SOC 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Dorothy Swaine Thomas, Cultural Relativism, Sociobiology
Document Summary
Culture the artifacts and ways of thinking, feeling, and acting that are part of any society. Sociobiology the view that genes and other aspects of human biology influence human behavior and values. Eugenics the view, popular in the early 20th century, that certain categories of people were biologically inferior and hence should be sterilized. Nonmaterial culture the symbols, language, norms, and values that constitute a major part of a society"s culture. Material culture an element of culture consisting of society"s material objects or artifacts. Symbols things that stand for something else and that often evoke various reactions and emotions. Gestures movements of the hand, arm, head, and other parts of the body that are meant to convey ideas or emotions nonverbally. Sapir whorf hypothesis the view that language influences the thoughts and perceptions of people in a society. Formal norms- norms that are very important and usually written down; also called laws and mores.
