WJEC Sociology AS level
Topic 1 - What is culture?
Culture - Culture is a term used to describe a way of life for a group of people. It refers to
how they are expected to think, behave and believe. It also refers to the traditions, beliefs
and ideas that people share.
- All individuals are part of a culture, some people may be part of more than one. For
example, if someone has Asian heritage then they may follow traditions, norms and
beliefs that belong to their Asian background.
- Culture is a broader term than society, sociologists are more interested in learning
about culture than society because they believe that it is culture that creates society.
Material culture - Material culture refers to the physical things that people create and
attach emotional meaning to. For example, cars, houses and food mean a lot to people.
They are symbols of something important, not just objects.
- Wearing a football top to a game symbolises your support to the team, not just a
shirt.
Non-material culture - Non-material culture refers to ideas that people share, e.g. their
rules, traditions, language. It is important because it helps people understand their social
world and gives them guidelines to follow.
- Queuing is very important in Britain, if a person were to push in front of you in a
queue then you would consider it rude
Social construction - A social construction is any idea that is created and given special
meaning by people.
- E.g. Motherhood is a social construction because it differs all around the world
(maternity leave - 480 days in Switzerland, 0 days in America).
Collectivist culture - A culture that prioritises group, shared goals and interdependence
over individual desires. It emphasises ‘we’ over ‘I’.
- E.g. Countries such as Japan, South Korea and India follow a collectivist culture
Individualistic culture - Cultures which tend to prioritise individual freedom and personal
gain, at the expense of others sometimes.
- E.g Countries such as Britain, America and other European countries are more
individualistic
Cultural diversity - Cultures can be very diverse and differ a great deal across a country.
Things that seem normal in one culture may be very unacceptable in another. The different
cultures carry a different set of norms and values
- For example, in muslim culture, it is wrong to drink alcohol and eat pork whereas in
other cultures it is perfectly acceptable.
- In Britain we eat foods such as chips and fish with a knife and form whereas in other
countries they may use chopsticks and other utensils to eat different foods
Topic 1 - What is culture?
Culture - Culture is a term used to describe a way of life for a group of people. It refers to
how they are expected to think, behave and believe. It also refers to the traditions, beliefs
and ideas that people share.
- All individuals are part of a culture, some people may be part of more than one. For
example, if someone has Asian heritage then they may follow traditions, norms and
beliefs that belong to their Asian background.
- Culture is a broader term than society, sociologists are more interested in learning
about culture than society because they believe that it is culture that creates society.
Material culture - Material culture refers to the physical things that people create and
attach emotional meaning to. For example, cars, houses and food mean a lot to people.
They are symbols of something important, not just objects.
- Wearing a football top to a game symbolises your support to the team, not just a
shirt.
Non-material culture - Non-material culture refers to ideas that people share, e.g. their
rules, traditions, language. It is important because it helps people understand their social
world and gives them guidelines to follow.
- Queuing is very important in Britain, if a person were to push in front of you in a
queue then you would consider it rude
Social construction - A social construction is any idea that is created and given special
meaning by people.
- E.g. Motherhood is a social construction because it differs all around the world
(maternity leave - 480 days in Switzerland, 0 days in America).
Collectivist culture - A culture that prioritises group, shared goals and interdependence
over individual desires. It emphasises ‘we’ over ‘I’.
- E.g. Countries such as Japan, South Korea and India follow a collectivist culture
Individualistic culture - Cultures which tend to prioritise individual freedom and personal
gain, at the expense of others sometimes.
- E.g Countries such as Britain, America and other European countries are more
individualistic
Cultural diversity - Cultures can be very diverse and differ a great deal across a country.
Things that seem normal in one culture may be very unacceptable in another. The different
cultures carry a different set of norms and values
- For example, in muslim culture, it is wrong to drink alcohol and eat pork whereas in
other cultures it is perfectly acceptable.
- In Britain we eat foods such as chips and fish with a knife and form whereas in other
countries they may use chopsticks and other utensils to eat different foods
