Culture, Demographics, and Social Inequality Flashcards
(122 cards)
Culture
refers to a shared way of life, including beliefs and practices that a social group shares
Symbolic culture
consists of symbols that are recognized by. people of the same culture
Material culture
involves physical objects or artifacts (clothing, hairstyle, food, design of homes)
Non-material culture
specific to social thoughts and ideas, such as values
Popular culture
used. to describe. features of. culture that appeal to the masses, often those communicated through mass media
High culture
describes those features often limited. to the consumption of the elite
Values
can. be defined as a culture’s standard for evaluating what is good or bad
Belief
convictions or principles. that people hold
Norms
visible and invisible rules of social conduct within a society
Cultural Diffusion
transfer of elements of culture from one social group to another
Cultural compentence
effective interactions between people from different cultures
Cultural transmission
process through which this information is spread across generations, or the mechanisms of learning
Social change
societies experience a change in state. Can be subtle, like development of new linguistic phrases or radical like revolution
Cultural lag
cultures take time to catch up with technological innovations; social problems and conflicts are caused by this lag
Culture shock
personal disorientation a person may feel when experiencing an unfamiliar way of life. due to immigration, a visit to a new country, or a move between social environments
Reverse culture shock
involves same experiences, but upon an individual’s return to their initial environment
Assimilation
the process by which a person or a group’s culture comes to resemble those of another group
Multiculturalism
the preservation of various cultures or cultural identities within a single unified society
Ethonocentrism
the belief in the inherent superiority of ones own ethnic group or culture
Cultural Relativism
the principle that an individual human’s beliefs and activities should be understood by others in terms of that individual’s own culture
Population growth rate
the rate of population change in a specified time period, reported as a percentage of the initial population
Overpopulation
there are more people than can be sustained
Carrying capacity
total possible population that can be supported with relevant resources. and. without significant negative effects in a given area
Population projections
estimates of future populations made from mathematical extrapolations of previous data