SOC 1010 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2-4: Cultural Relativism, Ethnocentrism, Sports School

• School: University of Iowa
• Department: Sociology
• Course: SOC 1010
• Professor: Lovaglia Michael

Document Summary

Culture: a system of meaning and behavior that outlines the way of life for beliefs, values, knowledge, art, morals, laws, a given group of society customs, habits, language, dress. Material culture: objects created in a given society such as buildings, literature, or toys. These are significant because of the meaning they are given. Nonmaterial culture: includes the norms, laws, customs, ideas, and beliefs. Scientists conclude that animals lack the elaborate symbol-based forms of of a culture. These are found in patterns of everyday life. knowing and communicating that are common in human culture. (chimpanzees learn behaviors by observing and imitating each other, elephants pick up and observe bonds of dead elephants) Culture shapes the physical and biological characteristics of humans. Ethnocentrism: seeing things from the point of view of only your own group/culture, can build group solidarity but limits intergroup understanding. Cultural relativism: judging and seeing others cultural norms differently in.