Introduction to Sociology Chapter 3: Culture

Overview

• Culture includes shared values, norms, language, symbols, arts, and collective identities.
• Sociologists study behavior within cultural contexts and look for patterns.
• Difference between culture (values, beliefs, norms) and society (people who share a culture).
• Examines relationship between culture and society, focusing on diversity and social changes.

3.1 What is Culture?

Learning Objectives

• Differentiate culture and society.
• Explain material vs. non-material culture.
• Discuss cultural universals.
• Compare ethnocentrism and xenocentrism.

Key Points

• Humans have been forming groups for survival for almost 3 million years.
• Culture is learned: behaviors, values, and traditions passed down.
• Material Culture: Tangible objects like metro passes, clothing, etc.
• Non-material Culture: Intangible ideas, attitudes, beliefs.
• Cultural Universals: Patterns common to all societies (e.g., family units).
• Ethnocentrism: Judging another culture by one's own cultural standards.
• Cultural Relativism: Assessing another culture by its own standards.
• Xenocentrism: Believing another culture is superior to one's own.

3.2 Elements of Culture

Learning Objectives

• Differentiate values, beliefs, norms.
• Explain the significance of symbols and language.
• Discuss the Saper-Whorf hypothesis.

Key Points

• Values: Ideals held in high regard.
• Beliefs: Tenets held to be true within a culture.
• Norms: Visible and invisible rules of conduct.
• Symbols: Used to convey meaning within a culture.
• Language: System using symbols for communication.
• Saper-Whorf Hypothesis: Language shapes perception and behavior.

3.3 High, Low, Pop, Sub, Counterculture, and Cultural Change

Learning Objectives

• Discuss roles of high culture and pop culture.
• Differentiate between subculture and counterculture.
• Explain innovation, invention, and discovery.
• Discuss cultural lag and globalization.

Key Points

• High Culture: Cultural experiences of the elite class.
• Popular Culture: Mainstream societal experiences.
• Subculture: Smaller cultural group within a larger culture.
• Counterculture: Rejects norms of a larger culture.
• Cultural Change: Driven by innovation and diffusion.
• Cultural Lag: Delay in acceptance of new cultural items.

3.4 Theoretical Perspectives on Culture

Learning Objectives

• Discuss major theoretical approaches to cultural interpretation.

Theoretical Perspectives

• Functionalism: Society and culture work together to meet needs.
• Conflict Theory: Culture reflects and perpetuates power inequalities.
• Symbolic Interactionism: Focuses on face-to-face interactions and meanings.

Conclusion

• Culture is crucial for societal existence and is passed down through generations.
• Understanding different cultures helps us understand our own better.

Resources

• This has been an audiobook from OpenStax, available at www.openstax.org.
• Provided by Los Angeles Harbor College. Visit www.lahc.edu for more information.