Agenda for 3/1

1. Different Cultures, Different Approaches to Parenting




2. What is culture?

The set of attitudes, values, beliefs, and behaviors shared by a group of people, but different for each individual, communicated from one generation to the next.

a. cultural universals - A cultural universal is an element, pattern, trait, or institution that is common to all human cultures worldwide.




Ex:

clothing/jewelry

religion

music

education

dancing

feasting

sport/recreation

art/entertainment

drug use

b. material culture -  material culture are the physical pieces of culture (artifacts) that you can see, taste, hear, wear and touch. 

Ex: fashion, clothes, magazines, newspapers, records, CDs, computer games, food, books, cars, houses and architecture—anything that people make or build.

c. nonmaterial culture - Non-material culture includes the behaviors, actions, ideas, norms, values, and beliefs of a society - or the way people think.

Ex: concepts such as good and evil, religion, gestures, rites of passage, table manners/eating habits, age of consent/adulthood, beliefs in the common good or individualism, or dating, marriage and mating habits.




d. culture shock - Culture shock is the disorientation a person may feel when experiencing an unfamiliar way of life due to being in a new culture.

Ex:

tipping

advertisements

eye contact

food/diet differences

dating/mating patters

beliefs on sex/nudity

beliefs of time

student-teacher relationships




3. What is reverse culture shock?




4. Weird things in American culture...

5. Read the following

In 1997, Annette Sorensen, 30, an actress from Copenhagen, Denmark, and Exavier Wardlaw, 49, a movie production assistant from Brooklyn, NY, were arrested for leaving their 14-month-old daughter outside a Manhattan restaurant on a chilly day while they ate inside the restaurant. They left the child in her baby carriage on the sidewalk. Many passersby called 911 to alert the police. New York authorities took the child away from her parents and temporarily placed her in foster care.

In an ensuing article in the New York Times, one Danish commentator observed that leaving a baby outside of a restaurant is a very common practice in Denmark. The commentator wrote, “Often, Danish parents. . . leave their babies outside. For one thing, Danish baby carriages are enormous. Babies ride high above the world on horse-carriage-size wheels. It’s hard to get such a carriage into a cafe. . . . Besides, Danish cafes are very smoky places.” The commentator continued, “In Denmark, people have an almost religious conviction that fresh air, preferably cold air, is good for children. All Danish babies nap outside, even in freezing weather—tucked warmly under their plump goose-down comforters. . . . In Denmark all children own a sort of polar survival suit that they wear from October to April and they go out every day, even in winter.”

A. What would be an ethnocentric interpretation of the parents’ actions?

ethnocentrism - Ethnocentrism, in contrast to cultural relativism, is the tendency to look at the world primarily from the perspective of one's own culture.

B. What would be a culturally relative interpretation of the parents’ actions?

cultural relativity - Cultural relativism is the idea that all norms, beliefs, and values are dependent on their cultural context, and should be treated as such.

6. How does culture influence our daily behavior and social interactions?

a. norms - Social norms are the explicit or implicit rules specifying what behaviors are acceptable within a society or group.

Ex:

eye contact

shaking hands/hugging

holding the door open

Greetings: What's up, How's it going? What's going on? How are you?

Asking a woman how old she is.

Asking someone how much money they make.

b. sanctions - a penalty, or some coercive measure, intended to ensure compliance of social norms, values, etc.

Ex:

legal: fines/arrest/jail/prison

detention/suspension

social judgement/isolation

romantic rejection

employment problems

c. mores - norms that are widely observed and have great moral significance. Mores are often seen as taboos; for example, most societies hold the more that adults not engage in sexual relations with children. Mores emphasize morality through right and wrong, and come with heavy consequences if violated.

Ex:

Incest

pre-marital cohabitation or sex

prostitution

drug use

racism

d. folkways - norms for more routine or casual interaction. This includes ideas about appropriate greetings and proper dress in different situations. In comparison to the morality of mores, folkways dictate what could be considered either polite or rude behavior. Their violation does not invite any punishment or sanctions, but may come with reprimands or warnings. An example to distinguish the two: a man who does not wear a tie to a formal dinner party may raise eyebrows for violating folkways; were he to arrive wearing only a tie, he would violate cultural mores and invite a more serious response.

Ex:

dress codes

waiting in line

raising your hand to speak

"civil inattention"

personal space

7. But not everyone in a society following exactly the same culture. What about groups that are outside of the dominant or common culture?

a. subculture - A subculture is a culture shared and actively participated in by a minority of people within a broader culture.

Ex: 

Any ethnic group (Native Americans, Chinese, Hispanics)

Religious groups (Jews, LDS/Mormons, Moonies) 

Teenagers

Vegans

Farmers or Cowboys or Coal Miners Tea Party Members

Homosexuals

Goths, Punks, Geeks, or Trekkers 

Knights of Columbus or Masons

Daughters of American Revolution 

b. counterculture - Counterculture is a term describing the values and norms of a cultural group that run counter to those of the social mainstream of the day.

Ex:

Jihadists or Nation of Islam

Fundamentalist Church of LDS (Bigamists) Gangs

PETA

Ku Klux Klan

Militias such as Huteree

Hippies

Hells Angels

Mafia

Neo Nazis or Skinheads

Soccer Hooligans (GB) 

Agenda for 2/29

1. Symbolic Interactionism Quiz

2. What is culture?

The set of attitudes, values, beliefs, and behaviors shared by a group of people, but different for each individual, communicated from one generation to the next.

3. What is the "dating culture" at TA?

4. Weird things in American culture...

5. Different Cultures, Different Approaches to Parenting

6. Important Culture Terms

material culture - In the social sciences, material culture is a term that refers to the relationship between artifacts and social relations. Examples of material culture include fashion, clothes, magazines, newspapers, records, CDs, computer games, books, cars, houses and architecture—anything that people make or build.

nonmaterial culture - Non-material culture includes the behaviors, ideas, norms, values, and beliefs that contribute to a society's overall culture. Examples are concepts such as good and evil, mythical inventions such as gods and underworlds, and social constructs such as promises and football games.

ethnocentrism - Ethnocentrism, in contrast to cultural relativism, is the tendency to look at the world primarily from the perspective of one's own culture.

cultural relativity - Cultural relativism is the idea that all norms, beliefs, and values are dependent on their cultural context, and should be treated as such.

cultural universals - A cultural universal is an element, pattern, trait, or institution that is common to all human cultures worldwide.

culture shock - Culture shock is the disorientation a person may feel when experiencing an unfamiliar way of life due to being in a new culture.

values - Values can be defined as broad preferences concerning appropriate courses of action or outcomes. Values reflect a person's sense of right and wrong, or what "ought" to be. Some examples of values are the concepts of "equal rights for all," "excellence deserves admiration," and "people should be treated with respect and dignity. " Values tend to influence attitudes and behavior.

norms - Social norms are the explicit or implicit rules specifying what behaviors are acceptable within a society or group.

sanctions - a penalty, or some coercive measure, intended to ensure compliance of social norms, values, etc.

mores - norms that are widely observed and have great moral significance. Mores are often seen as taboos; for example, most societies hold the more that adults not engage in sexual relations with children. Mores emphasize morality through right and wrong, and come with heavy consequences if violated.

folkways - norms for more routine or casual interaction. This includes ideas about appropriate greetings and proper dress in different situations. In comparison to the morality of mores, folkways dictate what could be considered either polite or rude behavior. Their violation does not invite any punishment or sanctions, but may come with reprimands or warnings. An example to distinguish the two: a man who does not wear a tie to a formal dinner party may raise eyebrows for violating folkways; were he to arrive wearing only a tie, he would violate cultural mores and invite a more serious response.

subculture - A subculture is a culture shared and actively participated in by a minority of people within a broader culture.

counterculture - Counterculture is a term describing the values and norms of a cultural group that run counter to those of the social mainstream of the day.

7. Core Values:

- Core values at TA?

- Core American Values?

These are guiding principles that are strongly and widely held, shared across demographic lines, and stable over time. Here we outline the Top 8 core values that Americans share:

1. Patriotism: The vast majority of Americans say that seeing the flag or hearing the national anthem makes them feel good. Maybe the more significant value Americans hold dear is the manner in which they choose to criticize the U.S—lovingly. The majority of Americans say that if they oppose some U.S. policies, it is because they want to improve the country. So even when people have different opinions about America, they still agree on core principles.

2. Belief in God-- About two-thirds of Americans say God is “very important” in their life, and this figure has not changed much over the decades. This value is uniquely American: Only 15 percent of the Dutch and of the Germans say God is very important in their lives, and less than a majority of our Canadian neighbors (46 percent) say the same. There are lots of disagreements about how this core belief in God is enacted and played out in American life, but belief in God is still a value that unites us.

3. Self-Reliance-- Individualism is coded in America’s DNA—the ideal of individual autonomy, liberty, and sovereignty goes back at least to Thomas Jefferson. Today, the influence of these values is still prevalent. Over 85 percent of Americans say they would rather depend on themselves than on others. About the same proportion say they rely on themselves most of the time.

4. Getting ahead-- American society is unique in the emphasis placed on achievement and success. Three of four Americans agree that getting ahead is important to them. Those who fail to get ahead suffer a defect of will, a lack of persistence, verve, or some other personal shortcoming. Most Americans recognize that forces larger than the individual affect our fates, yet this doesn’t change our strong-held faith in self-made achievement and success.

5. Equal Opportunities-- Well over 90 percent of Americans agree that everyone should have equal opportunities. The same can’t be said, however, for equality of outcomes. Many Americans support some version of this, but it’s far from a core value. While more than 70 percent of Americans believe the gap between rich and poor is too large, the solution to this problem leaves many divided. It’s the ability to have access to the same opportunities as others that truly unites us.

6. Freedom and Liberty--Freedom and liberty are deeply held American values that every generation inherits and passes on to the next. But their meaning is reinterpreted again and again. Almost all Americans agree, however, that freedom is being able to express unpopular ideas without fearing for one’s safety and having the right to participate in politics and elections. The meaning will continue to be debated—but the debate itself is a sign of health and freedom in our country.

7. Respect-- More than 90 percent of Americans agree that respect for people of different racial, ethnic and religious groups is important to them. This core value, however, gets complicated when it is applied. If minorities don’t do well in life, many Americans feel they have no one to blame but themselves. We proclaim respect for people of different race, ethnicities, and religions—but more than 70 percent of Americans say that immigrants should adopt American values. While Americans generally proclaim to value respect, we seem to put limits on it.

8. Free market-- Over 70 percent of Americans in each of the four polls I took agreed that the free market economy is best for our future. The polls were conducted in 2009 and 2010—bad times in our economy—so the economic recession hasn’t had a significant impact on this value. Free market ideology is intertwined with other core values:  freedom and liberty, individualism, achievement, and equality."

Source: http://www.everydaysociologyblog.com/2011/03/american-values-are-we-really-divided.html

8. Assignment #5 - American Values in Mass Media

A. Identify your YOUR top 3 values from the list above. Explain one way that each of your values has influenced how you live your life.

B. Find an advertisement, or piece of mass media (TV, movies, internet, social media) that promotes or utilizes each one of your values (one artifact per value).

C. Find an example (from an advertisement, piece of mass media, or anywhere) the demonstrates a person or group violating each of your top three values.

D. Find and take a photo of an example of each of your three values here at TA. 

Agenda for 2/26

1. What is the "dating culture" at TA?

2. Weird Things Americans do...

3. Different Cultures, Different Approaches to Parenting

4. Important Culture Terms

material culture - In the social sciences, material culture is a term that refers to the relationship between artifacts and social relations. Examples of material culture include fashion, clothes, magazines, newspapers, records, CDs, computer games, books, cars, houses and architecture—anything that people make or build.

nonmaterial culture - Non-material culture includes the behaviors, ideas, norms, values, and beliefs that contribute to a society's overall culture. Examples are concepts such as good and evil, mythical inventions such as gods and underworlds, and social constructs such as promises and football games.

ethnocentrism - Ethnocentrism, in contrast to cultural relativism, is the tendency to look at the world primarily from the perspective of one's own culture.

cultural relativity - Cultural relativism is the idea that all norms, beliefs, and values are dependent on their cultural context, and should be treated as such.

cultural universals - A cultural universal is an element, pattern, trait, or institution that is common to all human cultures worldwide.

culture shock - Culture shock is the disorientation a person may feel when experiencing an unfamiliar way of life due to being in a new culture.

values - Values can be defined as broad preferences concerning appropriate courses of action or outcomes. Values reflect a person's sense of right and wrong, or what "ought" to be. Some examples of values are the concepts of "equal rights for all," "excellence deserves admiration," and "people should be treated with respect and dignity. " Values tend to influence attitudes and behavior.

norms - Social norms are the explicit or implicit rules specifying what behaviors are acceptable within a society or group.

sanctions - a penalty, or some coercive measure, intended to ensure compliance of social norms, values, etc.

mores - norms that are widely observed and have great moral significance. Mores are often seen as taboos; for example, most societies hold the more that adults not engage in sexual relations with children. Mores emphasize morality through right and wrong, and come with heavy consequences if violated.

folkways - norms for more routine or casual interaction. This includes ideas about appropriate greetings and proper dress in different situations. In comparison to the morality of mores, folkways dictate what could be considered either polite or rude behavior. Their violation does not invite any punishment or sanctions, but may come with reprimands or warnings. An example to distinguish the two: a man who does not wear a tie to a formal dinner party may raise eyebrows for violating folkways; were he to arrive wearing only a tie, he would violate cultural mores and invite a more serious response.

subculture - A subculture is a culture shared and actively participated in by a minority of people within a broader culture.

counterculture - Counterculture is a term describing the values and norms of a cultural group that run counter to those of the social mainstream of the day.

5. Core Values:

- Core values at TA?

- Core American Values?

These are guiding principles that are strongly and widely held, shared across demographic lines, and stable over time. Here we outline the Top 8 core values that Americans share:

1. Patriotism: The vast majority of Americans say that seeing the flag or hearing the national anthem makes them feel good. Maybe the more significant value Americans hold dear is the manner in which they choose to criticize the U.S—lovingly. The majority of Americans say that if they oppose some U.S. policies, it is because they want to improve the country. So even when people have different opinions about America, they still agree on core principles.

2. Belief in God-- About two-thirds of Americans say God is “very important” in their life, and this figure has not changed much over the decades. This value is uniquely American: Only 15 percent of the Dutch and of the Germans say God is very important in their lives, and less than a majority of our Canadian neighbors (46 percent) say the same. There are lots of disagreements about how this core belief in God is enacted and played out in American life, but belief in God is still a value that unites us.

3. Self-Reliance-- Individualism is coded in America’s DNA—the ideal of individual autonomy, liberty, and sovereignty goes back at least to Thomas Jefferson. Today, the influence of these values is still prevalent. Over 85 percent of Americans say they would rather depend on themselves than on others. About the same proportion say they rely on themselves most of the time.

4. Getting ahead-- American society is unique in the emphasis placed on achievement and success. Three of four Americans agree that getting ahead is important to them. Those who fail to get ahead suffer a defect of will, a lack of persistence, verve, or some other personal shortcoming. Most Americans recognize that forces larger than the individual affect our fates, yet this doesn’t change our strong-held faith in self-made achievement and success.

5. Equal Opportunities-- Well over 90 percent of Americans agree that everyone should have equal opportunities. The same can’t be said, however, for equality of outcomes. Many Americans support some version of this, but it’s far from a core value. While more than 70 percent of Americans believe the gap between rich and poor is too large, the solution to this problem leaves many divided. It’s the ability to have access to the same opportunities as others that truly unites us.

6. Freedom and Liberty--Freedom and liberty are deeply held American values that every generation inherits and passes on to the next. But their meaning is reinterpreted again and again. Almost all Americans agree, however, that freedom is being able to express unpopular ideas without fearing for one’s safety and having the right to participate in politics and elections. The meaning will continue to be debated—but the debate itself is a sign of health and freedom in our country.

7. Respect-- More than 90 percent of Americans agree that respect for people of different racial, ethnic and religious groups is important to them. This core value, however, gets complicated when it is applied. If minorities don’t do well in life, many Americans feel they have no one to blame but themselves. We proclaim respect for people of different race, ethnicities, and religions—but more than 70 percent of Americans say that immigrants should adopt American values. While Americans generally proclaim to value respect, we seem to put limits on it.

8. Free market-- Over 70 percent of Americans in each of the four polls I took agreed that the free market economy is best for our future. The polls were conducted in 2009 and 2010—bad times in our economy—so the economic recession hasn’t had a significant impact on this value. Free market ideology is intertwined with other core values:  freedom and liberty, individualism, achievement, and equality."

Source: http://www.everydaysociologyblog.com/2011/03/american-values-are-we-really-divided.html

6. Assignment #5 - American Values in Mass Media

A. Identify your YOUR top 3 values from the list above. Explain one way that each of your values has influenced how you live your life.

B. Find an advertisement, or piece of mass media (TV, movies, internet, social media) that promotes or utilizes each one of your values (one artifact per value).

C. Find an example from advertisement, piece of mass media, American society the demonstrate a person or group violating each of your top three values.

D. Find and take a photo of an example of each of your three values here at TA. 

Academic Expo 2/25

- Who can take Sociology at TA?

• Juniors and Seniors

- What is sociology?

• Sociology is the systematic and scientific study of human social life. Sociologists study people as they form groups and interact with one another.

- What will I learn about in Sociology class at TA?

- What are the major topics of study?

I. The Sociological Perspective and Imagination

• What is sociology and how do sociologists study humans and their social interactions? 
• How do sociologists “think?”
• How does one develop a sociological imagination?
• Why is a sociological imagination necessary to understand the lives of other people?

II. Socialization, Culture and Social Institutions

• How do people learn the rules of society? How do people learn “their culture?”
• How are people taught to be members of a group?
• How/why are people organized into categories or groups?

 III. Gender and Sexual Violence

• What is the difference between sex and gender?
• What is a gender binary and how does this effect the way people understand themselves and interact with others?
• How are people taught to perform gender roles?
• How do our society’s views on sex and gender contribute to sexual violence?
• What effect does gender based violence have on people in America?

 IV. Drug Use in America and the War on Drugs

• What is the extent of drug use and abuse in America?
• What effect do drugs have on American society?
• Is drug abuse a criminal problem or health issue?
• How do the American government and law enforcement attempt to fight drug abuse? Have they been successful?
• What effect does the war on drugs have on people in America?
• How do countries throughout the world attempt to combat drug use and abuse? Have they been successful?

 V. Race, Ethnicity and Prejudice

• What is race? Is it real?
• How is race socially constructed?
• What effects do racial categories have on people in America?
• How does race provide privileges for some and disadvantages for others?

 VI. The Internet and Social Media

• How have the Internet, social media, and digital technology revolutionized the way people interact, communicate, form relationships, fight wars and learn?
• How has the Internet changed the way people are socialized?
• In what ways has the Internet positively affected society?
• In what ways has the Internet negatively affected society?

- How can society effect our lives?

• How do the "categories" others place you in effect your future? Read this short article about the effect of categories on our individual lives.
• Can your expectations for blind people effect their ability to see? Listen to this podcast about the effect of societal expectations on our individual lives.
• Are terrorists born or made? Watch this short video about how ISIS grooms young children to be the terrorists of the future.

6. Any questions about Sociology? Feel free to email Mr. Parise at brandon.parise@thorntonacademy.org.