SOCI101 Midterm 2 Study Set

what is culture

sums of practices, rituals, values, norms, ideologies, beliefs, languages, symbols and material objects that ppl create

charcteristics of culture

• a dificult concept to define

• connects ppl in a society

• exists apart from indivs, yet is also shaped by indiv & group behaviour

• constantly changes

• is often taken for granted until immersed in a diff culture (especially mainstream/pop culture)

elements of culture

• values

• norms

• beliefs

• symbols

• language

• rituals

what are values in culture

moral beliefs abt what is good/bad that guide behaviour

elements/charactersitics of values

• shape society by suggesting how ppl should behave but dont accurately reflect how ppl do behave

• portray ideal culture but differ from real culture

• able to uphold - rewarded; sanction - a social control

• not static - can vary across time & between grps; changes collective societal beliefs

• vary from culture-culture

what are norms in culture

rules & expectations that guide behaviour (based on values; often informal)

types of values

• formal - specific, established, clearly written rules thatre strictly reenforced

  • law, employee manuals

• informal - casual behaviours that’re generally & widely confomred to which are learned by observation, imitating & socialization

  • line up, using napkin - common

what are beliefs in culture

convictions that ppl believe to be true (align w norms & values)

• shared beliefs that explain the world & guide behaviour (ideology)

what are symbols in culture

material/non-material objects which cultures assign meaning to ( language, gestures, etc)

what do symbols convey

recognizable meaning that’re shared by societies

what is language in culture

symbolic system which ppl communicate through which culture is transmitted

what are rituals in culture

important, routinized group activities

ex of rituals

weddings, graduations, etc

what is material culture

physical goods or objects that explain the world & guide behaviours

what is non-material/symbolic culture

an aspect of culture that includes beliefs, values, norms and languages (no concrete version —>”LOL”)

what is popular culture

pattern of cultural expectations & attitudes that exist in mainstream society

• accessible to most ppl

• often expressed & spread through commercial media

• immeidately accessible to easily digest

what is culture war

friction between cultures

what is conspicious consumption

the practice of overtly displaying the consumption of expensive items/services to gain prestige

what is the culture industry

industries that produce products of mass culture (music, TV, film, ads, podcasts)

key elements of the culture industry

• uniformity

• standardization

• repetition

what is pseudo individuality

the belief that we are making choices abt our consumption that reflect our personality (choices are in fact pre fabricated by the culture industry)

what is corporate consolidation

acquisition of smaller corporations by larger ones (a handful of large companies control a majority of the culture industry, including canada)

• results in homogenous cultural landscape & reduces cultural innovation

component/types of culture & inequality

• racial gender disparities in main mass products

• cultural capital

examples of racial & gender disparitites in main mass products

• women & POC under represented

• old/mid-age white men do most speaking

what is cultural capital

non-economic resources (types of knowledge, skills, mannerisms, tastes, appearances, hobbies & heaviours) that distinguish groups of ppl

types of cultural capital

• informal (more common) - “tastes”

• formal - edu degrees

• both types helpful-depending on situation (contexts defined by particular types of ppl who belong to a similar community, profession or socioecon class)

what is habitus in relation to cultural capital

learned dispositions & a way of thinking, behaving & navigating the world that feels like common sense

what happens if theres an absense of particular types of cultural capital

there will be a perpetuation of inqualities as it’ll affect how indivs nagivate instits & form social networks

what are cultural universals

patterns thatre globally common to all societies

what is enthocentrism

judging/evaluating another culture negatively bc it differs from ones own culture

what can culture universals lead to

• dislike for other cultures, causing conflicts

• culture shock

what is cultural relativism

assessing a culture by it's own standards, not ones imposed by other cultures/viewing it through the lens of one’s culture

what does each culture have in regards to cultural relativism

an internally consistent pattern of thoughts & actions —> is the basis for judging the merits & morality of culture’s practices

what does cultural relativism require

open mindedness & willingness to consider & adapt to new values

what is multiculturalism

diversity of cultures within one society

where is an example in which mulitculturalism takes place

canada

components/characteristics of culture

• intangible & always changing over time

• connects ppl in a society

• exists apart from indivs BUT shaped by indivs & group behaviours

• often takened for granted without reason until immersed in diff culture

• innovative - expresses human imagination in its capacity to go beyond what’s given to solve problems

• restrictive - imposing forms of life, beliefs, practices in ppl, limiting possibilities of what we can think/do

how do social media & apps shape braoder offline cultures

affects

• language/wording/slang

• how/who ppl meet (w similar niche interests)

• fashion

• consumption (influences of fans to purchase more)

• political views (misinfo/disinfo → creates polarization

ex of political views affected by social media

political polarization on twitter → rightsided stays w rightsided & vice versa (they’re in their own worlds)

what is globalization

exchanging of cultural ideas & values between cultures around the world

what is hybridity

new cultural practices, norms, beliefs & language that arise due to cultural exchange

what is cultural imperialism

when one culture imposes its cultural values & norm on another culture

what affects does cultural imperialism have locally & globally

locally - culture including clues, beliefs, traditions can fade or disappear

globally- diffusion of western cultural products (music, tv, books, movies) into other cultures

multinational businesses that sell their producst/services ww, affecting local commerce & traditions associated w them

is cultural imperialism intentional

no, can be unintentional/intentional but effects can be similar

what is americanization

importation of cultural characterstics from the US (movies, fast food, etc)

examples of globalization

• africa → create their own style w the clothing shipped from US

• south korea → has been head of globalization in regards to ent, music, fashion, beauty, dramas

why has south korea grown at the rate that it has in terms of globalization

• leader approved erotic films, growth of night life & more

• newly elected president that didnt have a luxurious past (jail, activist, farmer son)

  • passed more laws

  • financed more entertainment → creating more tourists

what always has a role in emergence/growth of globalization

the government

what is deviance

attitudes, behaviours or conditions that violate social norms

• not necessarily due to something being uncommone

• perceptions of this are collective

• usually but not always considered bad

can somethings be common but not deviant

yes

is what’s considered deviant always in a set list of rules everywhere

no, what is considered deviance changes over time & differs across contexts

what is social control in regards to deviance

how societies influence behaviour

what are folkways

norms w out any moral underpinnings

• based on social preference

• direct appropriate behaviour in the day-day practices & experessions of a culture

• customs, traditions, etiquette

ex of folkways

covering mouth when coughing/sneezing

what are mores

norms embody the moral ties & principles of a group (what’s right/wrong)

• based on social req violating them has serious consequences

ex of mores

it is only acceptable to murder for self defense

what is the difference between folkways & mores

folkways - differentiates whats right/rude

mores - differentiates what’s right/wrong

what are laws

codified norms

what are taboos

norms strongly forbidden by deeply held sacred or moral beliefs (almost never acceptable to defy)

ex of taboos

child abuse

what is a subculture

a smaller group that has values & practices that distinguish them from the larger culture/society

• but participants are also in the larger culture/society

ex of subcultures

• goths

• fan communities

• minority religious groups

• communitites of LGBT+ ppl

• immigrant communities

• ghosting

what are countercultures

subcultures that rejects the larger culture’s norms & values, replacing them w diff ones

• might actively defy larger society by developing their own set of rules & nroms to live by, sometimes even creating communitites that operate outside the greater society

ex of countercultures

• hippies

• terrorist organizations

• incels

• cults

  • usually informal

  • translate religious groups/movements that deviate from orthodox beleifs

  • often involves an intense emotional commitment to the group

difference between subcultures & countercultures

subcultures - try to change some values of soviety but arent opposed to most/any valyes considered most important in society

countercultures - opposed to many of the values considered most important in a society

conditions for negatice responses to deviance

1. norms or rules exist

2. someone violates or is thought to violate a norm or rule

3. people judge the norm violation

what is stigma

when a characteristic of any indiv or group is seen as undesirable & they face neg sanctions fo it

• what’s stigmatized & whats considered devianct differs across social contexts, culture, societies & time periods

ex of stigma

death is considered bad unit it’s for a country/family

what is moral panic

temporary but intense concern abt an issue that’s perceived as a major problem combined w hostility directed at those perceived to be the cause

what are some characteristics of moral panic

• minor deviations are met w a huge backlash

• fear is out of proportion to the threat

• when this occurs, ppl arent aware that the fear is an overreaction

• no evidence & must be temporary

what are moral entrepreneurs in regards to moral panic

indivs or groups who raise concerns & help to create a moral panic

ex of moral entrepreneurs

satanic panic

origins of deviance**

• labeling theory

• opportunity theory

• theory of differential association

• control theory

what is labeling theory

when ppl become deviant by being labelled/treated as deviant; self0fufilling prophecy

what is opportunity theory

when ppls access to subcultures & resources happen to make them to be deviant

what is theory of differential association

deviance as a learned behaviour (through interactions w others)

what is control theory

strong ties to mainstream groups & instits make ppl less likelu to be deivanct (weak bonds increase deviance)

what is a functionalist framework

neg responses to deviance strengthen social norms & social cohesion (tie ppl together)

characteristics of functionalist framework

• deviance shows what’s right/wrong - highlights social values

• without knowing what’s deviant, ppl cant know whats expected

what is social change

occurs when many ppl accept/embrace what was once considered deviant

OR

new behaviours become deviant

ex of social change

behaviours considered deviant now but not before covid

• attending school/work

• wearing masks

• remote work/WFH

• mental health awareness

• vaccination (increase in deviance)

• acceptance to governmt assistance

• travelling

what is the strain theory

mismatch of indivs goals & their means to achieve them

what is rober k mertons deviance theory

what is conflict theory

rules, norms, values are shaped by power relations in society

what are some components/outer branches of conflict theory

• dom groups define what is deviant (allowing them to stay in power)

  • deviant: behaviours, values, beliefs threatening their position in society

• dom groups shape a culture’s ideology

  • deviant: certain beliefs, values

• dom groups establish thier hegemony through comco of forces & consent

• multi-dom groups cant fight for resources

ex of consent in terms of deviance

adopting the dominant group’s ideology

how does medication play a role in culture

a problem previously considered nonmendical is now considered a medical issue

• identifies new forms of illness/disorder - and deviance

what is now the thought process in regards to culture & medication

• what is outside normal is deviance & should be fixed

• what is “normal” becomes more and more narrow

what can occur/comes with an increase of adults with perscriptions for mental health

• less stigma on meds

• requires slow change that we have no patience for

• growing intolerance for milk depression & neurosis

• many psychic drugs arent meant for teen brains

• worry of “med of adolescence”: using med to dull anst that’s part of adolecence

• existing research inconclusive on if anti-depression better than placebo

• not caused by low serotonin

• no one knows what they do

• side effects & withdrawals

• overperscription & medicationalization of normal human life

• confirmation bias

• diagnosis vids have huge impact on youth sense of self

• shortage of mental health professionals but on internet

• social media doesnt prioritize accurate & helpful info, rather just tell ppl what they want to hear (echo chamber) & strives for the largest reaction

summary of medication

• understandings of “normal” mental health are becoming so narrow that many common feelings & experiences are now considered deviant & in need of “fixing” through meds

• mental health meds are important for ppl BUT many experts worry they’re overprescribed & sometimes are past of a med of normal aspects of human existence

• w the overprescribed meds, almost no one is now considered normal & entire framework for the world has changed

what is the context of crime

understanding crime involves thinking beyond the indiv to consider

• network of peers

• family, school, work, other ties

• features of the environment that make a crime more/less likely

• structural inequalitites

in regards to the context of crime, what should be considered when thinking beyond the indiv

• networks of peers

• ties to fam, school, work & other insists

• features of the environment that make a crime more or less likely

• structural inequalities

how did covid affect our world in terms of surveillance

• created tech that could track/detect health aspects (temp, heartbeat, who has/had covid)

• china: billions are being monitored through app - controlling ability to go places

• kenya: eye scans, biomed ID needed for access of necessitites

what can surveillance technology do

• go under ur skin to know thinking/feelings

• drag out info that was used for emergency in non emergency situations

• helped contain the pandemic but “we should watch them” as “they watch us”

• companies/governt can track you even without social media accts

• free apps can sell ur info

• companies can download millions of pics & use face recognition

how does surveillance relate to deviance

surveillance invades privacy which affects social structure (thinking) & therefore deviance

things that make tracking easier

• social media

• things unique to you

• document lists

• cameras

what country facilitates half of the world’s cameras

china

what can the governmt in china track

• personal info (clothing, where ppl shop, live, ID number, sex, wear masks, movements, vehicles, numbers, etc)

• connects digital life to physical location

• voice prints, iris colour, DNA from men

what is china’s reasoning for this tracking

to track criminals

cultural genocide

can track the weaker populations & more strict with them