Cultural Dimensions: Hall, Lewis, and Hofstede
Edward T. Hall’s Iceberg
Cultural elements influence behavior. High-context cultures, such as many Asian and Middle Eastern cultures, rely on shared knowledge and nonverbal cues. In contrast, low-context cultures, like those found in Western societies, rely more on explicit verbal communication and place less emphasis on contextual information.
Monochronic and Polychronic Cultures
Monochronic and polychronic time are concepts related to how individuals perceive and manage time. Monochronic cultures,
Read MoreLevittown: Segregation and the American Dream
Levittown: A Symbol of Post-War America
The Levitts and McCarthy joined forces in promoting Levittown as a more American, capitalist alternative to public housing solutions. McCarthy posed with washing machines to be placed in Levittown homes and praised Levittown as a model of the American way. Bill Levitt himself once said, “No man who owns his own home and lot can be a Communist; he has too much to do.” Later, Levitt vilified those who questioned his segregationist policies as communists. It wasn’
Family, Religion, Education, Health, Population & Social Change
Chapter 13: Family and Religion
Structural-Functional and Social-Exchange Views of the Family
Structural-functionalism views the family as essential to social order and stability, emphasizing its importance to society. Social exchange theory considers partner selection as a rational process, based on what individuals bring to the relationship.
Homogamy
Individuals tend to marry people similar to themselves, particularly in terms of religion and other social characteristics.
Romantic Love in the US
Romantic
Read MoreSocial Structures: From Tribal Societies to Nascent States
In these societies, a tribal chief is responsible for collecting and storing food and goods to meet the population’s needs during shortages. This allows the chief and their subordinates to live according to their rank. Hierarchy can also include a war chief, leading military campaigns and incorporating conquered villages into the tax system. Specialized social groups may emerge, including military, religious, administrative, and craft-based groups.
Emergence of Nascent States
The conditions that facilitated
Read MoreRace, Ethnicity, Power, and Social Structures
Core Concepts in Race and Ethnicity
- Like gender, race and ethnicity are key anchors for people’s social- and self-identities.
- Why do some categories (like gender, race, ethnicity) get attached to inequality and even violence while others (e.g., height, hair color) do not?
- Ethnicity = cultural values and norms that distinguish the members of a given group from others.
- Common modes of distinction: language, dress, shared history, religion, ancestry.
Concepts in Race and Ethnicity
- Race (differences in
Sociological Perspectives: Functionalism, Conflict, and Interactionism
The functionalist perspective is largely based on the works of Herbert Spencer and Émile Durkheim. According to functionalism, society is a system of interconnected parts that work together in harmony to maintain a state of balance and social equilibrium for the whole. For example, each of the social institutions contributes important functions for society: Family provides a context for reproducing, nurturing, and socializing children; education offers a way to transmit a society’s skills, knowledge,
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