Culture is shared Culture is socially constructed by human beings in interaction with one another. Cultural ideas and understandings are shared by a group of people who recognized the knowledge, attitudes, and values of one another.
Culture is both objective and subjective Objective culture Physical artifacts, language, clothing, food, decorative objects Subjective culture Attitudes, values, norms of behavior, social roles, meaning of objective cultural elements
Two ways to understand culture
Culture-specific approaches: helps to understand a particular cultural group, for ex. Native Americans
Culture-general approaches: helps to understand how culture affects the individual
The culture-learning process Sources of cultural knowledge and identity
Individuals in complex societies like the United States tend to identify themselves as belonging to various cultural and social groups, depending on their personal biographic
There are 12 major sources (attributes)
Cultural knowledge is transmitted by people and experiences We gain the knowledge that contributes to our cultural identities through interaction with various socializing agents.
Important socializing agents Family, school, House of worship, community, neighborhood, peer group, sports , arts, work place.
When we learn culture: socialization Primary socialization- of infants and young children by the family and early caregivers Secondary socialization- in childhood and adolescence, by the school, the religion affiliation, the peer group, the neighborhood, and the media Adult socialization- the work place, travel, and