Soc: ch3

Vocabulary flashcards covering the core concepts of culture and society from the Basic Concepts lecture notes.

Culture

The values, norms, material goods, languages, and symbols that make up the way of life of a group; learned through socialization; described as a 'design for living' or a 'tool kit'.

Society

A system of interrelationships that connects individuals; requires some degree of shared culture and is relatively enduring over time.

Cultural Universals

Features common to virtually all cultures, including ways of communicating, reliance on material objects, a recognizable family system, marriage, incest prohibition, art, dance, bodily adornment, games, gift-giving, joking, and hygiene.

Nonmaterial Culture

The abstract, nonphysical aspects of culture, including values, norms, symbols, language, and speech.

Material Culture

The physical objects a society creates and uses to influence how people live, such as tools, clothing, buildings, and technology.

Language

A system of symbols used to communicate; essential for organizing activity and expressing thought; includes speech and writing and shapes perception.

Signifier

A vehicle of meaning used to communicate (e.g., sounds in speech or marks in writing).

Symbol

A sign that represents something else; can signify imagined or abstract meanings and may not resemble its referent.

Semiotics

The study of signs and symbols and how they convey meaning within a culture.

Values

Abstract ideals that guide behavior, such as fidelity, equality of opportunity, or the balance between individualism and collectivism.

Norms

Social rules of conduct that members are expected to follow; vary across cultures and contexts (e.g., marriage behavior, dress codes).

Incest Prohibition (Incest Taboo)

A cultural universal prohibiting sexual relations between close relatives, with variations in scope across cultures.

Marriage (Cultural Universal)

An institution found in all cultures, though its forms and meanings vary widely.

Cultural Conflict

Tension that arises when incompatible cultural values or norms clash, such as debates over religious symbols or secular state policies.

Language and Reality

Language not only expresses reality but also helps construct and shape how people perceive the world.

Linguistic Relativity (Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis)

The idea that language influences perception and thought because we notice and remember things for which we have words; e.g., experts using specialized terms can perceive nuances others miss.

Texts

Written documents that endure over time, enabling the preservation and transmission of information across generations.

Text vs. Speech

Speech is context-bound and ephemeral; writing (texts) is durable and can store information for future reference.

Globalization of Material Culture

The worldwide spread and homogenization of material culture and technology, seen in things like smartphones, global brands, and uniform classrooms.

Technology

The tools, methods, and knowledge used to produce material goods; central to material culture and increasingly global.

Culture as Design for Living

A view of culture as a 'design for living'—a toolkit of practices, knowledge, and symbols learned through socialization that helps people live and interact.

Durkheim

Émile Durkheim, an early sociologist whose work on culture and society helped establish sociology as a discipline.

Norms Change Over Time

Norms are not static; they can evolve (e.g., the shift in smoking norms after health advisories starting in 1964).

What encompasses the values, norms, and symbols that form a group's way of life, learned through socialization?

Culture, often described as a 'design for living' or 'tool kit'.

How is a society defined in terms of individuals and culture?

A society is a system of interrelationships connecting individuals, requiring some degree of shared culture and enduring over time.

What are features common to virtually all cultures, such as family systems and marriage?

Cultural Universals.

What type of culture includes abstract, nonphysical aspects like values, norms, and language?

Nonmaterial Culture.

What type of culture refers to the physical objects a society creates and uses, such as tools and technology?

Material Culture.

What system of symbols is essential for communication, organizing activity, and shaping perception?

Language.

In communication, what is a "signifier"?

A vehicle of meaning used to communicate, like sounds in speech or marks in writing.

What is a sign that represents something else, often with imagined or abstract meanings that may not resemble its referent?

A symbol.

What is the study of signs and symbols and how they convey meaning within a culture?

Semiotics.

What are the abstract ideals that guide behavior within a culture, such as fidelity or equality of opportunity?

Values.

What are the social rules of conduct that members of a culture are expected to follow, which vary across contexts?

Norms.

What is the cultural universal that prohibits sexual relations between close relatives?

Incest Prohibition (or Incest Taboo).

What institution, though varying in form and meaning, is universally found in all cultures?

Marriage.

When does tension arise due to incompatible cultural values or norms clashing?

During cultural conflict.

According to the notes, how does language influence reality?

Language not only expresses reality but also helps construct and shape how people perceive the world.

What hypothesis suggests that language influences perception and thought because we tend to notice and remember things for which we have words?

Linguistic Relativity, also known as the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis.

What are written documents that endure over time, enabling the preservation and transmission of information across generations?

Texts.

What is the primary difference in durability and context between speech and writing (texts)?

Speech is context-bound and ephemeral, while writing (texts) is durable and can store information for future reference.

What term describes the worldwide spread and homogenization of material culture and technology, like smartphones and global brands?

Globalization of Material Culture.

Who was an early sociologist whose work significantly contributed to establishing sociology as a discipline through his studies on culture and society?

Émile Durkheim.