Exam 2: Culture.

Norms are also classified according to their relative social importance. __________ are informal norms or everyday customs that may be violated without serious consequences within a particular culture. They provide rules for conduct but are not considered to be essential to society's survival.

The United States is referred to as a heterogeneous society, meaning that it includes people who are dissimilar in regard to social characteristics such as religion, income, or race/ethnicity.

Distinguish between high culture and popular culture, and relate sociologist Pierre Bourdieu's cultural capital theory.

A(n) __________ is an unlearned, biologically determined behavior pattern common to all members of a species that predictably occurs whenever certain environmental conditions exist.

Discuss how cultural diversity influences society and individuals.

Taboos are mores so strong that their violation is considered to be extremely offensive and even unmentionable. In the United States, incest, or sexual or marital relations between certain categories of kin, is regarded as a taboo.

"American society stands for equal opportunity for all." This statement exemplifies __________ culture, which refers to the values and standards that people in a society profess to hold

Anthropologist George Murdock compiled a list of cultural universals and divided them into four categories: appearance (bodily adornment and hairstyles), activities (sports and games), social institutions (family and religion), and customary practices (cooking and hospitality).

Eric is attending classes at the local college. He believes in the idea of success, but he does not spend as much time as he could studying to achieve a higher grade point average. His behavior is an example of __________ culture.

A __________ is a temporary but widely copied activity followed enthusiastically by large numbers of people. Most are short-lived novelties.

The largest religious group in the U.S. is made up of Roman Catholics.

_______ food refers to crops that are gown without the use of artificial fertilizers or most pesticides and that are processed without ionizing radiation or food additives, and to meat that is raised without antibiotics or growth hormones.

After having successfully negotiated an important business contract with a major client, Joyce's boss congratulated her and promised her a significant pay raise. In this situation, Joyce has received what sociologists refer to as a __________.

Prescriptive norms state what behavior is appropriate or acceptable. For example, norms based on custom direct us to open a door for a person carrying a heavy load.

According to Williams, two of our core American values are equality and religiosity.

According to sociologist Robin Williams, we cherish the ideal of __________ for the reason that Americans believe people are responsible for their own success or failure. Those who do not succeed have only themselves to blame because of their lack of ability, laziness, immorality, or other character defects.

When observing people from other cultures, many of us use our own culture as the yardstick by which we judge their behavior. Sociologists refer to this approach as cultural relativism and it is based on the assumption that one's own way of life is superior to all others.

Some norms are considered to be highly essential to the stability of society. __________ are strongly held norms with moral and ethical connotations that may not be violated without serious consequences in a particular culture.

Recent data gathered by the U.S. Census Bureau indicate that approximately __________ percent of the people in this country speak a language other than English at home.

A __________ is a group that strongly rejects dominant societal values and norms and seeks alternative lifestyles.