Question 1

According to the textbook, a key difference between subcultures and countercultures is that:

Accepted Answer

Subcultures are groups within a larger society that share distinct values and norms, but do not necessarily reject the dominant culture. They may coexist with the dominant culture and seek to maintain their unique identities within it. Countercultures, on the other hand, actively reject the values and norms of the dominant culture and may strive to create their own alternative culture.

Question 2

________ might be defined as judging other cultures in terms of the standards of one's own.

Accepted Answer

Ethnocentrism is the act of viewing one's own culture as superior to others and judging other cultures based on the standards of one's own culture. This can lead to misunderstandings and intolerance of other cultures.

Question 3

Michelle claims that all human cultures are different and cannot be compared. How might sociologists critique her claim?

Accepted Answer

Sociologists recognize that while there are certainly unique aspects to each culture, there are also universal patterns that can be observed across human societies. These cultural universals include things like language, the family unit, religion, and many others. By acknowledging these similarities, sociologists can compare and contrast different cultures in meaningful ways.

Question 4

If the language of a highly individualistic society contains many words and phrases about personal success and individual achievement that someone from a more communal society has difficulty fully understanding, this is an example of:

Accepted Answer

The situation described in the question is an example of linguistic relativity hypothesis, which suggests that language influences and shapes the way we think, perceive, and experience the world around us. In this case, the language of a highly individualistic society reflects and reinforces individual achievement and success, making it difficult for people from more communal societies to fully understand and relate to these concepts that are not as prominent in their language and culture.

Question 5

According to the textbook, marriage is a cultural universal, which means that:

Accepted Answer

Marriage is present in all societies, although the norms related to marriage may differ. This is what is meant by marriage being a cultural universal. While some cultures may have different rules or expectations for marriage, the concept of marriage itself is present in all societies.

Question 6

Yang is researching how certain groups that live in Spain seem to have their own sets of norms and values that are at times different from mainstream Spanish norms and values. Which sociological concept best describes what he is studying?

Accepted Answer

Yang is studying subcultures, which are groups within a larger culture that have their own distinct norms, values, and even language. These subcultures can exist within one country or across international borders.

Question 7

Scholars have argued that immigrant groups like the Irish and Italians were initially considered a race apart from native-born Anglo-Saxon white Americans. However, over the course of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Irish and Italian immigrants managed to become part of dominant white culture. This historical context reveals how different cultures are absorbed into a single mainstream culture, a process also known as:

Accepted Answer

The process described in the question is assimilation, which involves the absorption of a minority group or culture into the dominant culture. Multiculturalism emphasizes the coexistence of multiple cultures without one dominating the other, so it is not the correct answer. Ethnocentrism refers to the belief in the superiority of one's own culture, and apoliticism refers to political neutrality or disengagement, neither of which are the correct answer in this context.

Question 8

Danny is examining U.S. culture for the possibility that different immigrant communities in the United States maintain more or less separate cultures but might still manage to participate equally in economic and political life. His study focuses on which concept?

Accepted Answer

Multiculturalism refers to the coexistence of different cultures within a society. In this case, Danny is examining the possibility that different immigrant communities maintain separate cultures but still participate equally in economic and political life. This suggests a multicultural approach to society, where cultural diversity is acknowledged and respected.

Question 9

Shannon notes that women in some cultures voluntarily alter their bodies with sometimes painful piercings that, in her opinion, look weird. Based on this, Shannon decides that women in those cultures must be horribly oppressed compared with women in her own culture. Shannon's position might be best interpreted as:

Accepted Answer

Shannon's position reflects ethnocentrism, which involves judging other cultures based on the values and beliefs of one's own culture. She assumes that the piercings are a sign of oppression without understanding the cultural significance or context behind them. This perspective fails to recognize the diversity of cultural practices and can lead to harmful stereotypes and judgments.

Question 10

Ana is studying the ways different societies socially sanction and formally approve of certain sexual relationships. As she studies this in each society, she will come across:

Accepted Answer

The study of the ways different societies socially sanction and formally approve of certain sexual relationships is related to the concept of marriage, which is a formalized institution that regulates sexual relationships and family formation in many societies.

Question 11

The term ________ does not refer only to people from different cultural backgrounds or to those who speak different languages within a larger society. It can also refer to any segment of the population that is distinguishable from the rest of society by its cultural patterns.

Accepted Answer

While race and ethnicity are specific to certain demographic characteristics, subculture refers to any group within a society that has distinct cultural patterns. This can include groups defined by age, profession, interests, or lifestyle choices.

Question 12

Danny studies winks, waves, language, smiles, frowns, laughs, and any other kind of symbolic communication. What is he researching?

Accepted Answer

Danny is researching signifiers, which refer to any symbol or gesture used to convey a meaning.

Answer: D 
 Based on the description of his research, Danny is likely exploring how different cultures may use different signifiers to convey meaning, which is part of the concept of cultural relativism. Therefore, D may also be a valid answer.

A and C are not valid choices based on the information given.

Question 13

Many languages may have an equivalent to the color yellow, but an object that may be classified as yellow in one language may not be described so in another. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

This situation is an example of the linguistic relativity hypothesis, which suggests that language can influence our interpretation and perception of the world around us. In this case, the classification of the color yellow may differ across languages, suggesting a difference in how people conceptualize and categorize color. The other options are not applicable to this example.

Question 14

Anthropological linguist Edward Sapir and his student Benjamin Lee Whorf argued that the language we use influences our perceptions of the world. This is known as the:

Accepted Answer

Sapir and Whorf's argument is commonly referred to as the linguistic relativity hypothesis, which suggests that language shapes the way people think and their perceptions of the world around them. Options A, B, and D do not accurately describe this theory.

Question 15

A ________ is used to describe any vehicle of meaning-any set of elements used to communicate, including all types of communication.

Accepted Answer

A "signifier" is a term used in semiotics to describe any vehicle of meaning, which includes any set of elements used to communicate, such as words, gestures, or symbols.

Question 16

Karl notes that in all human societies, people use symbols to communicate ideas to one another. Karl is taking note of:

Accepted Answer

Karl is referring to the use of symbols in communication, which is a key aspect of language. The other options - morality, marriage, and political economy - do not necessarily involve the use of symbols in communication.

Question 17

According to the textbook, two cultural universals particularly stand out in human societies. They are ________ and ________.

Accepted Answer

The two cultural universals that stand out in human societies are ways of expressing meaning, such as language and symbolism, and material goods, such as food and shelter. None of the other options accurately identify the two cultural universals mentioned in the textbook.

Question 18

A society that includes more than one distinct cultural or linguistic group, where no group is dominant over the others, is characterized by:

Accepted Answer

Multiculturalism refers to a society that recognizes and values diversity among its various cultural and linguistic groups, rather than promoting assimilation or dominance of one group over the others.

Question 19

Lucinda hears about the common practice among Nordic parents of leaving babies in their strollers outside of restaurants and shops. Although this is an accepted practice in Nordic society, Lucinda concludes that Nordic parents are neglectful and that this behavior should lead to arrest. Lucinda is engaging in:

Accepted Answer

Lucinda is exhibiting ethnocentrism, which means that she is judging the practices and values of another culture based on the standards of her own culture. Lucinda is assuming that leaving babies in strollers outside is neglectful because it goes against what she knows to be the norm in her own culture.

Question 20

________ is one of the best examples for demonstrating both the unity and the diversity of human culture, because there are no cultures without it.

Accepted Answer

Language is a universal aspect of human culture, present in every society in some form or another. While there may be different languages and dialects, the concept of communication through language is a shared aspect of human culture. Additionally, the diversity of languages demonstrates the adaptability of human culture as societies develop their own unique languages in response to their environment and experiences.

Quiz 2: Culture and Society