Deck 2: Culture

Question 1

Culture works for humans the way that instincts work for other animals, guiding them through daily life.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Values are standards that provide criteria by which we evaluate people, objects, and events. They also dictate which behaviors are appropriate and which ones are not.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Americans are more individualistic than people in Western European countries.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Applying the broadest sense of the concept, most people in the United States could be classified as members of one subculture or another.

Question 5

Most societies are guided by a shared set of mutually reinforcing values.

Question 6

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

Question 7

Language communicates about reality, but it cannot influence the reality it describes.

Question 8

Language may be 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 9

Sociologists agree that every culture is guided by a unique shared set of values.

Question 10

Humans are so different throughout the world that there is little we can consider common to all human culture.

Question 11

In every society a gap exists between the values that people profess to hold and their actual behavior, which may not be consistent with those values.

Question 12

Language is an exclusively human characteristic.

Question 13

Most technological changes in a society are modifications of existing technologies.

Question 14

Because cultures tend to be integrated, all parts of any given culture will tend to change at the same pace.

Question 15

Neither society nor culture could exist without the other.

Question 16

Culture is more important to the individual than it is to the society.

Question 17

The United States is considered a heterogeneous society, meaning that it includes people who are dissimilar in regard to social characteristics such as religion, income, or race/ethnicity.

Question 18

Because mores govern behavior considered essential to the stability of society, they are always codified into laws and punishable with formal sanctions.

Question 19

Human culture could not exist without symbols.

Question 20

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

Question 21

Examples of __________ include a sneeze after breathing some pepper in through your nose or the blinking your eye when a speck of dust gets in it.

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

Question 22

Although technology will certainly continue to revolutionize communication throughout the world, most of the global population will not participate in this revolution.

Question 23

Which of these statements is the best description of the role of culture in human life?​

A) ​Humans can choose whether or not to have culture.
B) ​Human behavior is completely determined by a particular culture.
C) ​Humans choose their behaviors and ideas from a cultural "tool kit."
D) ​Human thoughts and behaviors are generally unrelated to culture.

Question 24

A key difference between society and culture is______________________ .

A) ​culture has political significance and society does not
B) ​society exists independently, but culture is dependent upon society
C) ​culture is composed of ideas and behavior, but society is composed of people
D) ​cultures occupy the same geographical territory, but society does not

Question 25

Sociologists use the term __________ for 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 26

Sociologist Ann Swidler coined the expression __________ to refer to human culture or "symbols, stories, rituals, and world views, which people may use in varying configurations to solve different kinds of problems."

A) ​"tool kit"
B) ​"survival kit"
C) ​"creative problem solving"
D) "human nature"

Question 27

Which of these is the best example of a reflex?​

A) ​stopping at a stop sign
B) ​feeling hungry
C) ​sleeping for eight hours
D) ​blinking at dirt in your eye

Question 28

Cultural relativism is always considered of positive value.

Question 29

__________ consists 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 30

Which of these statements about culture is not true?​

A) ​Culture is essential to the survival of each individual.
B) ​Culture must be learned from others.
C) ​Culture establishes order within a society.
D) ​Culture is more important to society than it is to individuals.

Question 31

A(n) __________ is a biologically based behavioral pattern that is common to  all members of a species under certain environmental conditions.

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

Question 32

People of all ages are equally likely to be members of a counterculture.

Question 33

In some respects, ethnocentrism may be considered of positive value.

Question 34

People in the same subculture generally live in the same geographical area.

Question 35

__________ refers to 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 36

Which type of culture originates from raw materials or resources such as ore, trees, and oil?​

A) ​general culture
B) ​material culture
C) ​nonmaterial culture
D) ​cultural universals

Question 37

Spiders do not learn to build webs. They build webs because of __________ triggered by the biological need for protection and reproduction.

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

Question 38

Sociologists use the word __________ to refer to what is biologically determined, and _____ for what results from the social environment.

A) ​natural / artificial
B) ​nurturance / natural
C) ​nature / nurture
D) ​nurture / nature

Question 39

The term __________ refers to unlearned, biologically determined impulses common to all members of a species that satisfy needs such as those for sleep, food, water, or sexual gratification.

A) ​instinct
B) ​drive
C) ​reflex
D) ​reaction

Question 40

An unlearned, biologically determined involuntary response to a physical stimulus is called a(n) __________.

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

Question 41

Which of these statements regarding language is true?

A) ​Chimpanzees can use elements of Standard American Sign Language and manipulate physical objects to make "sentences."
B) ​With proper training, nonhuman primates may be taught to vocalize simple words.
C) ​Most primates manipulate symbols to express very abstract concepts and cultural rules from one generation to the next.
D) ​Language is solely a human characteristic.

Question 42

Most sociologists are in agreement that__________________________ .

A) ​language determines reality.
B) ​language influences perception.
C) ​there is no relationship between language and perception.
D) ​without language perception is not possible.

Question 43

The "thumbs up" sign means something is good in some places, but is an obscene gesture in other places. This illustrates that_________________________ .

A) ​hand gestures are not really symbols
B) ​symbols may have different meanings among different groups of people
C) ​there is a lot of misuse of the "thumbs up" gesture
D) ​all symbols have universal meanings

Question 44

Shaking a fist at someone or giving him "the finger" are examples of gestures.  Gestures are a component of __________.

A) ​cultural universals
B) ​material culture
C) ​counterculture
D) ​nonmaterial culture

Question 45

Which of these is not considered a component of nonmaterial culture?

A) ​technology
B) ​norms
C) ​values
D) ​symbols

Question 46

A central component of nonmaterial culture is __________, which are the mental acceptance or conviction that certain things are true or real.

A) ​ideologies
B) ​beliefs
C) ​morals
D) ​values

Question 47

Which of these statements about symbols is true?​

A) ​Culture could not exist without symbols.
B) ​Symbols generally have either an exclusively positive or negative meaning.
C) ​Only material elements can be represented by symbols.
D) ​In some cultures, symbols are relatively unimportant.

Question 48

Which of these statements about values is true?

A) ​A group's values dictate which behaviors are appropriate and which are not.
B) ​Values are typically stated in terms of what is positive or good.
C) ​Because they are only beliefs, values are not taken seriously by many people.
D) ​Values are a source of criteria for evaluating people, events, and objects.

Question 49

Democracy, belief in a Supreme Being, and understanding English are all examples of __________.

A) ​material culture
B) ​technology
C) ​nonmaterial culture
D) ​cultural universals

Question 50

A(n) __________ can be anything that meaningfully represents something else.

A) ​indicator
B) ​symbol
C) ​device
D) ​character

Question 51

The text uses the examples of "dichos," proverbs or sayings used by Latinos in New Mexico and south Texas, to illustrate that_____________________________.

A) ​language shapes perception
B) ​language is a reflection of one's cultural heritage
C) ​language is a source of power
D) ​language expresses gender relations in a society

Question 52

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 53

__________ theorists have conducted most of the research on "core" values in the United States.

A) ​Conflict
B) ​Functionalist
C) ​Symbolic interactionist
D) ​Postmodern

Question 54

The __________ suggests that language not only expresses our thoughts and perceptions but also influences our perception of reality.

A) ​Helmicki-Kendall theorem
B) ​Thomas theorem
C) ​Sapir-Whorf hypothesis
D) ​law of universals

Question 55

__________ 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) ​Ideologies

Question 56

The U.S. Census Bureau reports that in approximately __________ of American households a language other than English is the primary language spoken.

A) ​2 percent
B) ​5 percent
C) ​21 percent
D) ​35 percent

Question 57

Language, family patterns, and bodily adornment are examples of __________.

A) ​material culture
B) ​symbolic culture
C) ​cultural beliefs
D) ​cultural universals

Question 58

Anthropologist George Murdock compiled a list of over seventy __________, which are customs and practices that occur across all societies.

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

Question 59

Which of these statements about cultural universals is false?​

A) ​Cultural universals reflect the fact that humans everywhere share the same basic needs.
B) ​Cultural universals help to ensure the smooth functioning of society.
C) ​The form a cultural universal takes varies from group to group.
D) ​The specific form of most cultural universals is universal.

Question 60

The term __________ refers to a set of symbols that expresses ideas and enables people to think and communicate with one another.

A) ​beliefs
B) ​values
C) ​language
D) ​universals

Question 61

Which of these is not one of the ten core American values identified by sociologist Robin Williams?​

A) ​individualism
B) ​progress and material comfort
C) ​efficiency and practicality
D) ​cooperation and pacifism

Question 62

__________ are informal norms or everyday customs that may be violated without serious consequences within a particular culture. They provide rules for conduct but are not considered to be essential to society's survival.

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

Question 63

Luke has just received a stern lecture from his mother about his lack of motivation. His mother's lecture is an example of a __________.

A) ​value reinforcer
B) ​positive sanction
C) ​norm violation
D) ​negative sanction

Question 64

"American society stands for equal opportunity for all."  This statement exemplifies __________ culture, which refers to the values and standards that people in a society profess to hold.

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

Question 65

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 66

__________ are strongly held norms that have moral and ethical connotations within a particular culture, and that may not be violated without serious consequences.

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

Question 67

__________ are norms considered to be less important, are unwritten, and are commonly understood standards of behavior among people who share an identity.

A) ​Informal norms
B) ​Folkways
C) ​Communal norms
D) ​Negative sanctions

Question 68

Core values of morality and humanitarianism may clash with values of individual achievement and success. Sociologists term this a __________.

A) ​cultural dysfunction
B) ​value contradiction
C) ​clash of cultures
D) ​breakdown of morality

Question 69

After having successfully negotiated an important business contract with a major client, Jocelyn's boss congratulated her and promised her a significant pay raise. In this situation, Jocelyn is receiving what sociologists term a __________.

A) ​positive folkway
B) ​positive sanction
C) ​negative sanction
D) ​informal sanction

Question 70

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

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

Question 71

In the United States, __________ might include using a napkin when eating and saying "excuse me" after bumping into someone.

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

Question 72

During a church service, a parishioner talks loudly to the person sitting next to her. A man in another pew turns around, frowns at her, and says "Shh." This illustrates a __________.

A) ​negative informal norm
B) ​positive formal sanction
C) ​negative informal sanction
D) ​prescriptive informal norm

Question 73

According to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, which of these is a shift in values from those reported by Williams in 1970?​

A) ​more emphasis on individualism
B) ​less emphasis on achievement and success
C) ​lack of interest in progress and material comfort
D) ​decreased ethnocentrism and belief in group superiority

Question 74

__________ are values that conflict with one another or are mutually exclusive, meaning that achieving one makes it difficult, if not impossible, to achieve another.

A) ​Material contradictions
B) ​Morality contradictions
C) ​Value contradictions
D) ​Universal contradictions

Question 75

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 76

People may claim to be law-abiding yet still engage in behaviors that are illegal. This behavior is an example of_____________ culture, which refers to the values and standards of behavior that people actually follow.

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

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 door slams in that person's face. Which of these cultural components has your behavior violated?

A) ​a taboo
B) ​a folkway
C) ​a sanction
D) ​social mores

Question 78

__________ state what behavior is inappropriate or unacceptable. Laws that prohibit stealing and norms against swearing in public are examples.

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

Question 79

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

A) ​Mores / values
B) ​Folkways / mores
C) ​Norms / values
D) ​Values / norms

Question 80

__________ 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