What is culture? 2018 Conversa.on

Transcription

1 What is culture? 2018 Conversa.on

2 The dictionary definition: NOUN: The totality of socially transmi<ed behavior pa<erns, arts, beliefs, ins.tu.ons, and all other products of human work and thought. These pa<erns, traits, and products considered as the expression of a par.cular period, class, community, or popula.on: Edwardian culture; Japanese culture; the culture of poverty. These pa<erns, traits, and products considered with respect to a par.cular category, such as a field, subject, or mode of expression: religious culture in the Middle Ages; musical culture; oral culture. The predomina.ng aitudes and behavior that characterize the func.oning of a group or organiza.on. Intellectual and ar.s.c ac.vity and the works produced by it. Development of the intellect through training or educa.on. Enlightenment resul.ng from such training or educa.on. A high degree of taste and refinement formed by aesthe.c and intellectual training. Special training and development: voice culture for singers and actors. The cul.va.on of soil;.llage. The breeding of animals or growing of plants, especially to produce improved stock. Biology The growing of microorganisms,.ssue cells, or other living ma<er in a specially prepared nutrient medium. Such a growth or colony, as of bacteria. h<p://educa.on.yahoo.com/reference/dic.onary/entry/culture

3 Let s narrow it down... The predomina.ng aitudes and behavior that characterize the func.oning of a group or organiza.on.

4 Culture is the total way of life that a group of people share. Customs Beliefs Values Non- verbal communica.on Ins.tu.ons

5 Visible or Invisible? People oyen describe cultures by things that can be easily no.ced: food, language, architecture, clothing, music and so on. Customs, beliefs and values are not so easily no.ced, but this cultural differences oyen are the major cause of true culture shock.

6 Example of customs How do people get married? (why people get married, however, would be an example of values )

7 Values What do parents teach their children about right and wrong?

8 Beliefs Which religion do most people in the group follow? What are the most common political beliefs?

9 Cultural institutions How are the group s schools/hospitals/ prisons organized?

10 Non-verbal communication? Some anthropologists estimate that language accounts for only 35% of communication; the other 65% comes from non-verbal communication, basic cultural assumptions, and values. these gestures and facial expressions do not always mean the same thing!

11 The total way of life for a group Culture can also be defined as all the ways of living or human-made systems built up by a group of people and passed on from generation to generation.

12 Key concepts to remember (1) Just as you cannot always see a piece of dirt on the glasses you are wearing, your own culture is often invisible to you!

13 Key concepts to remember (2) Every human being belongs to at least one culture. ( At least one? )

14 Key concepts to remember (3) All culture is learned behavior and thinking. (Babies are born without culture!)

15 All cultures are alive, which means all cultures are constantly changing.

16 Key concepts to remember (5) Culture helps us to define who we are ME

17 Key concepts to remember (6) Most people think their own culture is best. This is called ethnocentrism, and while it is a normal reac.on, students of culture must avoid this type of thinking. Cultures are different, but difference does not mean one culture is right and the other is wrong.

18 Other cultural concepts

19 Sub-cultures It s possible to divide one culture into sub- cultures because of race, gender, age, ethnic groups, social class, religion, or geographical area (especially in countries with large land areas).

20 Maslow s Hierarchy of Needs People are the same in their basic human needs, but differ in their preferred way of meeting those needs; culture defines the preferred way of meeting those needs. Hierarchy means a way of ranking some things higher than others.

21 Maslow s Hierarchy of Needs PHYSIOLOGICAL SAFETY/SECURITY LOVE & BELONGING SELF-ESTEEM SELF-ACTUALIZATION

22 The rules of the game We think what we think, we do what we do, mostly because our culture gives us the rules of the game. What if those rules suddenly change? Real culture shock does not mean experiencing something new culture shock is the psychological process of adap.ng to the new rules!