Summary
Summary Sociology Unit 1 Culture - What is culture?
- Institution
- WJEC
Sociology Unit 1. Acquiring culture. Culture. What is culture? Culture - basics. Summary notes. Condensed knowledge. Easy to use. Easy revision. Learn quickly.
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
Content preview
Defining cultureCulture term used describe way of life of a group of people. Refers to how Aspects of culture Culture & social control
they are expected to behave, what they tend to believe, & how they think. All Cultures can be very diverse, meaning that Rules are created & followed by most peopl
individuals are apart of a culture; may belong more than 1. they differ a great deal. Things that seem belong to that culture. People who do not f
Culture differs from society. It refers to the beliefs, traditions & ideas people normal in 1 culture are unacceptable in rules will experience punishment in some w
share. The people who share ideas form a society. another. E.g. many Muslims refuse to drink known as a sanction. Those who follow the
alcohol or eat pork. This idea is known as be admired. Two forms of control:
cultural diversity. • Formal control – institutions in society e
Material culture the physical things that people create & attach emotional Not everyone in a culture will follow all of force people to behave, linked to concep
meaning to. Clothing, houses, cars & food may mean a lot to people; these the cultural rules. If people break rules power.
items not just objects but symbols of something important. individually, they will be known as deviant. • Informal control - internalisation of mor
However, when entire social groups behave People who break moral codes known as
differently from most people, are known as
Non-material culture the ideas that people share, e.g. their rules, traditions, a subculture. E.g. drug users.
languages & history. Is important bc it helps people understand their social
world & gives them guidelines for how to behave.
Unwritten rules – the processes of informal control – Tr
The social construction of culture functionalist writer, pointed out that breaking rules can
Despite this, most people do not commit serious crimes
A social construction is any idea that is created & given special meaning by
people. E.g. motherhood; there is a distinct set of social rules for being a What is culture? criminals & deviants lacked proper socialisation.
good mother in Western culture, may vary from other cultures. Korean No. Unwritten rules & codes that control behaviour:
mothers expected be self-sacrificing to an extraordinary degree, British • Norms – expected behaviours for a culture
mothers may also want private & personal lives. Motherhood -> is a social • Mores – ways of behaving that are seen as good, or m
construction. Culture is a social construction bc it varies from social group to • Values – linked to the concept of non-material cultur
social group. • Beliefs – individual to the person & can influence how
• Roles – expected behaviours for any situation
Culture & social change • Status – person's standing or position in society
Collectivist cultures – are cultures tend to emphasise belonging to the group Few cultures stay the same over
as more important than personal freedom. E.g. China & Japan time. Any differences in the way
that people generally think, or act
Cultural diversity – term used de
can be seen as social change. E.g.
Individualistic cultures – are cultures tend to emphasise individual freedom & differences in behaviour between
roles & expected behaviours of
personal gain, sometimes at the expense of others. E.g. European & North More complex than simply comp
men & women. Women have
American cultures. cultures, though anthropologists
gained status & now take active
People learn their cultures from others around them. Children are this & shown how infinitely comp
part in society. Functionalists see
deliberately taught how to behave, & adults have to learn what to do in each different human cultures are. Hu
social change as a problem,
new situation they face. vary over time as well.
Marxists disagree.
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller annarosemcconaghy. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £6.46. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
53068 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy revision notes and other study material for 14 years now