Social Science Essay

Submitted By lizzzy12
Words: 417
Pages: 2

Chapter 4 Vocabulary
Counterculture – A group that possesses a value system and goals that are in direct opposition to those of the larger society. Cultural relativity – An attitude of judging each culture on its own terms and in the context of its own societal setting
Cultural universals – Similarities common to all cultures (example: the existence of pivotal institutions).
Culture- The way of life of people in a society. The totality of what is learned and shared by the members of a society through their interactions. The product of social interaction and a guide for further interaction. Culture includes material and nonmaterial aspects.
Culture complex- A number of related traits that accumulate around a specific human activity.
Culture trait- The smallest element of unit of culture. In material culture, it is any single object. In nonmaterial culture, it is any single idea, symbol, and belief.
Ethnocentrism- the attitude that one’s own culture is right and that cultural pattern different from it are wrong.
Folkways- norms that direct behavior in everyday situations; customary and habitual ways of acting
Institution- a number of culture complexes clustering around a central human activity.
Laws- Formal codes of behaviors. Laws are binding on the whole society; they outline behavior that deviates from the norm and define prescriptions for punishing it.
Mores- Norms that direct behavior considered either extremely harmful or extremely helpful to society. They define the rightness or wrongness of an act, its morality or immorality. Violation of mores is punished by society.
Normative system- A system of rules regulating human behavior.
Norms- behavioral standards that dictate conduct in both informal and formal situations; a set of behavioral expectations.
Sanctions – rewards (positive) or punishments