CHAPTER 2

Cultural Diversity
Section 1: The Meaning of Culture
Section 2: Cultural Variation 1

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Section 1: The Meaning of Culture
Objectives:

• Define the meaning of the term culture and explain how

material culture and non- material culture differ.
• Identify and describe the basic components of culture.

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 Culture
• Culture – consists of all the shared products of human
groups which include physical objects, beliefs, values,
and behaviors shared by a group
• Material Culture – are physical objects that people create
and use such as books, buildings, clothing, and cooking
• Nonmaterial Culture – are abstract human creations that
include beliefs, family patterns, ideas, and language

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 CULTURE
all the shared products
of human groups

Material Culture Non material Culture

physical objects that people abstract human creations
create and use

Examples Examples
automobiles, books, beliefs, family patterns, ideas,
buildings, clothing, language, political and
computers, and cooking economic systems, and rules

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 Basic Components of Culture
• Technology – physical objects and rules for using them
• Symbols – anything that represents something else and
has a shared meaning
• Language – the organization of written or spoken
symbols into a standardized system
• Values – shared beliefs about what is good and bad or
right or wrong
• Norms – shared rules of conduct

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 Norms
• Folkways – describe socially acceptable behavior but do not
have great moral significance attached to them.
• Mores – have great moral significance attached to them.
• Laws – written rules of conduct enacted and enforced by the
government.

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 Examining Culture
• Culture is continually changing,
with the introduction of new
material objects.
• Cultural traits – is an individual tool, act,
or belief that is related to a particular
situation or need.
• Cultural Complexes – a cluster of
interrelated traits.
• Culture Patterns – is the combination of
a number of culture complexes into an
interrelated whole.

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Section 2: Cultural Variation
Objectives:

• Describe cultural universals and explain why they exist.

• Explain what the terms ethnocentrism and cultural relativism
mean.
• Identify factors that account for variations among and within
cultures.

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 Cultural Universals

• Cultural universals – general traits common to all cultures

• Exist because some needs are so basic that all societies must
develop certain features to ensure their fulfillment

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Cultural Universals – features common to
all cultures.
Examples of cultural
Universals are:
- cooking
- dancing
- family
- feasting
- funeral
ceremonies
- gift giving

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 Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism

 Ethnocentrism is the tendency to view one’s own

culture and group as superior to all others.
 People in all societies are at times ethnocentric.
 When ethnocentrism is too extreme, cultural growth
may stagnate.
–  Limiting the number of immigrants into a society can cause this.
 Extreme ethnocentrism can also lead to conflicts such
as wars.

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- Arapesh Tribe – fathers are primary care
givers for children.
- Mothers do most of the chores that need to be done
- Boys are taught to be non-aggressive
- Girls are promised to a boy at age seven or eight.
- After they are promised the boy and girl live together.

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- The Mundugmor – The mother is the primary
care giver of children.
- Mothers carry the baby for a in a basket with no contact
with the mother.
- More aggressive nature.
- Men will have more than one wife.
- Men will trade their daughters for a new wife.

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 Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism

 Cultural relativism is the belief that cultures should

be judged by their own standards.
–  Researchers attempt to understand cultural practices from the point of view
of the people they are studying.
• Participant Observation useful

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 Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism

 Cultural relativism helps sociologists in understanding

why people in different societies have different cultural
norms.
–    e.g. the Sepoy Rebellion of India in 1857 (gunpowder cartridges were
sealed with pig or beef fat, both are religiously offensive to Hindu and
Muslims)

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 Factors That Account for Variations Among and Within Cultures

• Subculture – shared values, norms and behaviors that are not shared
by the entire population
• Counterculture – rejection of the major values, norms, and practices
of the larger society and replacing them with a new set of cultural
values
• The old older Amish are a good example of a counterculture. They have done everything they can to
demonstrate their separation from the world around them..

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