[Last Name] 1

Darcel Bishop

SOC 130-01

Dr. S.E. Coleman

Chapter 3 Learning objectives

March 24th, 2019

 3.1: explain what culture is, how culture provides orientations to life, and what
practicing cultural relativism means.
Culture is the way we think, act, and material objects that forms a people’s way of life
together. It gives us orientation depending on your background or nationality that’s where
you learn everything about your culture. Cultural relativism means it tries to refocus our
lens of perception in order for us to value other ways of life.

 3.2: know the components of symbolic culture; gestures, language, values, norms,
sanctions, folkways, mores, and taboos; also explain the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis.
- Gestures: movements of the body to communicate with others as a shorter way to
convey messages without using words. Certain gestures around the world can lead to
misunderstanding, embarrassment.
- Language: system of symbols allowing people to communicate with each other. It’s
also the key to one generation passing culture onto the next one. It sets us apart as
being the only creatures that are self-conscience, aware of limitations and ultimate
mortality.
- Values: standards that people use to decide what is desirable, good and beautiful that
serve as broad guidelines for social living. It supports specific thoughts, or ideas that
people hold on to be true.
- Norms: rules and expectations that a society guides the behavior of its members.
- Sanctions: reactions people receive for following or breaking norms.
- Folkways: norms for routine or casual interactions.
- Mores: norms strictly enforced because they are the core values.
- Taboos: a norm so firm that the thought of its violation is received with disgust.

 3.3: distinguish between subcultures and countercultures.

Counterculture is the opposition to norms of society whereas subculture is a more small,
specific piece of culture that sets apart some segments of society.

 3.4: discuss the major U.S values and explain value clusters, value contradictions,
value clashes, how values are lenses of perception, and ideal versus real culture.
1. equal opportunity- most people in the U.S want equality
of opportunity giving everyone a chance to go through with their talent and efforts.
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2. achievement and success- American will praise personal

achievements especially when it comes to outdoing other people.
3. material comfort- making money and enjoying what life
buys you, even though money won’t buy you happiness.
4. activity and work- this culture takes pride in taking
control of something over reflecting about it.
5. practically and efficiency- we value what will get us
somewhere in life over what is just interesting.
6. progress- were hopeful people that believe the present of
today is better than the past.
7. science- were normal, intelligent people and our focus on science
explains our cultural habit to look down on emotion and instinct as knowledge.
8. democracy and free enterprise- people have rights that
government shouldn’t take away and having a fair political system is based on free elections.
9. freedom- people should take care of themselves and be
allowed to pursue their personal goals.
10. racism and group superiority- most people still get
judged based on there gender, race, ethnicity, and social class. Some of us feel were more equal
than others.
- value clusters: values that form a large whole when
together.
- value contradictions: values that go against one another
and you see a major force to have social change in society.
- value clashes: challenges in deep values are met with
strong refusal by people who hold them very close.
- value are lenses of perception: views lenses show are
what life should be, not what it currently is.
- ideal culture: people’s ideal values and norms; also goals
that are shown out for them
- real culture: norms and values people actually follow
instead of ideal culture

 3.5: explain what cultural universals are and why they don’t seem to exist.
They are values, norms, or cultural characteristics that’s found in every group. They don’t
exist because there’s no universal way to do any of it.