What is Culture?

Superstructure:
Superstructure A cultures
worldview, including morals and
values, oftentimes grounded in
religion
Social structure:
structure The rule-governed
relationshipswith all their rights and
obligationsthat hold members of a
society together. This includes
households, families, associations, and
power relations, including politics.
Infrastructure:
Infrastructure The
economic foundation of a
society, including its
subsistence practices and
the tools and other
material equipment used to

The Barrel
Model of

What is Culture?
The beliefs and behaviors of a society
Culture consists of abstract ideas, values, and

perceptions of the world that inform and are reflected

in peoples behavior
Culture is the lens through which we view our world, it
invents our reality
Culture is the characteristics of a particular group of
people, defined by everything from language, religion,
cuisine, social habits, music and arts.

Iceberg example

Culture is like an
Iceberg

Characteristics of
Culture

The Concept of Culture

Culture is Learned
Culture is Shared
Culture is Based on Symbols
Culture Gives Meaning to Reality
Functions of Culture
Culture and Change
Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism

Culture is Learned
Rather than inherited biologically
Enculturation: The transmission of culture from one

generation to the next

Mammals in general display cultural behavior (I.e. we all
have the urge to eat/sleep, but when we do/with whom/in
what order is determined by our social relationships). With
humans, our social rules are more varied and complex.

Culture is Shared
By members of a society and produces behavior

that is intelligible (able to be understood) to other

members of that society
Society vs. Culture
Society: An organized group or groups of interdependent

people who generally share a common territory,

language, and culture and who act together for collective
survival and well-being.

There can be no culture without a society, there are no

known human societies that do not exhibit culture.
Cultural Anthropologists focus on the Cultural aspect of
society. The study of society itself is Sociology (very closely
related discipline to Cultural Anthro).

Cultures Change
In response to environmental or societal

pressures.

Ex: North American apparel

Capitalism, need market growth = fashion changes
constantly. Ideas about what is proper always
evolving.

Compare to ancient Egypt: ~3,000 years style of dress

pretty much the same. No capitalism, instead a Theocracy.
Balance, harmony, emphasis on sameness and repetition
of cycles.

Ex: New symbols emerge or are invented to

convey changed cultural meanings

Ex: Religion Osiris + Zeus = Sarapis

Subcultures

Cultural variation between subgroups in societies that share an

overarching culture.
Ex: Ethnic group (A type of subculture).
People who collectively and publicly identify themselves as
a distinct group based on various cultural features such as
shared ancestry and common origin, language customs
and traditional beliefs.
Ethnicity: The expression of the set of cultural ideas
held by an ethnic group
Pluralistic Society: A society in which two or more ethnic
groups or nationalities are politically organized into one
territorial state but maintain their cultural differences
Sometimes can lead to some pretty nasty misunderstandings
Ex: Yearning for Zion Ranch Texas, Warren Jeffs, Polygamy
Ex: Branch Davidians, Waco Texas
Ex (book pg 33): Shetland pony seller Salt Lake City/Tongan
B-day party