PPC Module 1: Brief Introduction to Culture PDF

MODULE 1- BRIEF INTRODUCTION OF CULTURE CULTURE * It generally refers to the shared values, attitudes, beliefs, WHAT IS BEAUTY? and practices that characteriz...

MODULE 1- BRIEF INTRODUCTION OF CULTURE CULTURE * It generally refers to the shared values, attitudes, beliefs, WHAT IS BEAUTY? and practices that characterize a social group, organization, or institution. THE MURSI TRIBE AND LIP PLATES fluid, diverse, and often overlapping. They live in Omo Valley, an isolated region in Ethiopia. * It is shared, learned, symbolic system of values, beliefs, They are one of the last tribes that still wear traditional and attitudes that shapes and influences perception and clothing and accessories. behavior of human beings. Mursi women are famous for their wooden lip plates – a * “mental blueprint” or “mental code” symbol of beauty and identity. * It is the system of knowledge shared by a relatively large group of people. KAYAN LAHWI, NECK RING WOMEN The Kayan have become well-known for the striking EDWARD B. TAYLOR appearance of their women, wearing rings or coils around ENGLISH ANTHROPOLOGIST DEFINED CULTURE AS: the neck that make it seem like the neck is stretched and * complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, their head floating above a pedestal of gold. customs, and any other capabilities and habit acquired by man as a member of the society or group membership. SAMBIA TRIBE The Semen Tribe of Papua New Guinea RAYMOND WILLIAMS A rite of passage denoting a bots passage from boyhood to LITERARY SCHOLAR DEFINED CULTURE IN A MODERN WAY adulthood it consists of 6 stages, which can take AS: anywhere from 10-15 years to complete. 1. ‘high culture’, a meaning related to the words ‘art’ and ‘civilization YANOMAMI TRIBE 2. personal refinement; such as when we talk of a ‘cultured The Yanomami live in large, circular, communal houses person called yanos or shabonos. 3. cultural objects and products such as books, films, and TV Some can house up to 400 people. The central area is shows used for activities such as rituals, feasts and games. 4. the ‘whole way of life’ of a given group of people; such as when we say ‘working class culture’ or ‘Japanese culture’. This meaning involves defining ‘culture’ as all the ways of thinking, understanding, feeling, believing and acting ‘characteristic’ of a particular group (and thus not characteristic of another group). Such dispositions have been learned, ‘socialised’ (or Members of a culture share a set of ideals, values, beliefs, ‘enculturated’) into an individual by being reared within the and standards of behavior parameters of the group This shared ideals bonds them as a group 3. Culture is integrated Raymond William expanded form of culture as a whole way Culture is made up of elements which are interrelated of life into a unified whole Familial, economic, political, and religious in order to 1. Culture comprises the patterns of ideas, values and beliefs function effectively common to a particular group of people, their ‘characteristic’ 4. Culture is cumulative ways of thinking and feeling. To survive, cultures will have to learn how to adapt to 2. The culture of one group differentiates it from other groups, changes (i.e. changes in the environment) each of which has its ‘own’ culture In the process of adaptation, the new patterns learned 3. Culture contains meanings. Culture is meaningful. are added to the existing culture, thus, will accumulate in 4. The ideas, values and beliefs of a group are profoundly the long run implicated in motivating people to act in certain ways. 5. Culture is an adaptive mechanism 5. The ideas, values and beliefs of a group are embodied in No culture will remain the same for a long time. symbols and artifacts. Changes brought about by development will force culture 6. Culture is learned. to develop in order for the culture to strive. 7. Culture is arbitrary. Sometimes, culture borrow or modify cultural patterns of 8. Culture and forms of social power are intimately bound up other culture. with each other. 6. Cultures change No culture is fixed or permanent CHARACTERISTICS OF CULTURE The only permanent thing in this world is change. 7. Culture is symbolic is based on symbols, and culture is spread from 1. Culture is learned generation to generation through symbols. People learn Man is not born with culture Learned through socialization. their culture’s beliefs and behaviors through symbols. A symbol is something that means or stands for Habits, values, knowledge, and skills are acquired. Socialization and enculturation enable individuals something else. For example, wedding rings stand for marriage, and our internalize the rules and standards of behavior exhibited nation’s flag stands for our country. by the group, conscious nor unconscious 2. Culture is shared  Symbols are common in religions too, like a Christian 8. It enhances the stability of the social system. Culture is the cross or a Jewish Star of David. Another example of a social glue that helps hold the organization together by symbol is how a red light means “stop” and a green light providing appropriate standards for what employees should say means “go.” and do. 9. Culture serves as a sense-making and control mechanism Characteristics of Culture that guides and shapes behaviour. * Cultural adaptation, where culture helps humans adapt to their environment. For example, we weren’t born with fur coats ELEMENTS OF CULTURE to be able to survive in cold climates. But culture has given us a way to make clothing, build fires, and create shelters so that we NORMS can adapt to living in cold climates. Because culture helps Expected, standardized, recognizable, patterns of people adapt, people can live in many different environments on behavior that the majority of the group exhibit as a result Earth, and even in outer space! We have also adapted using of membership. culture by creating things like antibiotics and vaccines, and by Rules and expectations by which a society guides the creating agricultural techniques that allow us to produce huge behavior of its members. amounts of food. Standards that define the obligatory and expected behaviors of people in various situations. FUNCTION OF CULTURE Differs from culture to culture i.e what is legal elsewhere 1. Provides knowledge and patterns of behavior necessary for may not be somewhere survival and coping with problems in life. i.e. how to hunt, how to cure diseases, etc BELIEFS 2. Provides measures to ensure peace and order. Standards of Man’s perception about the reality of things and are behavior to follow. shared about the world and his environment. i.e. sanctions for violation of norms Used to make sense of man’s experience, personal and 3. As an adaptive strategy related to the environment social 4. Important factor in the development of personality. Emotions, attitudes values, ideology and religion may 5. It has a boundary-defining role; it creates distinctions influence the choice of one’s beliefs between one organization and another. 6. It conveys a sense of identity for organization members. VALUES 7. Culture facilitates the generation of commitment to something Culturally defined standards of desirability, goodness larger than one’s individual self-interest. and beauty, which serve as a broad guidelines for social living.  The values people hold vary to some degree by age, sex, clothing - protective covering for the body race, ethnicity, religion, and social class. defense - tools and strategies used to protect people from threats COMPONENTS OF CULTURE shelter - structure used to protect people and their -are simply parts (ingredients, items, pieces, features) that make belongings up a culture. These components look different in each culture 2. Education - the way people in a culture learn what they need FOLKWAYS to know in order to be successful in their culture * These are habits, customs and repetitive patterns of behavior 3. Transportation - the way a culture gets people and goods * Folkways are commonly known as customs from one place to another * Fairly weak norms because violation of it does not cause 4. Communication - the way a culture shares ideas and severe sanction or punishment but may cause the person to be messages laughed at. 5. Economy - the way people in a culture get what they need Ex: rules of dressing, eating cooking, ceremonies and want 6. Technology - manmade tools that make life easier MORES 7. Social Structure - who is considered important in a culture * Contain moral and ethical values that are strictly observed by and who isn't the majority in a given society. 8. Beliefs and Traditions - the ideas a culture believes in and * Derived from the practices of the society rater than written the way they celebrate those beliefs laws. 9. Rules and Regulations - the rules that maintain order in a * Breaking mores will offend observers and will bring culture and the structure that maintains those rules punishment 10. Arts & Recreation - the way a culture spends its spare time * Because mores express the fundamental values of the society. and expresses itself creatively * i.e. taboos: extreme of mores as it forbids the most outrageous practices like incest, murder, etc CULTURAL UNIVERSALS * Refers to commonalities of cultural elements, patterns, traits, SANCTIONS * punishment Used to ensure that individuals institutions that are common to all cultures in this planet. follow or conform to the norms/ behave in ways prescribed * Example: language, art, mythology, marriage, government within a society Different Ways to Break Down the Components of Culture CULTURAL DIVERSITY 1. Survival Food - edible source of energy  * Encompasses cultural differences on how people live and Cultural Universal and Cultural Particulars respond to their physical and biological needs, and the way they National Cultures and Subculture adapt and interact to their environment. Ideal Culture and Real Culture Elite CUlture and Popular Culture CULTURAL RELATIVISM * Ability to understand a culture on its own terms and not to Cultural Universal and Cultural Particulars make judgments using the standards of one’s own culture EX EATING - UTENSILS USED (chopsticks) * Franz Boas NATIONAL CULTURES: Generally practiced by a people, ex Filipinos. It contributes to national identity FORMS OF CULTURE SUBCULTURES : Practices of different groups of people within -two basic types of culture are material culture, physical things a society Ex ethnic groups produced by a society, and nonmaterial culture, intangible Ideal Culture and Real Culture things produced by a society. Ideal way of thinking VS what is really occurring in reality MATERIAL CULTURE Elite Culture and Popular Culture - is physical things that are created by a society. Culture of the rich and wealthy VS culture of the Examples: money, tools, weapons, utensils, machines, clothing, masses ornaments, art, buildings, and monuments. In other words, objects that one might see in a market, a museum, a home, or a ETHNICITY business, as well as the structure or building itself, are part of - “ ethno ” means people or nation material culture. Refers to the ancestry of a particular group of people who share common distinguishing traits associated with heritage NON MATERIAL CULTURE Recognition of ethnicity may be based on language, - nonphysical ideas that people have about their culture, religion, racial origin, customs and traditions including beliefs, values, rules, norms, morals, language, organizations, and institutions. ETHNOCENTRISM Examples: languages and words, dress codes, etiquette, rituals, practice of viewing and judging someone else's culture business and social transactions, religion, laws, punishments, based on the values and beliefs of one's own and values. Non-material culture does not include any physical Ethnocentrism means that one may see his/her own objects or artifacts. culture as the correct way of living Racism and Prejudice LEVELS OF CULTURE