Culture Basics What is Culture Regional differences that

Culture Basics

What is Culture? • Regional differences that are the essence of Human Geography • Culture can be visible and invisible • What are the different elements of culture?

Definition of Culture • Culture is the specialized behavioral social patterns, understandings, adaptations, and social systems that summarize a group of people’s learned way of life. • The sum total of a group of people’s ways of living.

Culture Displays a Social Structure • Framework of roles and interrelationships of individuals and groups. • Individuals learn and adhere to the rules not only of the culture but of specific subcultures to which he/she belongs.

Components (structure) of Culture • • • Culture Traits Culture Complex Culture Region Culture Realm Globalization Small Large

Culture Traits • Smallest item of culture-building block of culture. • Learned behavior ranging from language spoken to tools to games. • They can be objects, techniques, beliefs, or attitudes.

CULTURE FINER POINTS Habits A collection of social customs produces a group’s material culture… its artifacts Another term for a custom is a culture trait A repetitive action by an individual Customs Habits are personal and are not an aspect of culture A repetitive action by a group to the extent that it becomes characteristic of the group

Culture Complex • Individual cultural traits that are functionally interrelated. • Examples include: religious complexes, business behavior complexes, sports complexes.

CULTURE FINER POINTS A culture complex is a group of culture traits or customs that are all interrelated and dominated by one essential, umbrella trait. For example: Eye liner Lip piercing Jet black reverse mullet Skinny jeans Stripes Fall Out Boy Y R E V S U O I R SEThe Emo Complex

Culture Regions • Culture traits and complexes have areal (spatial) extent. • Used to show the spatial extent of similar cultural areas. • Examples - Cajun Region http: //www. louisianamuseums. org/trail/images/map_cajun. gif

CULTURE REGIONS AND REALMS THE AREA ENCLOSED IN THE DOTTED LINE IS A CULTURAL REGION UNIFIED BY THE INFLUENCE OF THE TUAREG PEOPLES BOTH THE US AND CANADA ARE CULTURE REGIONS WHERE THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND PROTESTANT CHRISTIANITY ARE DOMINANT PUT TOGETHER, THE US AND CANADA FORM A CULTURE REALM (OR MACROCULTURAL REGION)CALLED NORTH AMERICA (THERE ARE 11 MACRO-CULTURAL REGIONS ON THIS MAP) A culture region is a formal or a functional region in which a common culture trait/custom prevails. A culture realm is a collection of smaller culture regions that share related cultural systems. A culture realm is also called a macro-cultural region.

CORE-DOMAINSPHERE MODEL The CORE-DOMAIN-SPHERE MODEL works with regions created by mapping cultural traits It states that culture regions do not have clear or distinct boundaries. CULTURE REGION: THE MUSLIM WORLD The model starts by creating a list of cultural traits and then mapping their regions on a map. The model then looks for overlaps in the various trait regions. Core: all/most traits are present Domain: most/some of the traits are present Sphere: a few traits are present CULTURE REGION: MORMON AMERICA Core All/most elements present The culture dominates Domain Most/some elements present Obvious but not dominant Sphere A few traits present Present but not obvious

CULTURE BASICS Sociofacts Social expressions… Political Forms Economic Forms CULTURE: The sum total of a group of people’s ways of living Mentifacts Value expressions… Religious Forms Philosophic Forms Artifacts Material expressions… Culture Food and Possessions Clothing and Shelter

Structure of Culture Two schools - different terms similar ideas

Two Schools of Thought to Structure Culture • Leslie White • Ideological subsystem – Ideas beliefs and knowledge of a culture and the ways these ideas are expressed in speech or other forms of communication. • Julian Huxley • Mentifacts – what we ought to believe, value and how we should act Mythology, theology, legend, literature, philosophy, language, and religion.

White Huxley • Technological subsystem • Artifacts • Material objects, together with the techniques of their use. Tools and weapons.

White Huxley • Sociological subsystem • Sociofacts • Sum of those accepted and expected patterns of interpersonal relations that find their outlet in economic, political, military, religious, kinship and other associations. • Defines the social organization of culture. • Dictates our social behavior. Family is best example in our society

Identify each of the following pictures as artifact, sociofact or mentifact - briefly explain your reasons. It is possible for elements of the pictures to represent a combination of categories. 1. 3. 2. Catholic School Uniform 4.