Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics

Flashcards covering key vocabulary related to culture, society, and politics.

Culture

A complex whole encompassing beliefs, practices, values, attitudes, laws, norms, artifacts, symbols, knowledge, and everything that a person learns and shares as a member of society.

Evolution

A natural process of biological changes occurring in a population that aids in identifying human physiological development.

Culture

A complex whole encompassing beliefs, practices, values, attitudes, laws, norms, artifacts, symbols, knowledge, and everything that a person learns and shares as a member of society.

Evolution

A natural process of biological changes occurring in a population that aids in identifying human physiological development.

Homo Habilis

Known as 'Handy Man', recognized as the first true human, lived about 2.4 to 1.4 million years ago.

Homo Erectus

Known as 'The Upright Man', the first hunters with tools and the first to produce fire.

Homo Sapiens

Known as 'The Thinking Man', the first to produce art in cave paintings and craft decorated tools.

Material Culture

Physical objects a society produces, including things people create and use.

Non-material Culture

Elements including norms, values, beliefs, and language shared by society members.

Socialization

The process concerning social structure and interpersonal relations, including context, content, process, and results.

Structural-Functional Theory

A theory that views society as a structure with interrelated parts designed to meet biological and social needs.

Conflict Theory

A theory that considers society as a competition for limited resources.

Symbolic-Interaction Theory

A micro-level theory that focuses on meanings attached to human interactions and symbols.

Reference Group

A group that significantly influences how a person thinks and acts, guiding a member's behavior and social norms.

In-group

Members of a group who are loyal to each other and share common norms, activities, goals, and backgrounds.

Out-group

Persons viewed as outsiders by the in-group.

Primary Groups

Characterized by face-to-face communication and personal, intimate relationships.

Secondary Groups

Characterized by indirect communication and rational decision-making with a formal structure.