Deck 1: Culture and Mass Media

Question 1

Creations that encompass the beliefs,norms,and values of a culture are referred to as ______.

A)philosophies
B)nonmaterial culture
C)material culture
D)theories

Answer 1

B

Question 2

The physical objects important to a culture,such as homes,games,and substances found in the local environment,are referred to as ______.

A)real culture
B)nonmaterial culture
C)material culture
D)products

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Common rules of a culture that govern the behavior of people belonging to it are referred to as ______.

A)laws
B)beliefs
C)norms
D)values

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Which of the following is NOT an example of material culture?

A)a restaurant building
B)waiter uniforms
C)pasta with marinara sauce
D)polite table manners

Question 5

Which of the following examples would be considered a violation of a more?

A)not saying "you're welcome" when someone says "thank you"
B)coming to class intoxicated
C)arriving to a party two hours later than the start time
D)whispering to the student next to you in class

Question 6

The beliefs,norms,behaviors,and products common to the members of a particular group are referred to as ______.

A)ethnicity
B)culture
C)society
D)class

Question 7

Abstract and general standards in society that define ideal principles such as right and wrong are referred to as ______.

A)laws
B)public opinions
C)beliefs
D)values

Question 8

Which of the following would be considered a violation of a folkway?

A)cheating on an exam
B)not offering your bus seat to an elderly person
C)robbing a convenience store
D)shouting and swearing at the professor during class

Question 9

American society professes to embrace marital fidelity as a value,yet many individuals are unfaithful to their spouses in practice.This is an example of ______.

A)ideal-real inconsistency
B)cultural inconsistency
C)cultural contradiction
D)ideal-real disconnect

Question 10

The rituals of the Nacirema can best be compared to which culture?

A)Mexican
B)Chinese
C)American
D)Ethiopian

Question 11

Which of the following is NOT an example of nonmaterial culture?

A)textbooks
B)formal writing vocabulary and techniques
C)the institution of higher education
D)respect for professors as authorities

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT considered a type of norm?

A)mores
B)beliefs
C)folkways
D)laws

Question 13

Which perspective allows the sociologist to rigorously examine the roots of cultural practices?

A)ethnocentrism
B)pluralism
C)multiculturalism
D)cultural relativism

Question 14

Which of the following would be considered a taboo in American society?

A)a political official accepting campaign donations from a multi-billion-dollar corporation
B)a political official pushing taxpayer dollars toward a cause that benefits the official in some way
C)a political official publicly announcing support for antiabortion legislation
D)a political official cheating on his or her spouse with an intern

Question 15

Which of the following is NOT characteristic of laws?

A)based on static norms that are shared by all
B)codified norms or rules of behavior
C)formalize and institutionalize society's norms
D)codify some-but not all-of society's norms

Question 16

Which cultural perspective most likely leads to ethnocentrism?

A)doxic
B)etic
C)emic
D)cultural relativism

Question 17

Particular ideas that people accept as true are referred to as ______.

A)religion
B)cultural norms
C)values
D)beliefs

Question 18

Which of the following would be considered an American value?

A)Creativity and innovation are useless-it is better to just follow the crowd.
B)Hard work and effort will get you nowhere in life.
C)Everyone deserves an equal chance to succeed.
D)Laws and government decisions should be based on religious beliefs.

Question 19

Norm violations that offend beyond the level of a more are referred to as ______.

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

Question 20

A culture that exists together with a dominant culture but differs from it in some important respects is referred to as a(n)______.

A)ethnicity
B)subculture
C)counterculture
D)subgroup

Question 21

Letters,words,images,rituals,or actions are examples of ______.

A)images
B)symbols
C)trademarks
D)ethnographies

Question 22

Which of the following is NOT characteristic of the mass media?

A)medium of public communication
B)vehicle of transmitting popular culture
C)intended to reach and influence a mass audience
D)not many people consume it

Question 23

Which of the following would NOT be characteristic of a functionalist perspective of shared language?

A)It keeps society harmonious.
B)It can translate into shared values and norms.
C)It can lead to disruptive social change.
D)It can serve as a tool for social integration for new speakers.

Question 24

Which of the following would NOT be considered counterculture?

A)religious-cult rituals
B)rules of respect in graffiti crews
C)codes of conduct on Anonymous (a well-known "hacktivist" group)message boards
D)federal laws and guidelines

Question 25

Beliefs need to be objectively true.

Question 26

People can both shape and be shaped by culture.

Question 27

Culture that is associated with the wealthier,more educated classes in society is referred to as ______.

A)mass culture
B)upper-class culture
C)high culture
D)popular culture

Question 28

The advantages and disadvantages passed down from generation to generation are referred to as ______.

A)habitus
B)social-class reproduction
C)the culture of poverty
D)class regeneration

Question 29

Which of the following does NOT represent a commitment to multiculturalism?

A)printing flyers in both English and Mandarin Chinese
B)encouraging a first-generation student to teach his or her parents to speak English
C)offering courses on African American and Mexican American history
D)including kosher or halal options on a menu

Question 30

What is the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis?

A)Our language,the words we use,shapes our perception of the social world.
B)Culture is inescapable;everyone is influenced by culture.
C)Control over language can be used as a tool of oppression.
D)One's first language will always be dominant.

Question 31

Which of the following statements does NOT represent a functionalist view of globalization?

A)Globalization is a uniting force that will promote collaboration and interdependence on a worldwide scale.
B)Small,independent eateries that serve food will be replaced by chain restaurants,resulting in the loss of indigenous cuisine.
C)Globalized norms and values will strengthen social solidarity and reduce conflict.
D)Corporations will help to provide a sense of economic independence for people.

Question 32

Symbols are only written words,spoken languages,and images;actions and rituals would not be considered symbols.

Question 33

Which of the following is NOT characteristic of language?

A)It is not tied to cultural objects and practices.
B)It can be composed of verbal,nonverbal,and written representations.
C)It is used to convey meaning in a particular culture.
D)It is a symbolic system.

Question 34

Which of the following would NOT be considered a valuable form of cultural capital in dominant U.S.high culture?

A)knowing how to operate a tractor-trailer truck
B)having parents who hold graduate degrees
C)having an "ear" for classical composers
D)being able to distinguish between fine wines

Question 35

Which of the following statements does NOT reflect a conflict perspective on globalization?

A)The spread of fast-food chains puts locally owned,independent restaurants out of business.
B)The spread of corporations disconnects people from owning their own means of production.
C)Unique,indigenous cultures become devalued and risk extinction.
D)The spread of large corporations promotes stability and integration as people share similar working conditions.

Question 36

Which of the following is NOT considered a characteristic of global culture?

A)heavily influenced by American culture
B)spread via mass media,such as films and pop music
C)limited to Western countries in Europe,North America,and Australia
D)marked by dominance of fast-food chain restaurants

Question 37

Objects of mass consumption in society are referred to as ______.

A)mass culture
B)popular culture
C)low-brow culture
D)high culture

Question 38

Which of the following is NOT characteristic of rape culture?

A)normalizing violence
B)victims' attire
C)violent masculinity
D)the legal system

Question 39

Embracing cultural diversity and recognizing that it enriches a country is referred to as ______.

A)multiculturalism
B)cultural relativism
C)ethnocentrism
D)tolerance

Question 40

The ways in which people come to want that which their own experiences and those of the people who surround them suggest they can realistically have are referred to as ______.

A)personal preference
B)socialization
C)cultural tastes
D)habitus

Question 41

______ refers to the ability of a local culture to absorb outside influences that fit in and enrich their culture while resisting those that are alien.

Question 42

The social organization of our lives is not "natural." Rather,our norms,values,and practices are socially constructed.

Question 43

Rape culture is just a theory;it does not reflect the actual prevalence of rape in the United States.

Question 44

"Language is a cultural vehicle." Explain how language can "deliver" or reproduce culture.Use specific examples.

Question 45

Explain the difference between a taboo and a law.Provide a historical example where there has been overlap between what is considered taboo and what is illegal and how that may have changed over time.

Question 46

According to some sociologists,we do not really have free will in the traditional sense.Our "choices" are limited by what is realistically made available to us based on larger structure.

Question 47

Ideal culture refers to the values,norms,and behaviors that people profess to embrace,whereas ______ culture refers to the values,norms,and behaviors that people actually embrace and exhibit.

Question 48

The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis posits that a language will reflect the importance of objects and practices in a culture.

Question 49

High-culture tastes are natural and transmitted at birth.A person may change economic classes,but that person will never be able to change cultural class.

Question 50

"Poverty exists because someone has to be on bottom.That's just the way life is." This statement reflects ______ beliefs.

Question 51

Because ideal cultural values,norms,and beliefs are often not reflective of real practices,they have little to no effect on how we perceive the world.

Question 52

An etic perspective reflects the standpoint of an outside observer,whereas an ______ perspective reflects that of an insider.

Question 53

"Education is the great equalizer." "Money can't buy everything." "Forgive and forget." Choose one of these sayings and identify the common belief or value that it represents.Use sociological reasoning to challenge these ideas and demonstrate the real-culture alternative.

Question 54

Deeply entrenched values can be powerful and,in some cases,dangerous,as they are often used to justify or defend certain behaviors.

Question 55

Imperialistic nations engaged in ______ desire to see their power,influence,and profits grow throughout the world.

Question 56

Explain the difference between material and nonmaterial culture,and describe the relationship between them.Provide three specific examples of each type of culture.

Question 57

______ theorists would argue that elites use culture to gain or maintain power over other groups.

Question 58

According to Pierre Bourdieu's theory of social-class reproduction,the class one is born in is not necessarily important in determining what class one ends up in.

Question 59

Violating a more is not considered offensive,as these are weak norms passed down from the past that people do not consider that important.

Question 60

An example of ______ would be a child of two successful surgeons choosing to attend medical school because he or she says he or she has an interest in science and health.

Question 61

Use the conflict approach to analyze the spread of globalization.Compare globalization with earlier movements of colonization.

Question 62

Identify a subculture or counterculture you are a part of.Provide a few examples of any beliefs,values,languages,or norms you may share with your subculture or counterculture.Explain if this is either a subculture or counterculture.

Question 63

Compare the contrast the concepts of global culture,grocalization,and glocalization.Illustrate each phenomenon with an example.

Question 64

Our ethnocentrism sometimes makes it difficult to see our own culture for what it is.Identify three doxic norms,practices,or beliefs that exist in the culture of the United States.Imagine how someone from another culture might view our culture as strange or negative.

Question 65

Discuss how language can be used to bring about social change,and illustrate it with an example.

Question 66

Compare and contrast a functionalist and conflict approach to high culture.

Question 67

At one point,the plays of William Shakespeare were popular with the English masses.Today,reading or watching the plays is more associated with the educated and wealthy.Identify another specific example where an element of popular or high culture has shifted over time.

Question 68

Discuss how trends in popular culture or mass media can reflect cultural fears and anxieties,for example,in zombie shows such as The Walking Dead.Provide a specific example.Discuss how popular culture can influence the mass media and vice versa.

Question 69

The Amish are a cultural group that chooses to elevate tradition over modernity in areas such as transportation (many still use buggies),occupations (they rely on simple farming),and family life (women are seen as subordinate to men).They lead a retreatist lifestyle in which their community is intentionally separated from the dominant culture.Discuss whether you could consider the Amish a subculture or counterculture,and explain why.

Question 70

Provide a definition of cultural capital,and discuss its role in social-class reproduction.

Question 71

Only about 20% of Americans consider themselves bilingual,or able to hold a conversation in more than one language.Discuss the cultural reasons for why it may be difficult for a native English speaker to become fluent in another language in the United States.Discuss the cultural challenges in learning English as a second language for an immigrant to the United States.

Question 72

Compare and contrast the perspectives of ethnocentrism,cultural relativism,and multiculturalism.

Question 73

Explain the phenomenon of rape culture in the United States and how the legal system and media play a role.Do we believe we live in a rape culture? Explain why or why not.

Question 74

Explain the concept of habitus,including a discussion of the relationship between agency and structure.Illustrate it with a personal example of how your choices may have been shaped by habitus.

Question 75

Provide an example of cultural inconsistency in the United States not mentioned in the text.

Question 76

Culture is integral to our social experience of the world.It offers diversion and entertainment,but it also helps form our identities and gives meaning to the artifacts and experiences of our lives.Culture shapes and permeates material objects,such as folk costumes;rituals,such as nuptial and burial ceremonies;and language,as expressed in conversation,poetry,stories,or music.Explore some characteristics of your own culture,and discuss three specific examples.

Question 77

Think of a group that could be considered a subculture or counterculture.Identify some of the beliefs,norms (folkways,mores,and laws),and values that are associated with this particular cultural group and how they differ from or are similar to dominant culture.

Question 78

Explain the difference between an etic and emic perspective,and discuss the relationship of these perspectives to ethnocentrism and cultural relativism.

Question 79

In the text,the authors use the example of weddings to illustrate the differences between the different types of norms: folkways,mores,taboos,and laws.Using the example of war and militaries,provide an example of each,and discuss the differences.

Question 80

Imagine you are taking a trip to a (real or imaginary)foreign country where the culture is very different from your own.Illustrate with six examples how your own ethnocentrism might influence behaviors and interactions as you take your trip.