AS Sociology - Unit 1a (Acquiring Culture)

Describe the term ‘Culture’

Culture is a broad term which encompasses the norms, values, customs, traditions, habits, skills, knowledge, beliefs, and the whole way of life of a group of people.

What is meant by ‘Material Culture’?

This refers to the physical things that people create and attach emotional meaning to.

What is meant by ‘Non- material Culture’?

This refers to ideas that people share - like rules and traditions.

What is meant by the term ‘Aspects of Culture’?

The term is meant by the way people choose to express their cultural identity.

What are the aspects of culture?

• language

• music

• clothing/ dress

• food

• religious beliefs and practices

• entertainment

• celebrations/ customs

What is meant by the term ‘Norms’?

Are expected patterns of behaviour that are based on the values of a culture.

What is meant by the term ‘Status’?

The term status means the position we have in society e.g. doctor or citizenship.

What is meant by the term ‘Values’?

Are beliefs and ideas which society sees as important, and which are agreed by the majority of society.

What is meant by the term ‘Beliefs’?

Beliefs are a system of values that can be personal and/or collective for example, religion.

What is meant by the term ‘Roles’?

The term roles can be described as the expected behaviours for a certain situation an example of this is parents.

What is meant by the term ‘Mores’?

Mores have a connection to morals and are similar to values and beliefs.

What is meant by the ‘Unwritten Rules’ of a culture?

Shared expectations about how different individuals should behave in specific situations. Social norms that guide behaviour in a society. They play a crucial role in shaping individual behaviour and group dynamics, helping to reinforce social cohesion and a sense of belonging within communities

How are the unwritten rules learned?

They are learned by the socialisation processes, primary (family), secondary (peer groups), and tertiary (work).

What is meant by the term ‘Cultural Diversity’?

All cultures are diverse, what may seem acceptable in one culture, may not be acceptable in another.

What happens if someone doesn’t follow the cultural rules?

If someone doesn’t follow the cultural rules and breaks these rules and traditions they are knows as deviant.

What may this lead you to?

This may led to ‘subcultures’ - where maybe entire groups behave differently to most.

What is meant by the term ‘Cultural Differences’?

Cultural differences give rise to and stem from customs and traditions.

What example can we use to describe the term ‘Cultural Differences’?

We can use the example of the way that people use mobiles in different cultures around the world. For example, the Italians and the Spanish are happy to answer calls in restaurants, or during business meetings. Whereas the Japanese it is frowned upon to use your phone in public places.

What is meant by the term ‘Customs’?

Rituals, practices etc.. that have been passed down from generations.

What can we use an example when describing the term ‘Customs’?

Shaking hands upon meeting with someone or kissing someone when meeting.

What is meant by the term ‘Traditions’?

When the above (customs) become an integral part of the persons identity.

What is meant by the term ‘Nature’?

Pre-wiring and is influenced by genetics inheritance & other biological influences.

What is meant by the term ‘Nurture’?

Influence of external factors after conception e.g. product of exposure, life experiences, and learning on an individual.

How can we describe what Nativists believe about Nature V Nurture?

Many of our physical characteristics are inherited. In addition traits appear to be linked to genetics, so people with specific genetic conditions may have an associated personality type - this has lead to some scientists to argue that people are ‘hard-wired’ to behave in certain ways.

What are the Nativists approach to Nature V Nurture?

Nativists take an extreme position with regard to genetics - they are the social characteristics of people have arisen through evolution.

What is meant by the term ‘Biological Imperatives’?

All animals have certain imperatives, things that they do in order to survive & reproduce. Nature theories suggest that humans are ruled by biological imperatives and therefore do not have free will, meaning that have no choice in their actions.

What example can we use to prove the nature theories?

We can use the ‘Jim Twins’

• they were separated twins

• lives peppered with coincidences

• differences are great enough to see ‘individual’

• YET biologically too may similarities to call it a coincidence

• psychologists believe common level of genetic influence over a number of traits psychologically and physically similar, despite separation.

What are the nurture theories?

These theories view that society and culture override human genetics and instincts. It is argued that social experiments lead humans to controlling their actions.

Describe the term ‘feral child’

Human child who has lived isolated from human contact from a very young age, and so has had little or no experience of human care, behaviour or human language. This would mean that the child has not been socialised to learn the norms and values of human society.

Who can we use as an example of a feral child?

We can use Oxana Malaya as an example, she was brough up in a home where both of her parents were alcoholics who paid almost no attention to her so she hid and lived in the dog kennel until she was found at the age of 8. Oxana was living among wild dogs, who walked on all fours and barked just like the rest of the pack, she had been raised by these dogs since the age of three and developed the traits of these dogs.

What did Margaret Mead believe - liking to nurture?

Mead’s work emphasised the significance of cultural influences over biological determinism. She argued that societal norms & practices had a profound impact on individual development, challenging the prevailing belief that behaviour is primarily determined by biological factors.

What are ‘Ethnographic Methods’?

Immersing yourself to the item in the culture/ society that is being studied, gaining insight from their experiences.

What is meant by the term ‘Socialisation’?

It is the process of how we learn to behave and understand the expectations of society/ culture.

From what point do we learn to be social?

Socialisation begins from the moment of birth & extends to the point of death.

How many agents of socailisation are there, and what are they?

There are 3 agents of socialisation:

• primary socialisation

• secondary socialisation

• tertiary socialisation

What is primary socialisation?

The child learns from immediate family, in the home - first type of socialisation a child learns.

What is secondary socialisation?

The child learns what wider society expects of its members - learnt outside the home.

What is tertiary socialisation?

Adult socialisation and takes place when people need to adapt to new situations - this is usually done in work settings.

What did Talcott Parsons say in relation to socialisation?

He claimed that socialisation is the process by which humans learn to internalise their culture’s norm & values.

How many elements to socialisation are there and what are they?

There are two elements:

• formal

• informal

What is meant by the term ‘Formal Socialisation’?

These are processes where people are deliberately & consciously manipulated to ensure they lean to follow certain rules.

What is meant by the term ‘Informal Socialisation’?

This is a more haphazard process where people learn to fit into their culture.

What is meant by the term ‘agent of socialisation’?

Any social group or organisation that passes on cultural norms & values to other can be describes as an agency of socialisation. They can influence our self-concept, emotions, attitudes, and behaviours.

What does the family have to do with socialisation?

Much family socialisation is deliberate. They aim to pass on a variety of social skills to their children.

• the ability to do certain things

• the desire to achieve ambitions

• the ability to survive in the outside world

• to learn social rules to support them in adulthood

• the ability to think about social roles of others

What does Pierre Bourdieu (a French Marxist - sociologist) have to say about family members?

Claims that because members of families tend to belong to the same social backgrounds & ethnic groups, children learn a set of behaviours and perceptions that mark them different from others with different backgrounds. We therefore have similarities to our thinking. Our habitus is therefore the social situation in which we feel comfortable and at home.

What does family have to do with primary socialisation?

The family teaches the basic social attitudes, norms & values of the culture to the child. A significant amount of work has been done by feminists around primary socialisation focusing on how children get their sense of identity and gender roles.