Deck 3: Culture

Question 1

A reflex is an unlearned,biologically determined behavior pattern common to all members of a species that predictably occurs whenever certain environmental conditions exist.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Material culture consists of the physical or tangible creations that members of a society make,use,and share.Through technology,these raw materials are transformed into usable items (ranging from books and computers to guns and tanks).

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Sanctions are informal norms or everyday customs that may be violated without serious consequences within a particular culture.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Norms do not dictate which behaviors are appropriate and which ones are not,but they provide us with the standards by which we evaluate people,objects,and events.

Question 5

A language-based predisposition to think about women in sexual terms reinforces the notion that women are sexual objects.

Question 6

Culture shock is the disorientation that people feel when they encounter cultures radically different from their own and believe they cannot depend on their own taken-for-granted assumptions about life.

Question 7

Language is a source of power and social control;language perpetuates inequalities between
people and between groups because words are used to "keep people in their place".

Question 8

When observing people from other cultures,many of us use our own culture as the yardstick by which we judge their behavior.Sociologists refer to this approach as ethnocentrism and it is based on the assumption that one's own way of life is superior to all others.

Question 9

Sociologists stress that a gap always exists between ideal culture and real culture in a society.Ideal culture refers to the values and standards of behavior that people actually follow;whereas real culture refers to the values and standards of behavior that people in a society profess to hold.

Question 10

According to sociologist William Ogburn,cultural expulsion occurs when material cultural changes faster than nonmaterial culture,thus creating a gap between the two cultural components.

Question 11

Sociologists agree that cultural universals are always functional.

Question 12

As illustrated in the opening story of Chapter 3,it is possible for food to serve as a symbolic representation of culture.

Question 13

The Sapir-Whorf theory has suggested that language expresses our thoughts and perceptions but has little influence on our perception of reality.

Question 14

Even though the specifics of individual cultures vary widely,all cultures have four common material cultural components: symbols,language,values,and norms.

Question 15

A counterculture is a category of people who share distinguishing attributes,beliefs,values,and/or norms that set them apart in some significant manner from the dominant culture.

Question 16

Individuals that are dissimilar in regard to social characteristics such as religion,income,or race/ethnicity are considered to be living in a homogeneous society.

Question 17

Verbal (spoken)language and nonverbal (written or gestured)language help us describe reality.One of our most important human attributes is the ability to use language to share our experiences,feelings,and knowledge with others.

Question 18

Language,beliefs,values,rules of behavior,family patterns,and political systems are examples of material culture.

Question 19

Norms are established rules of behavior or standards of conduct.

Question 20

Taboos are mores so strong that their violation is considered to be extremely offensive and even unmentionable.

Question 21

Which of the following statements regarding cultural universals is FALSE?

A)Cultural universals include appearance,activities,social institutions,and customary practices.
B)Some customs and practices are found in all cultures in different forms.
C)The specific forms of cultural universals vary from one group to another and from one time to another within the same group.
D)Sociologists are in agreement that cultural universals are the result of functional necessity.

Question 22

______________ is the knowledge,language,values,customs,and material objects that are passed from person to person and from one generation to the next in a human group or society.

A)Technology
B)Society
C)Culture
D)Social organization

Question 23

Sneezing after breathing pepper through the nose is an example of a(n)______________,which is an unlearned,biologically determined,and involuntary response to some physical stimuli.

A)instinct
B)reflex
C)drive
D)impulse

Question 24

______________ consist(s)of the abstract or intangible human creations of society that influence people's behavior.

A)Material culture
B)Technology
C)Nonmaterial culture
D)Cultural universals

Question 25

Human behavior is often explained from a nature versus nurture argument.______________refers to influences on individuals from the social environment.

A)Nature
B)Nurture
C)Reflex
D)Instinct

Question 26

In their examination of culture,postmodernist social theorists make us aware of the fact that no single perspective can grasp the complexity and diversity of the social world.They also make us aware that reality may not be what it seems.

Question 27

Culture is essential for our individual survival and our communication with other people.It is also fundamental for the survival of societies because it makes the actions of individuals intelligible to the group.This makes the culture and society:

A)in conflict with one another
B)independent
C)contrasting
D)interdependent

Question 28

Spiders do not learn to build webs.They build webs because of______________that are triggered by basic biological needs such as protection and reproduction.

A)instincts
B)impulses
C)reflexes
D)drives

Question 29

Language,beliefs,values,rules of behavior,family patterns,and political systems are examples of:

A)nonmaterial culture
B)symbolic culture
C)material culture
D)cultural universals

Question 30

______________ consist(s)of the physical or tangible creations that members of a society make,use,and share.

A)Technology
B)Nonmaterial culture
C)Cultural universals
D)Material culture

Question 31

______________ consist(s)of customs and practices that occur across all societies.

A)Ideologies
B)Beliefs
C)Cultural universals
D)Material culture

Question 32

______________ are unlearned,biologically determined impulses common to all members of a species that satisfy needs such as sleep,food,water,and sexual gratification.

A)Instincts
B)Drives
C)Reflexes
D)Reactions

Question 33

According to sociologist Ann Swidler,______________is/are a "tool kit of symbols,stories,rituals,and world views that people may use in varying configurations to solve different kinds of problems."

A)instincts
B)society
C)reflexes
D)culture

Question 34

Cultural imperialism is the extensive infusion of one nation's culture into other nations.For example,some view the widespread infusion of the English language into countries that speak other languages as a form of cultural imperialism.

Question 35

A______________is a large social grouping that occupies the same geographical territory and is subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations.

A)country
B)society
C)nation
D)culture

Question 36

Sociologists define______________as the knowledge,techniques,and tools that make it possible for people to transform resources into usable forms,and the knowledge and skills required to use them after they are developed.

A)industrialization
B)technology
C)material culture
D)cybernetics

Question 37

A fashion is a currently valued style of behavior,thinking,or appearance that is longer lasting and more widespread than a fad.

Question 38

French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu's cultural capital theory views high culture as a device used by
the dominant class to exclude the subordinate classes.

Question 39

Functionalist theorist Karl Marx stated that ideas are cultural creations of a society's most powerful members.Thus,it is possible for political,economic,and social leaders to use cultural imperialism to maintain their positions of dominance in a society.

Question 40

Anthropologist George Murdock compiled a list of over seventy categories that included appearance (such as bodily adornment and hairstyles),activities (such as sports,dancing,games,joking,and visiting),social institutions (such as family,law,and religion),and customary practices (such as cooking,folklore,gift giving,and hospitality).These are all examples of:

A)symbols
B)beliefs
C)cultural universals
D)norms

Question 41

This part of our culture can transmit emotion.For example,it can stand for love (a heart on a valentine),peace (a dove),or hate (a Nazi swastika).

A)language
B)symbols
C)technology
D)innovations

Question 42

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005,many people in the United States were more willing to make generous contributions to help the survivors of this natural disaster than they were to help the long-term homeless and disadvantaged throughout the United States.This is an example of:

A)value contradiction
B)value practicality
C)moral conflict
D)ideal culture

Question 43

The English language ignores women by using the masculine form:

A)to refer to all professions
B)to refer to automobiles and ships
C)in referencing low paying jobs categories
D)to refer to human beings in general

Question 44

According to sociologist Robin Williams,we cherish the core value of______________,which is conveyed by the idea that Americans believe that people are responsible for their own success or failure.

A)individualism
B)progress and material comfort
C)efficiency and practicality
D)morality and humanitarianism

Question 45

______________ refers to the values and standards of behavior that people actually follow.

A)Ideal culture
B)Real culture
C)Material culture
D)Universal culture

Question 46

According to sociologist Robin Williams,______________is an American core value that emphasizes helpfulness,personal kindness,aid in mass disasters,and organized philanthropy.

A)equality
B)achievement and success
C)progress and material comfort
D)morality and humanitarianism

Question 47

According to the______________,language shapes the view of reality of its speakers.

A)Helmicki-Kendall theorem
B)Thompson-Murdock principle
C)Sapir-Whorf hypothesis
D)Smith-Wesson law

Question 48

The belief that shared values are essential for societies to survive would be representative of what theoretical perspective?

A)conflict
B)functionalist
C)symbolic interactionist
D)postmodern

Question 49

Recent data gathered by the U.S.Census Bureau indicate that approximately______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________percent of the people in this country speak a language other than English at home.

A)5
B)10
C)20
D)30

Question 50

Verbal (spoken)language and______________help us describe reality by sharing our experiences,feelings,and knowledge with others.

A)nonverbal (written or gestured)language
B)nonmaterial culture
C)technology
D)innovation

Question 51

In Argentina,rotating one's index finger around the front of the ear means "you have a telephone call",but in the United States it usually means that you are suggesting that a person is "crazy".Both of these gestures exemplify:

A)symbols
B)technology
C)language
D)values

Question 52

According to sociologist Robin Williams,a belief in the idea that "the American way of life" is best illustrates the core value of______________.

A)equality
B)freedom and liberty
C)progress and material comfort
D)ethnocentrism and group superiority

Question 53

Many Latinos/as in New Mexico and South Texas employ______________(proverbs or sayings that are unique to the Spanish language)as a means of expressing themselves and as a reflection of their cultural heritage.

A)dichos
B)machos
C)notas
D)memos

Question 54

Eric is attending classes at the local college.He believes in the idea of success,but he does not spend as much time as he could studying to achieve a higher grade point average.His behavior is an example of______________culture.

A)ideal
B)real
C)material
D)universal

Question 55

The view that language is a source of power and social control and that it perpetuates inequalities between people and between groups because words are used to "keep people in their place" is representative of what theoretical perspective?

A)symbolic interactionist
B)functionalist
C)postmodern
D)conflict

Question 56

______________ is/are a set of symbols that expresses ideas and enables people to think and communicate with one another.

A)Beliefs
B)Values
C)Language
D)Norms

Question 57

______________ are collective ideas about what is right or wrong,good or bad,and desirable or undesirable in a particular culture.

A)Beliefs
B)Norms
C)Values
D)Assumptions

Question 58

Which of the following is NOT an example of a way in which language may create and reinforce negative perceptions about race and ethnicity?

A)Words may have more than one meaning and create and reinforce negative images.
B)Overtly derogatory terms are "popularized" in movies,music,and other forms of popular culture.
C)The "voice" of verbs may overemphasize the importance of the activities and achievements of people of color.
D)Adjectives that typically have positive connotations-such as "qualified"-can have entirely different meanings when applied to people of color as compared with whites.

Question 59

______________ refers to the values and standards of behavior that people in society profess to hold.

A)Ideal culture
B)Real culture
C)Material culture
D)Universal culture

Question 60

Children learn about their cultural heritage and develop a sense of personal identity in relationship to their group through______________.

A)nonverbal communication
B)osmosis
C)language
D)innovation

Question 61

______________ deals with public safety and well-being.When these types of law are violated,fines and prison sentences are the most likely negative sanctions,although in some states the death penalty is handed down for certain major offenses.

A)Deviant law
B)Civil law
C)Formal law
D)Criminal law

Question 62

The strongest mores are referred to as______________.They are so strong that their violation is considered to be extremely offensive and even unmentionable.

A)sanctions
B)folkways
C)laws
D)taboos

Question 63

Values provide ideals of beliefs about behavior but do not state explicitly how we should behave. are established rules of behavior or standards of conduct.

A)Mores
B)Folkways
C)Sanctions
D)Norms

Question 64

______________ deals with disputes among persons or groups.Persons who lose these types of law suits may encounter negative sanctions,such as having to pay compensation to the other party or being ordered to stop certain conduct.

A)Civil law
B)Formal law
C)Criminal law
D)Informal law

Question 65

Norms are also classified according to their relative social importance.______________are informal norms or everyday customs that may be violated without serious consequences within a particular culture.

A)Mores
B)Folkways
C)Sanctions
D)Taboos

Question 66

______________ are a particular culture's strongly held norms with moral and ethical connotations that may not be violated without serious consequences.

A)Folkways
B)Informal norms
C)Negative sanctions
D)Mores

Question 67

Not all norms are of equal importance;______________are written down and involve specific punishments for violators.Laws are the most common type;they have been codified and may be enforced by sanctions.

A)informal norms
B)real norms
C)formal norms
D)ideal norms

Question 68

Jeffery was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison for this offense.He also practiced cannibalism on his victims.In this situation,the act of murder could be described as the violation of a______________,while cannibalism could be described as the violation of a______________.

A)value;belief
B)folkway;mores
C)more;taboo
D)more;folkway

Question 69

______________ are formal,standardized norms that have been enacted by legislatures and are enforced by formal sanctions.

A)Folkways
B)Mores
C)Laws
D)Legislative mandates

Question 70

After having successfully negotiated an important business contract with a major client,Joyce's boss congratulated her and promised her a significant pay raise.In this situation,Joyce has received what sociologists call a:

A)positive folkway
B)positive sanction
C)positive mores
D)positive value

Question 71

Pushing someone's book bags off their desk and then pushing them out of their seat because you want their desk in a college classroom would be violating a______________.

A)sanction
B)more
C)folkway
D)taboo

Question 72

In the United States,______________include using underarm deodorant,brushing our teeth,and wearing appropriate clothing for a specific occasion.

A)formal norms
B)folkways
C)mores
D)laws

Question 73

______________ norms state what behavior is appropriate or acceptable.For example,persons making a certain amount of money are expected to file a tax return and pay any taxes they owe.

A)Standard
B)Prescriptive
C)Regular
D)Proscriptive

Question 74

During a sermon in church,a parishioner begins to talk to the person sitting next to her in an audible tone of voice.A man in another pew turns around,frowns at her,and says "Shhhhhhhh." This illustrates a(n):

A)informal sanction
B)formal sanction
C)taboo
D)core value

Question 75

A college has a student handbook that has rules and regulations.There are written consequences for not following these rules.This would be an example of:

A)folkways
B)conventions
C)taboos
D)formal norms

Question 76

Luke has just received a stern lecture from his mother about his lack of motivation.This is an example of a:

A)value reinforcement
B)positive sanction
C)norm violation
D)negative sanction

Question 77

As you are rushing from one class to the next,you absentmindedly forget to hold the door open for the person coming through behind you.The consequence is that the person has the door slammed in his/her face.Which of the following cultural components has been violated as a result of your behavior?

A)taboo
B)folkway
C)sanction
D)mores

Question 78

______________ are rewards for appropriate behavior or penalties for inappropriate behavior.

A)Folkways
B)Mores
C)Sanctions
D)Taboos

Question 79

America is often referred to as a nation of immigrants,but immigrant groups are not evenly distributed.______________For example,African Americans are heavily concentrated in the

A)Northeast
B)Northwest
C)Southwest
D)Southeast

Question 80

______________ state what behavior is inappropriate or unacceptable.Laws that prohibit us from driving over the speed limit and "good manners" that preclude you from reading a newspaper during class are examples.

A)Proscriptive norms
B)Nonstandard norms
C)Prescriptive norms
D)Subscriptive norms