Origin of Species (1859).
According to sociobiologists, the abundance of cultural universals is a reflection of the fact that all people are descended from a single biological species.

Components of Culture

Symbols are created by humans from elements of the world and have specific meanings that are understood by people from the same culture.
Language is a system of symbols that enables communication between people and is the key to the world of culture.
Values are generally accepted norms for social behaviour that are based on culturally determined criteria for what is desirable, honourable, and attractive.
Norms are expectations and rules for proper conduct that guide the behaviour of group members.

Types of Norms

Folkways are informal expectations and guidelines that govern people's daily behaviour.
Mores are salient social rules that are regarded as crucial to the smooth operation of society.
Laws are written guidelines that apply to all members of society and are enacted and upheld by the state's authority.
Taboos are rules forbidding actions that the majority of a group's members deem to be so abhorrent they are unimaginable.

Sanctions

Sanctions are rewards or penalties used to enforce social norms.
Sanctions can be formal, such as laws and regulations, or informal, such as social disapproval or ridicule.

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Description

This quiz covers the basics of culture, its types, and its relationship with society. Learn about the components of culture and its foundation.