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6 Elements of Culture

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What is Culture?

The ways of life & knowledge of a grp of ppl According to Ralph Linton:

The knowledge, attitudes, & behavior patterns shared and

transmitted by the members of a society Culture

is passed on by parents, grandparents, teachers, etc & affects the way we think, what we believe (religiously &

morally), what we eat, what we wear, how we behave, howour society behaves

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#1= Social Organization The way a culture divides its society into smaller

structures/ groups Sociology= the study of the development,

organization, & functioning of society What is the most important social unit?

Family

Family patterns Nuclear family- wife, husb, kids.

Typical to industrialized societies Extended family- Several generations in one

household. Parents, kids, grandparents, aunts,uncles. Usually in developing nations.

Patriarchal- family where the oldest male makes thedecisions

Matriarchal- family where the oldest female makes allthe decisions

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Kinship= concept that everyone is relatedto someone There are rules (ie uncles cant marry nieces)

Clan= ppl w/in an ethnic grp who claim tobe descended from a common ancestor

Social Classes= rank ppl according tostatus in society Can be based on $, occupation, heredity,

education, etc Social mobility= chance to move up and

down the social ladder.

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#2- Customs & Traditions Rules of behavior (enforced by social pressures or by

written laws) ways of doing everyday things Basic moral values Language

Linguistics= the study of languages Language families- most langs have root in same source.

Largest major language family is the Indo-European Language

Clothes

Foods Education Occupation

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#3- Arts & Literature Products of human imagination teach us about

cultural values. Can encourage pride or criticize.

Includes: Painting Sculpture music

Drawing Theatre Literature architecture

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#4- Religion Helps ppl answer the basic questions about the

meaning of life; supports the values of a culture; canshape morals & ethics of a grp of ppl Monotheism- belief/worship of 1 god Polytheism- belief/worship of more than 1 god Animism- belief that everything in nature has a spirit The 5 Major World Religions:

Hinduism Buddhism Christianity Judaism Islam

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#5- Forms of Government Govt is designed to provide for

ppls common needs - keepingorder in society & protecting it fromoutside threats

Refers to the person(s) who holds pwr and to societys laws & institutions. Types of Govt:

Democracy- the ppl have supreme

pwr. Govt acts by & w/ their consent Republic- ppl choose the leaders whowill represent them

Dictatorship- a ruler (or grp acting as1) holds pwr by force. Often usesmilitary to stay in office.

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#6- Economic Systems How ppl use limited resources to satisfy their wants & needs

3 questions : What goods & services should we produce? How should we produce them? For whom should we produce them?

Traditional economy- ppl prod most of what they need tosurvive. Hunting/gathering or farming/herding societies.

Market economy- indivs answer the econ questions by buying &selling goods & services

Command economy- govt controls what goods are prod, how

they are prod & what they cost. Indivs have little econ pwr Mixed economy- indivs make some decisions & govt makes

others