Chapter 3 Questions
1. Define Culture
2. True or False
A. We are born with the information we need to survive: False
B. Culture is essential for our individual survival and communication with others: True
C. It establishes our laws and rules for interaction: True
3. Society and culture are interdependent. Explain
Reliant on one another…society creates the components of culture, they are created out of a need / belief / value / change in social structure, i.e. rights of women, religious observation, etc.
4. What is the difference between Nature vs. Nurture?
Nature means natural to you (Biological) Nurture is practice or social (Environmental)
5. What is the difference between an instinct, a reflex and a drive?
Biologically determined; common to all members in a cultural environment
Biologically determined; involuntary response
Biologically determined impulses that satisfy a need.
6. Define Material Culture and non-material culture. Give examples.
Physical artifacts vs. non-tangible characteristics, i.e. language, beliefs, etc.
7. Draw a diagram of MASLOW’S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS.
8. What is the Central component of nonmaterial culture?
Beliefs
9. Who came up with the idea of Cultural universals?
George Murdoch
10. What are Cultural Universals and give examples.
Body adornment
Hair/fashion
Sports, games
Family, law, religion
Customs
11. State two PROs and two CONs of Cultural Universals.
Ensures smooth operation of society/ Meets needs, settles disputes
Imposed / Repression
12. What are the 8 components of culture?
Components of Culture
n Symbols
n Language
n Values
n Norms
n Folkways
n Mores
n Laws
n Beliefs
13. What are symbols?
Anything that meaningfully represents something else
14. What is language? Name the two kinds.
A set of symbols that express ideas and enable people to think and communicate with one another
Kinds:
a. Verbal
b. Nonverbal such as written or in gestures
15. Explain the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis.
language shapes reality
16. Explain how language can impact ideas about gender.
Exclusive language – English language ignores women with words like mankind and chairman
Often he or she denotes occupations – Doctors are usually referred to he and teachers as she
Often gendered language connotes positions of power
Predisposition to think of females in sexual terms – broad, fox, bitch, babe, doll (childlike or petlike characteristics)
Men have performance pressure and sexual prowess placed on them – stud, jock, hunk, dude
17. Explain how language can impact ideas about race and ethnicity.
Language may create and reinforce our perceptions about race and ethnicity by transmitting preconceived ideas about the superiority of one category of people over another
18. What are Values?
n Collective ideas about what is right or wrong, good or bad, and desirable or undesirable in a particular culture
n They provide the criteria for evaluating people, objects and events
19. Name the core values of Canadians.
Equity and fairness
Canada’s world image (freedom, peace, non-violent change)
Compassion and generosity
Accommodation and tolerance
Consultation and dialogue in settling differences
Canada’s natural beauty
Support for diversity
20. What is Value Contradictions?
n Values that conflict with one another or are mutually exclusive
n For example, people believe that the poor should have adequate living, yet vote in governments which are not in accord with this value
21. What is the difference between Real Culture and Ideal Culture? Give examples
Ideal: values and standards of behaviour that people in a society profess to hold
Real: the values and standards of behaviour that people actually follow
– We may claim to law abiding citizens but smoke marijuana
– We may drive over the speed limit but think of ourselves as good citizens.
22. What are norms?
Established rules of behaviour or standards of conduct
23. Explain the difference between Prescriptive, proscriptive, formal, sanctions and informal norms.
- Prescriptive: what behaviour is appropriate (example: to pay taxes)
- Proscriptive: what behaviour is not appropriate
- Formal: written down as laws
- Sanctions: rewards for appropriate behaviour and punishment for inappropriate behaviour
- Informal: Unwritten standards of behaviour understood by people who share a common identity
24. What are folkways? Examples.
Those informal norms or everyday customs that may be violated without serious consequences within a particular culture
Examples: brushing teeth, kinds of clothes, gestures, religious fasting, kinds of cars we buy, kinds of houses we live in
25. What are Mores and Taboos?
strongly held norms with moral and ethical connotations that may or may not be violated without serious consequences in a particular culture
Taboos: So strong that their violation is considered to be extremely offensive
Example: sexual bonding between close kin
26. What are laws? State the 2 types of law in Canadian society.
Formal, standardized norms that have been enacted by legislatures and are enforced by formal sanctions
Examples: in Canada, the taboo of incest is illegal
Types:
h. Civil: deals with disputes between people
i. Criminal: deals with public safety and well-being