BASIC SOCIOLOGY    pp. 17-27  

See http://hrsbstaff.ednet.ns.ca/waymac/Sociology/A%20Term%201/2.%20Culture/aspects_of_culture.htm

1.  What are social roles?

2.  List ten roles which you have in society.

3.  In which way is the role of "mother" today different from the " mother" of:

a) the pre-Victorian era?  b) the Victorian era?  c) a child in Guyana?

4.  Define subculture and material culture.

5.  Do all cultures believe "God" is male?  Explain.

6.  Are all societies aggressive.  Explain. 

7.  How did most social anthropologists in western societies in the 1800s view pre-

     industrial nations?

8.  Through which stages did these anthropologists see society pass?

9.  To what does "descent" refer?

10.  How can descent be traced (3 ways)?

11. Is biological inheritance necessary for descent to occur?

12.  List two behaviours which others might find bizarre about Canadian Culture.

13.  According to Lipset, which two major differences existed between Canadians

      and Americans in 1964?  Which evidence supported this position?

14.  Why did Lipset feel these differences existed (three reasons)?

15.  According to Horowitz, why are Canadian and American cultures moving

       closer together?

16.  Which two statistics indicate that Canadians are just as individualistic (if not

       more in some cases) than Americans? 

Cultural Universals

17.  List three cultural universals (elements found in all cultures).

18.  What is a patriarchy, and a matriarchy?

19.  Explain how the Yir Yoront suffered from the "good deeds" of the Anglican

      church.

20.  List the authority criteria of the Yir Yoront.

 ANSWERS

BASIC SOCIOLOGY    pp. 17-27

1.  What are social roles?

expectations about the behaviour deemed appropriate for a given individual.

Example: teacher - classes prepared, honest, punctual, fair

2.  List ten roles which you have in society.

teacher, husband, father, musician, library user, spectator, organizer,

band member, brother, car driver.

3.  In which way is the role of "mother" today different from the " mother" of:

a) the pre-Victorian era?

Today's mother breast feeds her own baby.  Pre-Victorian women of the

upper classes employed wet-nurses.

b) the Victorian era?

Upper class women had nannies care for and guide their children.

c) a child in Guyana?

In Guyana, the child points out "grandmother" as the role performed by  the

"mother" in our society.  The biological mother is called "auntie." 

4.  Define subculture and material culture.

a group of people within a single society who possess, in addition to the         cultural elements they share with the other members of their society,

certain distinctive cultural elements that set them apart.

CULTURAL VARIATION

5.  Do all cultures believe "God" is male?  Explain.

Iroquois Indians believed that God was female.  Among the Lengua (South

America) god was a beetle.  About 50% of pre-industrialized countries

believe in one single God, and the other in many gods or in no personalized

gods of any sort.

6.  Are all societies aggressive.  Explain. 

Though North Americans tend to be aggressive, Margaret Mead found that

in the Mundugumor (New Guinea) society, both sexes were expected to be

aggressive,while both sexes were to be passive in the Bumbita Arapesh tribe

(found in Papua, New Guinea).  Among the Tchambuli (a tribe in Papua,

New Guinea), on the other hand, Females were expected to be aggressive

and males passive.

7.  How did most social anthropologists in western societies in the 1800s view pre-

     industrial nations?

as inferior

8.  Through which stages did these anthropologists see society pass?

Savagery, Barbarism, and Civilization.

9.  To what does "descent" refer?

To whom you consider your kin (family).

10.  How can descent be traced (3 ways)?

matrilineal, patrilinial, bilateral   see: http://anthro.palomar.edu/kinship/kinship_3.htm
or http://ohr.edu/ask_db/ask_main.php?id_number=1310, http://husky1.stmarys.ca/~hmcgee/ANT302/id19.htm

11. Is biological inheritance necessary for descent to occur?

No!  Among the Nuer (Sudan, Africa) "ghost" marriages occur.  Though

there may be a deceased husband, any children sired by his brothers (or

lovers) and his widow are still referred to as his children.  An important

woman in the society may finance a younger woman's marriage (as if the

wealthy woman was a man).  Any offspring sired by lovers are defined as the

children of the female "husband," who in turn is the father.  Now the

offspring belong to the father's group of the wealthy woman.  The biological

father may be different from the role of social father.

12.  List two behaviours which others might find bizarre about Canadian culture.

hazing rituals, rebellious teenager, American football, cheating on exams,

cheating on partners.

13.  According to Lipset, which two major differences existed between Canadians

      and Americans in 1964?  Which evidence supported this position?

Canadians were more willing to accept government regulation, as evidenced

by the fact that Canada had lower crime rates (per capita).

Canadians seemed more committed to the family as evidenced by the fact

that Canadian divorce rates were lower than those in America.

14.  Why did Lipset feel these differences existed (three reasons)?

Canadians trusted their government.

Different frontier experiences: in Canada law and order accompanied the

first settlers.  In America, the settlers arrived well before law and order. A

spirit of individualism existed.

Calvinism was the dominant religious force in the States. This religion

stresses individualism and self-reliance.

15.  According to Horowitz, why are Canadian and American cultures moving

       closer together?

Because of the economic interdependence between Canada and America,

the value systems are going to become more alike.