AS Sociology Lesson 2 – Culture

Compare and Contrast

What differences and similarities do you notice?

Market Place Task You will be split into 5 groups and allocated a piece of writing which as a

group you will turn into a poster.

You will create 4 quiz questions which will be used in the recap part of the task.

Once you have completed this task, you will leave behind an expert who will teach the information in your poster to students from other groups.

Once the remaining members of the group have gathered their information from the other tables, they will re-join their original table and teach them the information gathered.

Quiz

Culture – key terminology When looking at the concept of culture there are key words

which you MUST know and be able to explain in detail.

1. NORMS, 2. VALUES, 3. MEANINGS, 4. STATUS, 5. ROLES, 6. IDENTITY.

NORMS

Social expectations or rules about how people should or should not behave.

Those tend to be context based such as the use of slang when talking to your friends is fine (informal situation) but you would not talk in slang at a job interview or to your teachers/principal (formal situation).

VALUES Values are the things that we as a society will regard as

important, the most significant standards or principles in our lives.

This concept again depends on the culture in which you live, for example in the UK education is something that is valued for all children regardless of gender whereas in Afghanistan females being educated is less important than them being prepared for matrimony.

Watching the English

Fox (2004)

STATUS Status or ones social standing in society can be

distinguished in two ways according to sociologist.

Ascribed – born with, such as gender or ethnicity, Achieved – worked for, such as in Western society through

the means of education or even marriage.

ROLES Social roles according to sociologist are a set of expectations

which are applied to a particular social status.

Nuns, priests, vicars are supposed to be holy and unselfish, Soldiers are seen to be brave and disciplined, Police officers are seen to be law abiding and fair, Fathers/husbands are seen to be authoritarian and the

breadwinner, Mothers/wives are seen to be nurturing and the homemaker.

ROLES CONTINUED…. However there is a clear dilemma that occurs when looking at

the concept of roles, which is called ROLE CONFLICT.

Role conflict is due to the fact that individual members of society are likely to have various roles which are subject to different expectations. Those at times may conflict through trying to meet all those expectations.

How would role conflict be demonstrated for a female student who also does modelling and is part of the police cadets ?

IDENTITY

Identity Identity refers to the way we see ourselves in relation to

other people – what makes us similar to some people and different from others (p.11)

Social identity – membership, group affiliation. Cecil (1993) – study of Protestant and Catholics.

Culture key terminology (exam link) The terms listed below have and again could come up as part of

your 8 mark exam question. 1. NORMS, 2. VALUES, 3. MEANINGS, 4. STATUS, 5. ROLES, 6. IDENTITY, 7. GLOBAL CULTURE, 8. POPULAR CULTURE,9. SUBCULTURE,

8 mark question – mini tutorial In order to answer the 8 mark question of your exam you will

be required to do the following:

1. Provide the textbook definition of the concept which you have been given, (4)

2. Provide two clear and detailed examples of your concept in context. 2x(2)

3. In order to structure your answer well feel free to separate your examples by clearly stating:

“The first way is ….. The second way is ….”

Define the concept of popular culture. Illustrate your answer with examples (8)