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Cultural Influences. Chp. 16 with Duane Weaver. Outline. Culture and Culture Variability Norms Myths Rituals Sacred & Profane Consumption Desacralization/Sacraliztion. Culture and Culture Variability.
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Cultural Influences Chp. 16 with Duane Weaver
Outline • Culture and Culture Variability • Norms • Myths • Rituals • Sacred & Profane Consumption • Desacralization/Sacraliztion
Culture and Culture Variability • Culture: Values, ethics, rituals, traditions, material objects and services produced or valued by the members of a society • A cultural system consists of 3 functional areas: Ecology SocialStructure Ideology Adaptation to habitat How social order is maintained Shared ethos: moral and aesthetic values
Culture Variability Although every culture is different, four dimensions account for most of the variance: Power Distance Uncertainty Avoidance How the society handles ambiguity (religion?) Power impact on relationships Masculinity/Femininity Individualism How a society defines gender roles (examples?) Collectivist or individualist focused society?
Norms Rules that govern what is right or wrong. Norms Explicitly decided Culturally embedded Enacted Norms Crescive Norms Subtleties (suggested appropriate behaviour) - dressing, dining… Rules/guides Taboos - punishable Customs Mores Conventions
Myths Myth: a story containing symbolic elements that expresses the shared emotions and ideals of a culture • Myths serve four interrelated functions in a culture Explain the origins of existence Metaphysical Emphasize that all components of the universe are part of a single picture Cosmological Help maintain social order by authorizing a social code Sociological Provide models for personal conduct Psychological
Rituals • Ritual • A set of symbolic behaviours that occur in a fixed sequence and tend to be repeated periodically. • (Let’s discuss Table 16-1 for examples) • Ritual Artifacts • Items used in the performance of rituals • Wedding cakes, birthday candles…(others??)
Sacred and Profane Consumption • Sacred Consumption • Involves objects and events that are set apart from normal life and are treated with some degree of respect or awe • Profane Consumption • Involves consumer objects and events that are ordinary or of the everyday world • Domains of Sacred Consumption SacredPlaces SacredPeople SacredEvents
Desacralization & Sacralization • Desacralization • A sacred item or symbol is removed from its special place, or is duplicated in mass quantities (Eiffel tower, Mona Lisa) • It becomes profane as a result • Sacralization • When ordinary objects, events or people take on sacred meaning to a culture or to specific groups within a culture • The Stanley Cup (hockey) • World Cup (soccer) • Confucius • Abraham Lincoln