Ch. 6 Vocabulary - Concepts of Culture

Culture

the beliefs, behaviors, values, practices, and technologies shared by a society and passed down from generation to generation

Cultural Trait

a characteristic of a culture

Tradition

the transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation

Taboo

behaviors considered unacceptable by a culture

Artifacts

a visible object or technology that a culture creates

Sociofacts

a structure or organization of a culture that influences social behavior

Mentifacts

a central, enduring element of a culture that reflects its shared ideas, beliefs, and values

Popular Culture or Universalizing Culture

the widespread culture of a society at a given point in time

Indigenous

originally inhabiting a specific region

Traditional Culture or Indigenous Culture

a long-established culture passed down from generation to generation

Cultural Norms

a standard or pattern that guides behavior within a culture

Ethnocentrism

the tendency of ethnic groups to evaluate other groups based on their own culture

Cultural Relativism

the evaluation of a culture by its own standards

Cultural Landscape

a natural landscape that has been shaped by human culture

Sequent Occupance

the concept that successive societies leave behind their cultural imprint, evidence about human character and experiences within a region, which shapes the cultural landscape

Ethnicity

a group of people who share cultural traits

Ethnic Neighborhoods (Enclaves)

a cultural landscape within a community of people outside of their area of origin

Traditional Architecture

an established building style of different cultures, religions, and places

Postmodern Architecture

a building style that emerged as a reaction to modern designs and values diversity in design

Religion

a system of spiritual beliefs that helps form cultural perceptions and values

Pilgrimage

a journey to a holy place for religious reasons

Language

a distinct system of communication that is the carrier of human thoughts and cultural identities

Gendered Spaces

a space incorporated into the landscape to accommodate gender roles

Gender Identity

an individual’s innermost concept of their gender

Safe Spaces

a space of acceptance for people who are sometimes marginalized by society

Third Place

a communal space that is separate from home (first place) or work (second place)

Sense of Place

the subjective feelings and memories people associate with a place

Dialect

a variation of a language specific to a general area, with differences in pronunciation, degree of rapidity in speech, word choice, and spelling

Isogloss

a geographic boundary that divides dialects

Adherent

a person who is loyal to a belief, religion, or organization

Religious Branch

a large fundamental division within a religion

Denomination

a separate church organization that unites local congregations

Sect

a relatively small group that has separated from a denomination

Centripetal Forces

a force that unites a group of people

Centrifugal Forces

a force that divides a group of people

Placelessness

the loss of uniqueness of a place