CULTURE AND SOCIETY

The Concept of Culture

Culture consists of the value the members of a given group hold, the norms they follow and the material goods they create Culture is a way of life of the members of a society Society refers to the system of interrelationships which connects together the individuals who share a common culture

Definition of Culture

Seen as a state of mind Elitist Sees some society as superior to others Collective body of arts and intellectual work within any one society Whole way of life of people

Types of Culture

High Culture Folk Culture Mass Culture Popular Culture

Identity and Culture

Identities can be formed through cultures and sub cultures to which people belong to or in which people participate

Evolution Theory

Darwin set out a view of the development of the humans and animals quite differently Human characteristics have emerged from a process of biological change which can be traced back to initial origin of life three billion years ago He set in motion one of the most debated theories of modern times- the theory of evolution

Evolution

The development of humans has come about as a result of random process Darwinism goes against the religious beliefs where animals and humans are seen to be created by divine intervention Evolution is a result of mutual selection There is continuous process of natural selection due to mutation This process explains both major and minor changes in species Darwins theory allows us to piece together a clear understanding of different species and their relation to one another

Sociobiology

Sociobiology refers to the application of biological principles in explaining the social activities of all social animals It is often considered a branch of biology and sociology, but also draws from anthropology, evolution, zoology, archaeology, population genetics and other disciplines. Sociobiology investigates social behaviors, such as mating patterns, territorial fights, pack hunting, and the hive society of social insects. Just as selection pressure led to animals evolving useful ways of interacting with the natural environment, it led to the genetic evolution of advantageous social behavior.

Cultural diversity

Humans have number of biological needs but the way these needs are satisfied or coped with vary widely between different cultures Larger societies have several sub cultural communities living side by side Cultural identity and ethnocentrism

Cultural universals

Amid the diversity there are some common features Language Speech and Writing Semiotics and material culture

Language

Priority of culture are reflective in the languageword for Language includes speech, writing, numerical, symbols and gestures of non verbal communication (sign language) Although the use of language is similar around the world, the way it is used is quite different and unique to every culture Sapir-Whorf hypothesis- since people can only conceptualize the world only through language , thus language precedes thought. Language is not given, but rather it is culturally determined and leads to different interpretations of reality

Language Sociological Perspectives

Functionalist -Unifying members of society Conflict- Use language to perpetuate diversions between groups and societies Integrationist study how people rely upon shared definitions of phases and expressions in both formal speech and everyday expressions

Types of pre-modern Society

Hunters and gatherers

the

original affluent societies

Pastoral and agrarian society Non industrial civilization or traditional states The industrial societies

The Three Worlds

First world refers to the industrialized societies Second world has an industrialized society but the economy is centrally planned Third world- Agrarian Economy The three worlds have developed in interconnection with one another

Norms

Norms are established standard of behavior maintained by a society In order for a norm to be significant, it must be widely shared and understood Formal and Informal Norms

Values

A principle value is a foundation upon which other values and measures ofintegrityare based Values can be defined as broad preferences concerning appropriate courses of action or outcomes. As such, values reflect a persons sense of right and wrong or what ought to be -Equal rights for all Values tend to influence attitudes and behavior Personal Values provide an internal reference for what is good, beneficial, important, useful, beautiful, desirable, constructive, etc Cultures have values that are largely shared by their members. The values of a society can often be identified by noting which people receive honor or respect

Cultural Integration

Cultural Integration refers to the bringing together of conflicting cultural elements resulting in a harmonious and cohesive whole In a well integrated culture, various norms, values and customs will support one another and fit together well

Cultural Variation

Each culture has a unique character

Subculture Counterculture Cultural

shock

Attitudes towards Cultural Variation

Ethnocentrism Functionalist/Conflict Cultural

Relativism

The Dominant Ideology

Different ways in which the functionalist and the conflict view Culture Functionalist emphasis the role of language as a unifier where as conflict theorist focus on the use of language to perpetuate divisions between groups and societies Functionalist stress that culture integrates members of society, conflict believe that the norms and values that perpetuate are those favorable to the elite and powerful Both agree that culture and society are in harmony but for different reasons

Functionalist sees culture maintaining stability in the society by sharing similar norms and beliefs Conflict believes that a common/popular culture may exist but it serves to maintain the privileges of some groups rather than others Dominant Ideology

Socialization

The term socialization is used by sociologists, social psychologists and educationalists to refer to the process of learning ones culture and how to live within it. Socialization is the process in which the helpless infant gradually becomes self aware, knowledgeable person, skilled in the ways of culture into which she or he is born Socialization process has an impact of shaping peoples personality Personality refers to persons typical pattern of attitudes, characteristics and behavior. What is the role of socialization in human developed?

Role of Socialization

Clash between the relative importance of biological inheritance vs. environment Nature vs. nurture

Role of environment

Impact of isolation
The

unsocialzed child? Isabelle & Genie Isabelle had been largely deprived of the typical interaction and socialization experience of childhood Genie was unable to achieve full language ability

Both cases document the adverse impact of extreme deprivation Childs social needs are equally important as physical needs

Role of Heredity

Interplay between heredity and environment is evident in a fascinating study involving twins Twins temperament, voice pattern, nervous habbits were similar even in twins reared apart Although far greater difference between twins in their attitude,value, etc

The Self and Socialization

According to George H Mead we create our own designation: the self The self represents the sum total of peoples conscious perception of their identity as distinct from others Cooly: Looking-Glass Self We learn who we are by interacting with others Others perception of us Three phases Imagine how we present ourself to others (friends, family, strangers) How others evaluate us (shy, friendly, bold) We develop feelings for ourselves as a result of these impressions

Mead: Stages of life

He acknowledge Cooley's work Self emerges, defined by three stages

Repertory

stage using symbols to communicate Play stage Role Taking Game stage they not only recognize their own social position but others within it

Agencies of socialization

Agents of socialization are the people and groups that influence our self-concept, emotions, attitudes, and behavior. The Family

Family is responsible for th e youth and ..., among other things, determining one's attitudes toward religion and establishing career goals. Education is the agency responsible for socializing groups of young people in particular skills and values in society. Peers refer to people who are roughly the same age and/or who share other social characteristics (e.g., students in a college class).

Education

Peer groups

Mass Media Other Agents: Religion, Work Place, The State.

Resocialization

Resocialization is a sociological concept dealing with the process of mentally and emotionally "re-training" a person so that he or she can operate in an environment other than that which he or she is accustomed to

The life Course

The stages of human life are social as well as biological in nature They are influenced by culture and material circumstances people live in Socialization continues throughout different phase of life cycle

Social Control

Each culture, sub culture and groups has distinctive norms governing what it deems appropriate behavior Social control- techniques and strategies for preventing deviant behavior in a society Social Control occurs at all levels

Family Peer groups Bureaucratic organizations Institutions Government

Challenge to effective social control

Functionalist vs. Conflict approah

Functionalists contend that people must respect social norms if any group or society is to survive Conflict theorists maintain that successful functioning of a society will constantly benefit the powerful

Conformity and Obedience

Conformity - going along with peers (individuals with own status , who have no right to direct our behavior) Obedience compliance with higher authority in hierarchical structure

Informal and Formal Social Control

People use informal social control casually to enforce norms Formal social control is carried out by authorized agents

Law and Society

Some norms which are important to a society are formalized into Laws controlling peoples behavior Sociologists see the creation of law as a social process Law reflects the continually changing standards of what is right and wrong Socializing is the primary source of conforming and obedient behavior, including obedience of law

What is deviance?

Deviance describes actions or behaviors that violate the standard of conduct and expectation of a group or society It involves violation of group norms as well as formalized law Deviance and social stigma

Explaining Deviance

Functionalist Perspective

Durkheims Legacy Mertons theory of deviance

Four types of behavior which departure of conformity

Innovator Ritualist Retreatist Rebel

Interactionist Perspective

Cultural Transmission Routine Activities Theory

Labeling Theory Conflict Theory