Exam 2: Culture

Explain the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis and its implications for understanding human language.

Language is an exclusively human characteristic.

A potential danger of applying __________ is that taken to its extreme it may be used to justify practices that violate human rights.

Define the concept of cultural imperialism.

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

Define cultural diversity and contrast homogeneous societies with heterogeneous societies.

Sociologists use the term __________ for the disorientation that people feel when they encounter cultures radically different from their own that challenge their own taken-for-granted assumptions about life.

Describe the functionalist, conflict theory, symbolic interactionist, and postmodern perspectives on culture, emphasizing the criticisms of each and the differences among them.

Sociologists agree that every culture is guided by a unique shared set of values.

__________ are rewards for appropriate behavior or penalties for inappropriate behavior.

Clay is a high-ranking executive of the Harley-Davidson Company. He is a member of the Free Wheelers, a motorcycle group. On the weekends, the Free Wheelers go camping and fishing and often sponsor community service programs. Clay would be considered a member of a(n) __________.

Most technological changes______________________________.

Theft, assault, and drug dealing are all violations of __________.

Discuss the concept of culture as "tool kit," and explain why this approach is important to understanding the human response to culture.

In the United States, __________ might include using a napkin when eating and saying "excuse me" after bumping into someone.

Democracy, belief in a Supreme Being, and understanding English are all examples of __________.

__________ state what behavior is inappropriate or unacceptable. Laws that prohibit stealing and norms against swearing in public are examples.

__________ is the transmission of cultural items or social practices from one group or society to another through such means as exploration, military endeavors, the media, tourism, and immigration.

__________ is the process of learning about something previously unknown or unrecognized. __________ is the process of reshaping existing cultural items into a new form.

__________ 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.