Unit 2 Flashcards
(28 cards)
Culture
knowledge, values, customs, and physical objects that are shared by members of a society
Society
a specific territory inhabited by people who share a common culture
Instincts
innate (unlearned) patterns of behavior
Reflexes
automatic reaction to physical stimulus
Drives
impulse to reduce discomfort
Sociobiology
the study of the biological basis of human behavior
Symbol
a thing that stands for or represents something else
Hypothesis of Linguistic Relativity
theory stating that our idea of reality depends largely upon language
Norms
rules defining appropriate and inappropriate behavior
Folkways
norms that lack moral significance
Mores
norms that have moral dimensions and that should be followed by members of a society
Taboo
a rule of behavior, the violation of which calls for strong punishment
Law
a norm that is formally defined and enforced by officials
Sanctions
rewards and punishments used to encourage people to follow norms
Formal sanctions
sanctions imposed by persons given special authority
Informal sanctions
rewards or punishments that can be applied by most members of a group
Values
broad ideas of what is good or desirable shared by people in a society
Nonmaterial culture
ideas, knowledge, and beliefs that influence people’s behavior
Beliefs
ideas about the nature of reality
Material culture
the concrete, tangible objects of a culture
Ideal culture
cultural guidelines that group members claim to accept
Real culture
actual behavior patterns of members of a group
Social categories
groupings of persons who share a social characteristic
Subculture
a group that is part of the dominant culture but that differs from it in some important respects