Culture: Elements and Variations (9A) - Psych & Soc
- What is a cultural universal?
- A cultural element found in all known human societies. Examples include language, family structures, and religious practices.
- What is language as an element of culture?
- A symbolic communication system that transmits culture. Language preserves and evolves culture by encoding values, norms, and knowledge across generations.
- What is a mores?
- A strongly held norm tied to morality, with serious sanctions. Violations trigger strong social condemnation or legal consequences.
- What is counterculture?
- A subculture that rejects or opposes dominant cultural values. Countercultures challenge societal norms, often driving social change or highlighting inequalities.
- What is culture in sociological terms, as tested on the MCAT?
- Shared beliefs, values, norms, and practices transmitted socially. Culture encompasses all learned behaviors and ideas passed between generations.
- What is cultural diffusion?
- Spread of cultural traits from one group or society to another. Occurs through trade, migration, media, and other contact.
- What is acculturation?
- Adopting elements of another culture after prolonged contact. Involves selective adoption while maintaining original cultural identity.
- What is a taboo?
- A norm so strong that violation provokes extreme condemnation. Taboos are the strongest norms, like incest prohibitions.
- What is material culture?
- Physical objects and technologies that reflect a culture. Includes artifacts, buildings, clothing, and tools of a society.
- What is a belief as an element of culture?
- A conviction a statement about the world is true. Beliefs form the cognitive foundation of culture, shaping perceptions and justifications for actions.
- What is assimilation in the context of cultural change?
- Adopting the dominant culture with reduced distinctiveness. Assimilation facilitates social integration but may erode minority cultural identities over time.
- What is a cultural universal?
- A cultural element present in all known human societies. Examples include language, family structures, and religious practices.
- What is a belief in cultural analysis?
- A conviction that something is true, regardless of evidence. Forms worldviews and assumptions about reality and human nature.
- What is a folkway?
- Informal norm; violation brings mild social disapproval. Folkways ensure casual social harmony without severe consequences for minor infractions.
- What is counterculture?
- A subculture that rejects and opposes dominant cultural values. Actively challenges mainstream norms, like hippies in the 1960s.
- What is a value in cultural analysis?
- A culturally defined standard of what is desirable or important. Shapes priorities and goals, like individualism vs. collectivism.
- What is a subculture?
- A group within a society with distinct norms and values. Subcultures allow diversity within a larger society while maintaining overall cultural coherence.
- What is a folkway?
- An informal norm governing everyday behavior and etiquette. Violations result in mild disapproval, like wearing pajamas to work.
- What is a value in culture?
- A shared standard about what is desirable, good, or important. Values guide behavior and judgments about right and wrong.
- What is cultural relativism?
- Evaluating a culture by its own standards and context. Avoids bias by understanding practices within their context.
- What is multiculturalism (cultural pluralism) as a societal approach?
- Coexistence of distinct cultures with equal respect and status. Multiculturalism fosters social harmony by valuing diversity and promoting inclusive policies.
- Identify the cultural term: A society enforces rules through formal written codes.
- Law. Laws are formalized norms enforced by governmental authority.
- What is assimilation in the context of cultural change?
- Full incorporation into a new culture with loss of prior traits. Results in complete cultural transformation and identity change.
- What is cultural lag?
- When nonmaterial culture changes more slowly than technology. Creates social strain as values struggle to adapt to new technologies.
- What is a more in sociology?
- A strongly held norm tied to morality with strong sanctions. Mores reflect deep moral values like honesty or loyalty.
- What is a folkway?
- An informal norm governing everyday behavior with mild sanctions. Examples include table manners or greeting customs.
- What is the definition of material culture?
- Physical objects and technologies a group uses and values. It refers to tangible aspects that reflect a society's technological and economic adaptations to the environment.
- What is a cultural particular (cultural specificity)?
- A trait or practice unique to a specific culture or group. Such traits highlight how cultures adapt uniquely to their environments and histories.
- What is a value in cultural analysis?
- A culturally defined standard of what is good or desirable. Values serve as guiding principles that influence individual and collective decisions in a culture.
- What is a belief in cultural terms?
- A conviction that something is true, often shaping interpretation. Beliefs form the cognitive basis for cultural worldviews.
- What is socialization in relation to culture?
- Process of learning norms, values, and roles of a society. Socialization integrates individuals into society by internalizing cultural elements essential for functioning.
- What is a norm?
- A socially defined rule or expectation for behavior. Guides appropriate behavior within specific social contexts.
- What is culture in the sociological sense as tested on the MCAT?
- Shared beliefs, values, norms, and practices learned socially. Encompasses the collective patterns that guide social behavior.
- What is a value in sociology?
- A shared standard of what a group considers desirable or important. Values guide behavior and serve as criteria for judging actions.
- What is material culture?
- Physical objects and technologies that reflect cultural values. Artifacts and tools embody cultural knowledge and priorities.
- What is a norm?
- A shared expectation about appropriate behavior in a group. Norms guide social interactions and maintain order within groups.
- What is a belief in the context of culture?
- A conviction that something is true, often culturally shared. Beliefs shape worldview and influence behavior within cultural contexts.
- What is the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis (linguistic relativity)?
- Language influences thought and perception of reality. Suggests language structure affects cognitive processes and worldview.
- What is a sanction in sociology?
- A reward or punishment used to enforce norms. Can be positive (rewards) or negative (punishments) for norm compliance.
- What is cultural transmission (cultural learning)?
- Passing culture to others through socialization and interaction. This process ensures cultural continuity and adaptation through interpersonal and institutional means.
- What is cultural lag?
- Slow adaptation of nonmaterial culture to changes in material culture. Cultural lag explains social tensions arising from rapid technological changes outpacing value adjustments.
- What is language as an element of culture?
- A structured symbolic system used to communicate meaning. Enables transmission of culture across generations through communication.
- What is acculturation?
- Adoption of aspects of another culture after sustained contact. Involves selective borrowing while maintaining core identity.
- What is a sanction in the context of norms?
- A reward or punishment used to enforce social norms. Sanctions maintain conformity through social pressure.
- What is a symbol in culture?
- Something that represents an idea and carries shared meaning. Includes flags, religious icons, and gestures with cultural significance.
- What is a subculture?
- A group with distinct norms/values within a larger culture. Shares broader cultural framework but maintains unique characteristics.
- What is assimilation?
- Process by which a minority group becomes indistinguishable from a dominant group. Often involves loss of original cultural identity.
- What is a value in cultural terms?
- A culturally defined standard of what is good or desirable. Values shape priorities and judgments about worth within a culture.
- What is a symbol in sociology, and why is it culturally important?
- Anything with shared meaning used to communicate within a culture. Symbols enable efficient communication and cultural cohesion through shared interpretations.
- What is a symbol in culture?
- Anything that represents something else with shared meaning. Symbols convey complex meanings efficiently, like flags or logos.
- What is the definition of nonmaterial culture?
- Ideas, beliefs, values, norms, and language of a group. It captures the intangible elements that guide social interactions and worldview within a society.
- What is a taboo?
- A norm prohibiting behavior seen as extremely offensive. Taboos protect societal boundaries by forbidding acts that could undermine cultural integrity.
- What is a norm in cultural terms?
- A shared expectation for appropriate behavior in a group. Norms guide social interactions by establishing behavioral standards.
- What is the difference between folkways and mores?
- Folkways: mild norms; mores: morally significant norms. Violating folkways causes mild disapproval; violating mores causes outrage.
- What is ethnocentrism?
- Judging other cultures by the standards of one's own culture. Often leads to prejudice and misunderstanding of others.
- What is a norm in the context of culture?
- A shared rule or expectation for behavior in a group. Norms function to maintain social order by guiding expected behaviors in various contexts.
- What is nonmaterial culture?
- Ideas, beliefs, values, norms, and symbols of a group. These intangible elements shape behavior and social organization.
- What is culture in the MCAT sociological sense?
- Shared beliefs, values, norms, and practices learned socially. Encompasses all aspects of social life transmitted through interaction.
- What is a symbol in culture, and what does it do?
- Anything representing something else; conveys shared meaning. Symbols enable abstract communication through shared cultural understanding.
- What is a belief in cultural terms?
- A conviction accepted as true by an individual or group. Beliefs form the cognitive foundation of cultural worldviews.
- What is a sanction?
- A reward or punishment used to enforce norms. Sanctions maintain conformity through social control mechanisms.
- What is assimilation as a cultural process?
- Complete adoption of a new culture with loss of original culture. Results in minority groups becoming indistinguishable from dominant culture.
- What is a folkway, and what is the typical sanction for violating it?
- Informal norm; violation usually brings mild disapproval. Examples include etiquette rules like table manners or dress codes.
- What is language as an element of culture?
- A symbolic communication system that transmits culture. Language enables cultural transmission across generations.
- What is multiculturalism?
- Maintaining multiple cultural traditions within one society. Promotes cultural diversity and equal respect for different traditions.
- What is multiculturalism as a societal approach to diversity?
- Maintaining multiple cultural traditions within one society. Promotes cultural diversity and equal respect for all traditions.
- What is culture in the sociological sense as tested on the MCAT?
- Shared beliefs, practices, norms, and symbols transmitted socially. This encompasses the foundational sociological view of culture as a socially transmitted system shaping group behavior and identity.
- What is the difference between formal and informal sanctions?
- Formal: institutional; Informal: interpersonal/social reactions. Formal involves laws/policies; informal involves peer pressure.
- What is acculturation?
- Adopting traits of another culture after sustained contact. Involves partial cultural change while maintaining original identity.
- What is a taboo?
- A norm that forbids a behavior viewed as highly offensive. Often culturally specific, like incest or cannibalism prohibitions.
- What is culture shock?
- Disorientation and stress after exposure to an unfamiliar culture. Culture shock arises from the psychological challenge of navigating unfamiliar norms and symbols.
- What is language as a cultural element?
- A symbolic communication system that transmits culture. Language preserves and passes cultural knowledge across generations.
- What is nonmaterial culture?
- Ideas and meanings such as norms, values, beliefs, and symbols. The intangible aspects that shape behavior and social organization.