Transcript Culture - 2015 Intro to Sociology

What is society?
3 major theories in sociology
Society is like…
1) the human body. Every part
serves a function
Structural functionalism
2) the NFL. Everyone is in
competition
Conflict Theory
3) like a High School. We are
labeled and influenced by others
Symbolic Interactionsim
Culture
•Advantage Walk
•Values
•Assignment 3 details
•Culture Shock
BEFORE CLASS: Have you
been outside the U.S.?
As you enter, write the names
of any countries you have
visited or lived in on the
board.
Use a tally mark if someone
has already written it.
•Culture and Technology
“From my own experience, there is no question that the speed
with which you are able to achieve your goals is directly related
to how clearly and how often you visualize them.”
–Charles Givens (best-selling author of financial literacy books)
Social Location - Advantage Walk
Reflections
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Goal:
Not to focus on the number
But to think about life circumstances
Social Location - Advantage Walk
Common themes in reflections
Obstacles:
• finances
• relationships with parents
• language barriers
• unsafe neighborhood
• loss of loved one
• education
Social Location - Advantage Walk
Common themes in reflections
Biggest advantages listed:
• Parents/family support
• Education
• Safety
• Living in U.S.
• neighborhood
• The list reflects SOME aspects of social location,
outlines some of the topics we will look at this
semester
7:45
Social Location - Advantage Walk
The purpose of this exercise is to promote
understanding of the intricacies of social location in
American society
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9:30
Social Location - Advantage Walk
The purpose of this exercise is to promote
understanding of the intricacies of social location in
American society
-15
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-12
-11
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Culture
Total way of life
shared by members of a community bound together
by common
-history
-geographic location
-language
-economic level
-religion
5 Characteristics of Culture
• Is learned
• Is taken for granted
(“the last thing a fish would notice is water”)
• Is symbolic
• Is constantly changing
• Effects how we perceive
evaluate the world around us
and
How is American culture viewed by others?
View International Student Experience
Colombia University International Business Students
View Part 2
Culture exists on 3 levels
Symbolic
Behavioral
Our beliefs and What we do (how
values we behave)
Non-material culture
Concrete
Artifacts, music,
food, and artistic
works
Material culture
What culture is NOT
Think of a typical “multicultural day”
• Just artifacts or material used by a people
• Biological traits such as race
Values:
shared beliefs about what is important
• General guidelines for
behavior
• Ex: respect for elders
• Ideas of what people
should give importance to
What do you we value in
the United States?
Values in the U.S.
Sociologist Robin Williams identified the following as core values in
the U.S. in 1965
• Achievement and success
• Individualism
• Activity/Work
• Efficiency and practicality
• Science and technology
• Material comfort
• Love
• Education
• Freedom
Do we have the
same values now?
Value contradictions:
two different values that can contradict each other
Example: material comfort can contradict concern for
the environment
Value Contradictions. Do some of these
values contradict each other? How so?
• Achievement and success
• Individualism
• Activity/Work
• Efficiency and practicality
• Science and technology
• Material comfort
• Love
• Education
• Religion
•
•
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•
•
•
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Healthy Lifestyles
Concern for the
Environment
Freedom
Self-fulfillment
Progress
Humanitarianism
Equality
Safety
Example: Material comfort and concern for the environment
Ideal Culture vs Real Culture:
one value that a society feels is important but may not
really value
Example: education (free public education for K-12, but
also lots of budget cuts)
Ideal Culture vs Real Culture: one value that a
society feels is important but may not really value
Example: safety for children
Ideal culture vs. Real culture
Do we really value what we like to say we value?
Discuss in groups of 1-3
4 mins
1. Pick one value.
2. What are some ways we do value this?
3. What are some ways we do not?
Love
Freedom
Equality
Work/productivity
Healthy lifestyles
Environmental concern
Religion
Humanitarianism
(helping others)
Value
contradictions:
Ideal Culture vs
Real Culture: one
two different values
that can contradict
each other
value that a society
feels is important but
may not really value
Cultural Assignment #3
A#3: Bring in a cultural artifact (any item that has
meaning to you, not just ethnic culture) prepare to
share what it means
*Cannot be a picture
*Cannot be car keys or cell phone
*Must be in class for points
Race/ethnicity/nationality
Language
Gender
Socio-economic status
Age
Sports
Religion
Political ideology
Interests/hobbies
Experiences
*You will need the textbook for the assignment
*Test #1 coming up Feb 11th, study guide will be posted
next week
Class Policies: Respect
AND HAVE
•
Cell phones must be put away (not on desk, in
lap, or anywhere in sight).
•
Sidebar conversations and interruptions during
class are unacceptable .
Violation of classroom policies will lead to
disciplinary action.
Culture shock
Disorientation that occurs when entering an unfamiliar
culture
Enter with openness or
desire to learn
Enter with suspicion or
fear
Feeling confusion,
tension, embarrassment,
frustration
Feeling confusion,
tension, embarrassment,
frustration
Observe, listen, ask
questions
Criticize, judge,
withdraw, focus on why
your way is better
Understanding
Alienation, isolation
Culture Shock
Disorientation
that occurs when
entering an
unfamiliar
culture
Have you had experiences
with culture shock?
Have you had experiences with culture shock?
Ethnocentrism
• Using your own group’s ways of doing things as a
measure of what is normal
National Geographic-Roper
Survey of Geographic
Literacy
Asked Americans ages
18-24 which is the
world’s most spoken
language?
Mandarin
Russian
English
Arabic
Ethnocentrism
• Using your own group’s ways of doing things to
judge others
Ethnocentrism
• Has positive and negative aspects
+ Positive
- Negative
Creates in group loyalties • Judging
• Unites
•Discrimination
• Offensive
remarks/actions,
particularly when
traveling
•
What do sociologists do?
Sociologists in Colleges and Universities
◦ professors, researchers
 Sociologists in Government
◦ government research, evaluation
 Sociologists in Business
◦ market research, human resources
 Sociologists in Non-Profit Organizations
◦ researchers, activists, counselors
 Sociologists Serving the Public
◦ public officials
Technology and Culture
Do you think you are addicted to
technology?
Why or why not?
How are norms and values impacted by
technology?
How technology impacts society:
• Clown on Campus
• Multi-tasking, counting passes :50
Norms: shared rules of conduct
• Outline what is
acceptable,
appropriate
• Guide behavior
• Based on values
Value: respect for elders
Norm: give up your seat
on the bus if there is
someone elderly
standing
Cultural Assignment #3
Due next class:
Reading
A#3: Bring in a cultural artifact (any item that has meaning to you,
not just ethnic culture) prepare to share what it means
*Cannot be a picture
*Cannot be car keys or cell phone
*Must be in class for points
Race/ethnicity/nationality
Language
Gender
Socio-economic status
Age
Sports
Religion
Political ideology
Interests/hobbies
Experiences
3 Ways to Participate
1. Make a connection
Class to self connection
“This reminds me of something that happened to me (or my
friend/family member/ co-worker)…”
Class to class connection (psych, polisci, hist, anth, econ…)
Class to world connections (news, travels, life experience)
Ways to Participate
2. Agree
“I agree with Sara and I want to add…”
“I agree with Sara’s opinion, but for a different reason…”
“Another example of…is…”
Ways to Participate
3. Disagree (don’t think you’re the only one)
“I don’t think that is always the case, for example…”
“I understand Jason’s point, but I have also heard the argument…”
“I think there are some exceptions…”
“Someone on the other side of that topic might say…”
“An example of when that is not always the case might be…”
Allow others to finish their thoughts before adding yours (do not
interrupt)
Be respectful when you disagree, focus on their comment not
them as a person
Ways to Participate
4. Ask questions