Sociology Worksheet

1. What does the non-material culture involve?

It involves beliefs, ideas, and knowledge.
2. What does the “material culture” mean?
It means the relation of the physical objects to culture.

3. What is culture made up of?

Culture is made up of values, norms, knowledge, and ideas.

4. What do we mean by beliefs?

beliefs are ideas about the nature of reality. They can be true or false.

5. Give example to a false belief related to The Romans.

The Romans believed Caesar Augustus to be a god, and this is a false
belief.

6. Give example to a false belief about the Tribe of Madagascar.

They believed that the souls of their kings passed into snakes.

7. Why are beliefs important?

Beliefs are important because people base their behavior on what they
believe in.

8. What do we mean by the “ Ideal culture”

The ideal culture is cultural guidelines embraced by members of a society.

9. What do we mean by “ Real Culture”?

Real culture is the actual behavior patterns which could conflict with
these guidelines of the ideal culture.

10.Give example of real culture and ideal culture related to America.

Americans say that their ideal culture is honesty, yet in real culture
honesty is not really practiced, as some businessmen engage in dishonest
practices.
11.Does the fact that we sometimes ignore some cultural guidelines make the
ideal culture meaningless?
No, that is not true. The ideal culture is important whether people
followed it or didn’t.

12.The ideal culture provides which standards?

It provides high standards of behavior and communication

13.What does the ideal culture prevent?

It prevents deviant ( or abnormal) behavior.

14. Does culture change?

Yes, culture could change over the years. For example, middle class
women at a time of history were not encouraged to work, while now this
idea changed.

15.What are the reasons for the change of any culture?

1. Discovery ( you discover something that already exists)
2.Invention or creation of something new
3. Diffusion

16.Are teenage troubles only hormonal?

No, they are cultural as well.

17. Why could we find “ cultural diversity”

Cultural diversity is a result of social categories.

18.Who are the “ subculturers”?

Subculturers are groups that have some ways of thinking, feeling, and
behaving that set them apart from the broad culture of the society.

19.Where could we find “ subculturers ”

Subcultural groups could be found in large or complex societies.
20.What do we mean by “ subculture ”
A subculture is part of the dominant culture but differs in some aspects.

21. What do we mean by a “ counter culture”?

Counterculture is a subculture that deliberately and consciously opposed
to certain beliefs or attitudes of the dominant culture.

22. What do we mean by “ Ethnocentrism”?

Ethnocentrism means to become strongly committed to your culture and

not able to imagine any other way of life. You may even judge others in
terms of your own standards.

23. What do we mean by “ cultural universals”?

Cultural universals are traits that exist in all cultures. They include marriage,
sports, cooking, education, funerals, and medicine.

24. How are cultural universals expressed?

Education, marriage, medicine, and sports, and funerals are not always
carried out in the same way. Different cultures have developed different
ways of expressing or dealing with these universals.

25. Why do cultural universals exist?

Because there are biological similarities shared by all human beings, and
because societies face many of the same social problems.