GECSEL ANTHROPOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

Components of Culture

Types of Norms

1.Prescriptive Norm: is something you're expected to do.

Examples: Honor your father and your mother. Brush your teeth regularly.

2. Proscriptive norm is something you're expected not to do.

Examples: Thou shalt not kill. Keep off the grass.

These norms differ from culture to culture, and can be the exact opposite of expectations in other cultures.

DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS/PERSPECTIVE ON CULTURE

 THE SOCIOLOGICAL SELF

• From a classical sociological
perspective, the self is a relatively stable set of
perceptions of who we are in relation to
ourselves, others, and to social systems.

• The self is socially constructed in the sense that it is shaped through interaction with other people.

What does sociological perspective mean?

• At the heart of sociology is the sociological perspective, the view that our social backgrounds influence our
attitudes, behavior, and life chances.

• In this regard, we are not just individuals but rather social beings deeply enmeshed in society.

What is the importance of the sociological perspective?

• The sociological perspective invites us to look at our familiar surroundings in a fresh way.

• It encourages us to take a new look at the world we have always taken for granted, to examine our social
environment with the same curiosity that we might bring to an exotic foreign culture.

What are the 5 sociological perspectives?

• Functionalism - Functionalism, also called structural-functional theory, sees society as a structure with interrelated parts designed to meet the biological and social needs of the individuals in that society.

• Marxism - Marxism is a social, political, and economic theory originated by Karl Marx, which focuses on the struggle between capitalists and the working class. Marx wrote that the power relationships between capitalists and workers were
inherently exploitative and would inevitably create class conflict.

• Feminism - includes attempts to describe and explain how gender systems work, as well as a consideration of normative or ethical issues, such as whether a society's gender arrangements are fair.

• Social Action Theory - Social action is about people coming together to help improve their lives and solve. the problems that are important in their communities. It can broadly be defined. as practical action in the service of others, which is (i) carried
out by individuals or.

• Postmodernism. - Postmodernism, also spelled post-modernism, in Western philosophy, a late 20th-century movement characterized by broad skepticism, subjectivism, or relativism; a general suspicion of reason; and an acute sensitivity to the role
of ideology in asserting and maintaining political and economic power.

• Symbolic interactionism - is viewing society as composed of symbols that people use to establish meaning, develop views about the world, and communicate with one another. We are thinking beings who act according to how we interpret
situations.

What is a good example of symbolic Interactionism?

• While it might seem like a big name, symbolic interactionism is how your experiences add subjective meanings
to symbols and letters.

• For example, the word 'dog' is just a series of letters. Through your interactions with the letters 'dog', you see
this as a furry, four-legged canine.

What is Mead theory of the social self?

• Mead's theory of the social self is based on the perspective that the self emerges from social interactions, such
as observing and interacting with others, responding to others' opinions about oneself, and internalizing
external opinions and internal feelings about oneself.

What are Mead's stages of development?

George Herbert Mead suggested that the self develops through a three-stage role-taking process. These stages include
the:

• Preparatory stage - Mead theorized that there are three stages of self-development that we pass through during
childhood: Preparatory Stage (about age two or less): Children copy, or imitate, the behaviors of others around
them without sophisticated understanding of what they are imitating. ... Children only take on one role at a
time.

• Play stage - The play stage is one of the three central components of George Herbert Mead's seminal discussion
of the social foundation and development of the self. ... In essence, the self is situated in the individual's capacity
to take account of him/herself.

• Game stage. - What Is the Game Stage? Sociologist George Herbert Mead was interested in the way in which we
developed self-awareness. ... Game Stage (about age seven and up): Children learn their role in relation to
others and how to take on the role of everyone else in a game.

What is Mead's I and me theory?

 This process is characterized by Mead as the “I” and the “me. ”

The “me” is the social self and the “I” is the response to the “me. ”

In other words, the “I” is the response of an individual to the attitudes of

others, while the “me” is the organized set of attitudes of others which an
individual assumes.

What is Mead's role taking theory?

 George Herbert Mead states that the ability to take the role of the other is a process which underlies all human
interaction.

Through a consciousness of gestures, individuals constantly arouse in themselves responses which they evoke in others,
such that they are taking the attitudes of others into their own conduct.

What is Cooley's theory?

• The looking-glass self is a social psychological concept, created by Charles Horton Cooley in 1902, stating that a person's self
grows out of society's interpersonal interactions and the perceptions of others.

• People shape themselves based on what other people perceive and confirm other people's opinion on themselves.

What is Socialization?

Socialization is the process through which people are taught to be proficient members of a society. It describes the ways
that people come to understand societal norms and expectations, to accept society's beliefs, and to be aware of societal
values.

What are examples of socialization?

Interacting with friends and family, being told to obey rules, being rewarded for doing chores, and being taught how to
behave in public places are all examples of socialization that enable a person to function within his or her culture

What are the agents of socialization?

  Agents of socialization, or institutions that can impress social norms upon an individual, include the
family, religion, peer groups, economic systems, legal systems, penal systems, language, and the media.
1. Family. sets values, basic attitudes, self-image.

2. Mass media. Displays role Mandela for children to imitate.

3. Work. Emphasizes organization, responsibility.

4. Peers. Learn to deal with conflict, competition, empathy.

5. School. teaches discipline, order, cooperation, conformity.

6. Religion- Children are socialized into religion by their parents and their peers and, as a result, they tend to stay
in religions. Socialization through Religious Ceremonies: Religious ceremonies, such as Catholic
mass, socialize members of the faith to the practices and beliefs of the religion.

7. Language - Language socialization research has shown that language plays a crucial role in this process. ... That is,
through participation in routine interactions with more expert members of the community, novices
are socialized through the use of language and socialized to use language.

8. Sports - Socialization occurs through the social interaction that accompanies sport participation, and patterns of social
interaction in sports are influenced by many factors, including those external
to sport environments. Socialization through sport is tied to issues of identity and identity development.

9. Economic system- Economic socialization is described as such; helping children develop the skills to function
effectively in global economic world is a challenge. ... In a more condensed definition economic socialization is; Children
and adolescents developmental competencies in understanding and participating in economic process.

10. Legal socialization is the process through which, individuals acquire attitudes and beliefs about the law, legal
authorities, and legal institutions. This occurs through individuals' interactions, both personal and vicarious, with police,
courts, and other legal actors.

PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THR SELF

One's self-perception is defined by one's self-concept, self-knowledge, self-esteem, and social self.

Individualistic Cultures and Behavior

Culture is one factor that can have an influence on how people think and behave. One factor that cross-cultural
psychologists often study involves the differences and similarities between individualistic cultures and collectivist
cultures.

• Individualistic cultures are those that stress the needs of the individual over the needs of the group as a whole.
 • In this type of culture, people are seen as independent and autonomous. Social behavior tends to be dictated by
the attitudes and preferences of individuals.

• Cultures in North America and Western Europe tend to be individualistic.

Individualistic Culture Traits

• Chances are you have probably heard the terms

individualistic and collectivist cultures before, often in the
context of noting behavior and attitude differences
between the two types of societies. So what exactly makes
individualistic cultures different from collectivist ones?

• A few common characteristics of individualistic cultures

include:

• Being dependent upon others is often considered shameful or embarrassing

• Independence is highly valued

• Individual rights take center stage

• People often place a greater emphasis on standing out and being unique

• People tend to be self-reliant

• The rights of individuals tend to take a higher precedence

• In individualistic cultures, people are considered "good" if they are strong, self-reliant, assertive, and
independent. This contrasts with collectivist cultures where characteristics like being self-sacrificing,
dependable, generous, and helpful to others are of greater importance.

• A few countries that are considered individualistic cultures include the United States, Germany, Ireland, South
Africa, and Australia.

Individualistic vs. Collectivist Cultures

•
Collectivist cultures emphasize the needs and goals of the
group as a whole over the needs and desires of each
individual.

• In such cultures, relationships with other members of

the group and the interconnectedness between
people play a central role in each person's identity.

Collectivistic Culture Traits

• A few common traits of collectivist cultures include:

• Individuals define themselves in relation to others (for example, “I am a member of…”).

• Group loyalty is encouraged.

• Decisions are based on what is best for the group.

• Working as a group and supporting others is essential.

• Greater emphasis is placed on common goals than on individual pursuits.

• The rights of families and communities comes before those of the individual.

• Countries that are relatively more collectivistic include China, Korea, Japan, Costa Rica, and Indonesia.

• In collectivistic cultures, people are considered "good" if they are generous, helpful, dependable, and
attentive to the needs of others. This contrasts with individualistic cultures, which often place a greater
emphasis on characteristics such as assertiveness and independence.
• There are many other ways of greeting around the world including funny and strange ones.

• Most especially in Africa where they have different tribes and cultures, like the Maasai tribe of Kenya and Tanzania who greet friends by spitting on one
another.

• Spitting is still acceptable when greeting elders, but a younger tribesman traditionally spits on his own hand before offering it to older members of the
tribe as a sign of respect.