Unit 3 Cultural Patterns & Processes
Culture
Material culture: physical objects that hold value to an individual or society.
Non-material culture': beliefs, values, norms, symbols, language, or rituals that hold value to an individual or society.
Sub-culture: a group of people within a larger culture who share a distinct set of beliefs, values and practices.
Ethnocentrism: using your own beliefs to judge another indivisual.
Cultural relativism: trying to understand someone’s culture from their POV.
Modern Culture and Folk Culture
Modern culture (Pop Culture) originates in economically developed regions and prioritizes individualism and personal achievement.
It is diverse and constantly evolving.
Folk culture is more homogeneous, emphasizes community and collective experience, and aims to preserve traditional practices.
Indigenous Cultures
Indigenous cultures are tied to specific geographic regions and often have a strong emphasis on community and traditional values.
They may have unique languages, art forms, and spiritual beliefs.
Cultural Interaction
People tend to adopt either an ethnocentric or cultural relativist perspective when cultures come into contact.
Ethnocentrism involves evaluating another culture using one's own cultural standards.
Cultural relativism involves viewing and evaluating another culture by that culture's standards.
Cultural Landscape
The cultural landscape refers to visible human modifications of the natural environment.
It includes religious practices, linguistic characteristics, infrastructure designs, agricultural practices, and land use patterns.
Cultural Landscape and Place
The cultural landscape is shaped by historical events, economic and political systems, and social norms.
Different architectural styles and land use patterns reflect cultural values.
A sense of place refers to a strong emotional connection or perception of a specific geographic area.
It is influenced by personal experience, community and cultural identities, and local history.
Centripetal and Centrifugal Forces
Centripetal forces bring people together and promote unity.
They include shared history, common language, and similar cultural values and beliefs.
Centrifugal forces divide and force people apart, resulting in fragmented communities.
These forces may include significant cultural differences and divisions.
Types of Diffusion
Relocation Diffusion: Physical movement of a culture or group of people from one place to another, resulting in the spread of cultural traits.
The Amish migrating from Europe to the United States exemplifies relocation diffusion.
Expansion Diffusion: Spread of a cultural trait or group of people from one place to another through person-to-person contact.
Includes contagious diffusion, hierarchical diffusion, and stimulus diffusion.
Historical Causes of Diffusion
Colonialism and Imperialism: Increased immigration and interaction between settlers and locals led to the exchange of languages, religions, and customs.
English language became a lingua franca due to the influence of the British Empire.
Triangular Trade: Forced migration of enslaved people and diffusion of different religions, cultures, and languages.
Contemporary Causes of Diffusion
Advancements in Technology: Social media platforms and the internet allow for the rapid spread of ideas, trends, and cultures globally.
Time-space convergence and hierarchical diffusion contribute to the spread of ideas.
Globalization: Companies like McDonald's, Starbucks, and KFC operate globally, contributing to the diffusion of cultures and ideas.
American military bases in various regions also diffuse American culture and language.
Effects of Globalization
Cultural Divergence: Individuals becoming separated from different aspects of their culture due to various factors.
Globalization and modern technology contribute to the gradual disappearance of indigenous and folk languages and cultures.
Cultural Convergence: Increasing number of people adopting English as a primary or secondary language globally.
Other Effects of Diffusion
Creolization: Two cultures coming together to create a new third culture, as seen with Spanish settlers in the Caribbean and French settlers in Louisiana.
Impact of Trade and Commerce: The Colombian Exchange and the Silk Road led to the diffusion of different cultures, ideas, goods, and inventions across regions.
Cultural Diffusion and Convergence
Geographical isolation or adoption of different cultural practices lead to cultural divergence.
Cultural convergence occurs when different cultures blend to form a mass culture due to increased communication and interaction.
Universalizing Religions
Seek to appeal to all people and expand through teachings and beliefs.
Examples include Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Sikhism.
Diffusion occurs through expansion and relocation diffusion, shaping cultural landscapes globally.
Ethnic Religions
Primarily centered around a specific cultural or ethnic group and diffuse through relocation diffusion.
Examples include Hinduism and Judaism.
Diffusion often involves stimulus diffusion, migration, and shaping cultural landscapes.
Language Families and Dialects
Language families consist of languages with a common ancestor, with branches and groups within them.
Dialects are regional variances in language, leading to differences in spelling, vocabulary, and pronunciation. Isoglosses mark distinct dialect boundaries.
Effects of Diffusion
Assimilation leads to adopting dominant cultural norms, potentially at the expense of the original culture.
Acculturation involves adopting and adapting certain cultural traits without losing the original culture.
Syncretism is the blending of cultures while remaining distinct, leading to the evolution of new cultural aspects.
Cultural Resistance to Diffusion
Cultural barriers and language differences can hinder the diffusion of specific traits.
Highly religious communities may oppose certain practices, limiting their diffusion.
Cultural Resistance to Diffusion
Individuals may resist due to fear of losing their way of life
Fear of negative stereotypes or prejudices against the incoming culture
Diffusion was traditionally limited by geographic factors like mountains, rivers, or oceans
Advancements in technology and communication have made it easier to connect with people around the world
Obstacles to diffusion are often political, economic, or cultural
Multiculturalism
Society with a large diversity of cultures coexisting
Aims to create a society where people of different linguistic, religious, and cultural backgrounds can exist together
Often happens due to immigration
Examples of multicultural countries include the United States and Canada
Unit 3 Cultural Patterns & Processes
Culture
Material culture: physical objects that hold value to an individual or society.
Non-material culture': beliefs, values, norms, symbols, language, or rituals that hold value to an individual or society.
Sub-culture: a group of people within a larger culture who share a distinct set of beliefs, values and practices.
Ethnocentrism: using your own beliefs to judge another indivisual.
Cultural relativism: trying to understand someone’s culture from their POV.
Modern Culture and Folk Culture
Modern culture (Pop Culture) originates in economically developed regions and prioritizes individualism and personal achievement.
It is diverse and constantly evolving.
Folk culture is more homogeneous, emphasizes community and collective experience, and aims to preserve traditional practices.
Indigenous Cultures
Indigenous cultures are tied to specific geographic regions and often have a strong emphasis on community and traditional values.
They may have unique languages, art forms, and spiritual beliefs.
Cultural Interaction
People tend to adopt either an ethnocentric or cultural relativist perspective when cultures come into contact.
Ethnocentrism involves evaluating another culture using one's own cultural standards.
Cultural relativism involves viewing and evaluating another culture by that culture's standards.
Cultural Landscape
The cultural landscape refers to visible human modifications of the natural environment.
It includes religious practices, linguistic characteristics, infrastructure designs, agricultural practices, and land use patterns.
Cultural Landscape and Place
The cultural landscape is shaped by historical events, economic and political systems, and social norms.
Different architectural styles and land use patterns reflect cultural values.
A sense of place refers to a strong emotional connection or perception of a specific geographic area.
It is influenced by personal experience, community and cultural identities, and local history.
Centripetal and Centrifugal Forces
Centripetal forces bring people together and promote unity.
They include shared history, common language, and similar cultural values and beliefs.
Centrifugal forces divide and force people apart, resulting in fragmented communities.
These forces may include significant cultural differences and divisions.
Types of Diffusion
Relocation Diffusion: Physical movement of a culture or group of people from one place to another, resulting in the spread of cultural traits.
The Amish migrating from Europe to the United States exemplifies relocation diffusion.
Expansion Diffusion: Spread of a cultural trait or group of people from one place to another through person-to-person contact.
Includes contagious diffusion, hierarchical diffusion, and stimulus diffusion.
Historical Causes of Diffusion
Colonialism and Imperialism: Increased immigration and interaction between settlers and locals led to the exchange of languages, religions, and customs.
English language became a lingua franca due to the influence of the British Empire.
Triangular Trade: Forced migration of enslaved people and diffusion of different religions, cultures, and languages.
Contemporary Causes of Diffusion
Advancements in Technology: Social media platforms and the internet allow for the rapid spread of ideas, trends, and cultures globally.
Time-space convergence and hierarchical diffusion contribute to the spread of ideas.
Globalization: Companies like McDonald's, Starbucks, and KFC operate globally, contributing to the diffusion of cultures and ideas.
American military bases in various regions also diffuse American culture and language.
Effects of Globalization
Cultural Divergence: Individuals becoming separated from different aspects of their culture due to various factors.
Globalization and modern technology contribute to the gradual disappearance of indigenous and folk languages and cultures.
Cultural Convergence: Increasing number of people adopting English as a primary or secondary language globally.
Other Effects of Diffusion
Creolization: Two cultures coming together to create a new third culture, as seen with Spanish settlers in the Caribbean and French settlers in Louisiana.
Impact of Trade and Commerce: The Colombian Exchange and the Silk Road led to the diffusion of different cultures, ideas, goods, and inventions across regions.
Cultural Diffusion and Convergence
Geographical isolation or adoption of different cultural practices lead to cultural divergence.
Cultural convergence occurs when different cultures blend to form a mass culture due to increased communication and interaction.
Universalizing Religions
Seek to appeal to all people and expand through teachings and beliefs.
Examples include Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Sikhism.
Diffusion occurs through expansion and relocation diffusion, shaping cultural landscapes globally.
Ethnic Religions
Primarily centered around a specific cultural or ethnic group and diffuse through relocation diffusion.
Examples include Hinduism and Judaism.
Diffusion often involves stimulus diffusion, migration, and shaping cultural landscapes.
Language Families and Dialects
Language families consist of languages with a common ancestor, with branches and groups within them.
Dialects are regional variances in language, leading to differences in spelling, vocabulary, and pronunciation. Isoglosses mark distinct dialect boundaries.
Effects of Diffusion
Assimilation leads to adopting dominant cultural norms, potentially at the expense of the original culture.
Acculturation involves adopting and adapting certain cultural traits without losing the original culture.
Syncretism is the blending of cultures while remaining distinct, leading to the evolution of new cultural aspects.
Cultural Resistance to Diffusion
Cultural barriers and language differences can hinder the diffusion of specific traits.
Highly religious communities may oppose certain practices, limiting their diffusion.
Cultural Resistance to Diffusion
Individuals may resist due to fear of losing their way of life
Fear of negative stereotypes or prejudices against the incoming culture
Diffusion was traditionally limited by geographic factors like mountains, rivers, or oceans
Advancements in technology and communication have made it easier to connect with people around the world
Obstacles to diffusion are often political, economic, or cultural
Multiculturalism
Society with a large diversity of cultures coexisting
Aims to create a society where people of different linguistic, religious, and cultural backgrounds can exist together
Often happens due to immigration
Examples of multicultural countries include the United States and Canada
