Question 1

Because of their economic strength,Western media companies are powerful enough to impose their products on markets worldwide.This phenomenon is known as:

Accepted Answer

Cultural imperialism refers to the dominance of one culture over another through various forms of power, including economic power. Western media companies, with their economic strength, are able to spread their products and messages to markets worldwide, which can have an impact on local cultures and values.

Question 2

Give an example of a gesture within your culture that may not translate into another culture's body language.

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Question 3

As a way of facilitating social change,tweets and hashtags are a new social phenomenon in which people are able to use social media in an effort to:

Accepted Answer

Tweets and hashtags have been used as a tool for organizing and protesting political policies. They have been a powerful force in recent years in social movements such as #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter. While social media can also be used for communication with a small group of people, purchasing items, and promoting a fashion brand, these uses are not as closely tied to facilitating social change.

Question 4

How is culture shock useful in helping sociologists see that even what is most familiar to us can be bizarre?

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Question 5

What is culture?

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Question 6

What do sociologists call it when cultures that were once distinct become increasingly similar?

Accepted Answer

Cultural leveling is the process in which distinct cultures become increasingly similar or even converge into one culture. This can occur through globalization, technological advancements, and increased communication and interaction between different societies.

Question 7

The term "culture wars" refers to the extreme clashes in values that occur when there are conflicting viewpoints about efforts to change core values in society.Give an example of how social commentators in the media can facilitate a culture war.

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Question 8

Even when sociologists study their own cultures,they often engage in the process of "othering" the people they study.

Accepted Answer

This is true because even when sociologists study their own cultures, they may still view the people and practices they are studying as different or "other" in comparison to themselves, often due to societal norms and values. This can create a biased or limited understanding of the culture being studied.

Question 9

Sociologists claim that culture is the lens through which we perceive and evaluate what is going on in the world around us.

Accepted Answer

Sociologists understand culture as a system of beliefs, values, customs, behaviors, and artifacts that members of a society share and that shape their perceptions, attitudes, and actions. Since culture is learned and transmitted from one generation to another, it provides a framework of meanings and references that people use to interpret and make sense of their experiences. Therefore, culture influences not only how we see reality but also how we judge it, react to it, and act upon it. For example, cultural differences can affect how people perceive and define social problems, such as poverty, crime, or gender inequality, and how they respond to them, such as through social policies, legal reforms, or collective actions. Thus, culture is a crucial dimension of social life that sociologists cannot ignore if they want to understand human behavior and the dynamics of social change.

Question 10

The french social theorist Jean-françois Lyotard described contemporary culture in this way: "One listens to reggae,watches a Western,eats McDonald's food for lunch and local cuisine for dinner,wears Paris perfume in Tokyo and 'retro' clothes in Hong Kong." He was writing about postmodernism,but what concept can help explain this mishmash of activities?

Accepted Answer

Cultural diffusion refers to the spread of cultural beliefs, values, practices, and artifacts from one society to another through contact and interaction. The mishmash of activities described by Lyotard reflects the diversity and mixing of different cultural elements from various parts of the world, which is a characteristic of cultural diffusion in a globalized world.

Question 11

Today it is possible to travel all over the world,especially if you visit major metropolitan areas,without ever having to eat anything but McDonald's food.This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Cultural leveling refers to the process of cultures becoming more similar to each other, often due to globalization and the spread of dominant cultural elements. The fact that one can find McDonald's in many different countries and cultures around the world is an example of cultural leveling, as the prevalence of the fast food chain suggests a homogenization of diets and consumer preferences.

Question 12

Describe the difference between a positive sanction and a negative sanction.

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Question 13

Describe an example of how mainstream values can change or fall out of favor.

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Question 14

In the article "Jihad vs.McWorld," Benjamin R.Barber points out that "in November of 1991 Switzerland's once insular culture boasted best-seller lists featuring Terminator 2 as the #1 movie,Scarlett as the #1 book,and Prince's Diamonds and Pearls as the #1 record album." Many people worry that the prominence of American culture goes beyond the media and represents the wholesale imposition of American values on other cultures,a process called:

Accepted Answer

Cultural imperialism refers to the dominance of one culture over others, often leading to the loss or erosion of the culture of the dominated society. This is what many people worry about when it comes to the spread of American culture around the world. The other choices are not as relevant to the situation described in the article.

Question 15

Describe cultural relativism.

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Question 16

List at least four examples of symbolic culture.

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Question 17

Because of Western cultural imperialism,American media companies broadcast shows in other countries that may clash with those countries' traditional cultural values.What are some examples of American cultural values exported through the media that people in non-Western parts of the world might find distasteful?

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Question 18

What is an example of ethnocentrism?

Accepted Answer

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Question 19

Norms are symbolic culture in action.

Accepted Answer

Norms are unwritten rules or expectations that guide behavior within a society or group. They are a form of symbolic culture because they are based on shared meanings and values within the culture. The way that people conform to or deviate from these norms is a form of cultural expression and interaction.

Question 20

Negative sanctions can only be imposed by an authoritative body or formal institution.

Accepted Answer

Negative sanctions can be informal and imposed by individuals or groups in social situations, even without an authoritative body or formal institution.

Quiz 3: Culture