Sociology Ch. 3 – Flashcards

Knowledge, values, customs, and physical objects that are shared by members of a society

A specific territory inhabited by people who share a common culture

Innate (unlearned) patterns of behavior

automatic reaction to physical stimulus

Impulse to reduce discomfort

The study of the biological basis of human behavior. It combines Darwin's theory of natural selection with modern genetics

Things that stand for or represents something else

(Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis) Theory stating that our idea of reality depends largely upon language

Rules defining appropriate and inappropriate behavior

Norms that lack moral significance

Norms that have moral dimensions and that should be followed by members of the society

A rule of behavior, the violation of which calls for strong punishment

A norm that is formally defined and enforced by officials

Rewards and punishments used to encourage people to follow norms

Sanctions imposed by persons given special authority

Rewards or punishments that can be applied by most members of a group

Broad ideas about what is good or desirable shared by people in a society

Ideas, knowledge, and beliefs that influence people's behavior

Ideas about the nature of reality

The concrete, tangible objects of a culture

cultural guidelines that group members claim to accept

actual behavior patterns of members of a group

the process of finding something that already exists

the creation of something new

the borrowing of aspects of culture from other culture

groupings of persons who share a social characteristic

A group that is part of the dominant culture but that differs from it in some important respects

a subculture deliberately and consciously opposed to certain central beliefs or attitudes of the dominate culture

Judging others in terms of ones own cultural standards

General culture traits that exist in all cultures Ex: cooking, sports, education, etiquette

The ways in which a culture expresses universal traits

Symbols, Language, Values, and Norms Values breaks down into Folkways, Mores, and Laws

Internalization Santions- Positive, Negative, Formal, and Informal

You learn something and it becomes a normal habit without you even noticing you do it anymore. Ex: Stopping at a stop sign when driving

1. Positive Ex: Rewarded with money or a raise at a job 2. Negative Ex: Hit the person being taught 3. Formal Ex: Give you raise for job 4.Informal Ex: Friends give you dirty looks/silent treatment

The animal kingdom bases everything off instinct, they are like hard wired (Flight/Fight response). Humans have reflex- automatic response. Humans also have a hard drive- eating, drinking, sleeping, etc.

Culture changes expression of biological trade (crying in pain). Culture provides the blueprint that people in a society use to guide their relationships with others.

Heredity affects social behavior because you pick up your traits from your parents. They teach you how to act and what the proper way to react to certain situations is.

Language and culture are related because language frees humans from the limits of time and place, it allows us to create culture.

Knowledge, values, customs, and physical objects. There is a material side and a nonmaterial side.

Cultural diversity arises by having groups that differ in particular ways from the larger culture.

A language will have/use many words to describe something. The culture is reflected on those words.

Different cultures use different things/ have different ways of life. It can change a persons perception on the world by learning new things and learning how they life and how it differentiates from their culture. It can also help people respect others culture.

Norms are rules defining appropriate and inappropriate behavior. Teaches people whats right/wrong based on their culture.

You can learn the norms of their culture so you are able to know how to act if you visit their culture.

Folkways are norms that lack moral significance. Mores are norms that have moral dimensions and that should be followed by members of the society. A law is a norm that is formally defined and enforced by officials.