Sociology 9/12 Culture, Values, Norms, and Media
Values and Norms
- Value: guiding beliefs about what is desirable; shapes behavior and norms; sources include religion, politics, education, money, etc.
- Norm: social expectations for behavior; deviations invite social sanctions; norms arise from underlying values.
- Values lead to norms: example—value placed on higher education creates norms around college attendance; value on money creates norms like saving; tipping norms arise from valuing service workers.
How Values Shape Norms (examples)
- Education: value of higher education → norm of attending college; trade school may be seen as less normative in some contexts.
- Money: value of money → norms around saving and financial behavior; tipping culture reflects value of service workers; differences across countries affect norms.
- Family and religion: values like Sunday church and family time shape daily routines and what is considered a normal weekend.
Dominant Culture and Power
- Dominant culture: the culture of the most powerful group in society, not necessarily the largest group by size.
- In schools and society, power determines which values/norms are emphasized and reinforced.
- Dominance can perpetuate social inequality; culture is shaped by power dynamics, not just population size.
Subcultures and Countercultures
- Subculture: values/norms differ from the dominant culture but members interact and share a worldview (e.g., Amish as a subculture).
- Counterculture: opposes or challenges the dominant culture’s norms (e.g., Prohibition era, Civil Rights movement, hippies).
Global Culture and Diffusion
- Global culture: diffusion of a single culture worldwide through mass media and global brands (e.g., Starbucks, McDonald’s);
- Cultural diffusion: transmission of elements from one culture to another; subcultures entering the dominant culture.
- Mass media can shape beliefs, values, and information available to the public (reflective hypothesis: media reflects prevailing values).
- Mass media can either positively connect people or be used to manipulate or threaten; digital divide affects access to information.
- Media influences popular culture and everyday beliefs (e.g., fashion, body image, mental health narratives).
Popular Culture
- Popular culture: beliefs, practices, and objects common in everyday life;
- Mass media have a strong role in defining U.S. popular culture; brands and media shape shared experiences.
Culture Change, Diffusion, and Innovation
- Innovation: development of technologies (electricity, computers, refrigerators) alters social life and culture.
- Culture lag: non-material culture (values, norms) lags behind rapid technological changes (e.g., Amish slower adaptation).
- AI and rapid technology bring ongoing debates about privacy, ethics, and professional practices.
Theoretical Perspectives
- Functionalism: norms and values create and sustain social bonds; culture provides coherence and stability.
- Conflict theory: culture as a site of power; dominant groups shape norms to maintain control; power and coercion are central.
- Symbolic Interactionism: meanings arise from social interactions; changing vernacular and everyday language shape culture.
- Feminist theory: analysis of power relations between genders within cultural change.
Cultural Change and Global Context
- Cultural diffusion and globalization create a more interconnected world culture; mass media and technology accelerate diffusion.
- Cultural lag remains a challenge as societies adapt to rapid innovations.
- Digital divide influences who participates in and benefits from global culture.
Quick Takeaways
- Values drive norms; norms regulate behavior and social order.
- Dominant culture reflects power dynamics, not just majority size.
- Subcultures and countercultures illustrate diversity within and against dominant norms.
- Mass media and diffusion shape global culture, with both positive and negative implications.
- Theories (functionalism, conflict, symbolic interactionism, feminism) offer lenses to analyze culture, change, and power.
Next steps
- Review textbook for cultural lag and diffusion examples.
- Prepare to discuss how AI and digital media influence contemporary culture and norms.
- Be ready to identify dominant vs. subcultures in given scenarios.