CCM
Chapter 1
Cultural anthropology seeks to understand how and why contemporary peoples of the world
differ in their customs and practices and how and why they share certain similarities = The
comparative studies of cultural differences and similarities found throughout the world
Antropologist can help global corporations craft solutions to problems of working together
as efficiently as possible.
Antropology works to indentify, describe and explain the commonalities
The science of anthropology attemps to document the great variations in cultural forms
while looking for both the common strands that are found in all cultures.
The information must be given firsthand.
Culture
‘Everything that people have, think and do as members of their society.’
1: Have: materialistic perspective
2: Think: ideas, values, attitudes and beliefs
3: Do: behave in a certain socially prescribed way
Thus: Culture is made up of: (1) Material objects, (2) Ideas, values and attitudes and (3)
normative or expected patterns of behavior
Culture is transmitted through the process of learning and interacting with one’s
environment, rather than through the genetic process. Culture can be thought of as a
storehouse of all knowledge of a society.
Thus: Culture is passed on from one generation to another within a society, it’s not inborn or
instinctive.
1 understanding can lead to greater tolerance for cultural differences
2 the leanred nature of culture serves as a reminder that because we have mastered our
own culture, it is possible to learn to function in other cultures as well.
Kluckhohn: a learnt part of our culture (like eating rattlesnake meat is dirty and not for
diner) actually triggers the sudden interruption of the normal digestion (by vomitting)
Cultural Universals
Number of common problems in every culture = cultural universals
-economic systems (such as capitalism, socialism) = one of the most obvious and immediate
issues of a society is to meet the basic psycholical requirements.
-marriage and family systems (monogamy/polygmy/polyandrie) = all societies have
patterned systems of marriage and the many obligations to attend family/kinship functions,
labor contracts
, -edicational system (how to educate our children) = alomg with ensuring that the basic
physical needs of the child are met, the society must see to it that the children learn the way
of life of society.
-social control systems = if groups of people are to survive, they must develop some
established ways of preserving social order. Every society has a system for forcing people to
obey the social rules.
-supernatural believes = all societies have a certain degree of control pver their social and
pshysical environments – by a supernatural believe they try to find explainations for the
unexplainable occerences.
Cultural change
all cultures experience continual change. Change occurs as a result of both internal and
external forces. By discovery and invention. Most change occur as a result of borrowing from
other cultures= cultural diffusion
Although cultural diffusion varies form situation to situation, we can identify certain
generalizations that hold true for all cultures.
1 cultural diffusion is a selective process, items will be borrowed from another culture only if
they prove to be useful and/or compatible.
2 cultral borrowing is a two-way process, by time cultural traits diffuse in different directions
3 frequently borrowed items are not transfered into recipient culture in exactly their original
form
4 some cutural traits are more easily diffused than others, like large technological
innovations are more likely tob e borrowed than social patterns or beliefs.
Culture is an intergrated whol: cltures are coherent and logical systems, the parts of which
to a degree are interrelated.
A culture is integrated = it is an organized system in shich particular components may be
related to other components
A corporate culture
Helps ensure that people at all levels of the organization are pulling together in the same
directions.
Succesfull corporate cultures manage to intergrate: symbols, legends, heroes,
communcation patterns, shared values, patterns of social interaction and shared
experiences.
Chapter 1
Cultural anthropology seeks to understand how and why contemporary peoples of the world
differ in their customs and practices and how and why they share certain similarities = The
comparative studies of cultural differences and similarities found throughout the world
Antropologist can help global corporations craft solutions to problems of working together
as efficiently as possible.
Antropology works to indentify, describe and explain the commonalities
The science of anthropology attemps to document the great variations in cultural forms
while looking for both the common strands that are found in all cultures.
The information must be given firsthand.
Culture
‘Everything that people have, think and do as members of their society.’
1: Have: materialistic perspective
2: Think: ideas, values, attitudes and beliefs
3: Do: behave in a certain socially prescribed way
Thus: Culture is made up of: (1) Material objects, (2) Ideas, values and attitudes and (3)
normative or expected patterns of behavior
Culture is transmitted through the process of learning and interacting with one’s
environment, rather than through the genetic process. Culture can be thought of as a
storehouse of all knowledge of a society.
Thus: Culture is passed on from one generation to another within a society, it’s not inborn or
instinctive.
1 understanding can lead to greater tolerance for cultural differences
2 the leanred nature of culture serves as a reminder that because we have mastered our
own culture, it is possible to learn to function in other cultures as well.
Kluckhohn: a learnt part of our culture (like eating rattlesnake meat is dirty and not for
diner) actually triggers the sudden interruption of the normal digestion (by vomitting)
Cultural Universals
Number of common problems in every culture = cultural universals
-economic systems (such as capitalism, socialism) = one of the most obvious and immediate
issues of a society is to meet the basic psycholical requirements.
-marriage and family systems (monogamy/polygmy/polyandrie) = all societies have
patterned systems of marriage and the many obligations to attend family/kinship functions,
labor contracts
, -edicational system (how to educate our children) = alomg with ensuring that the basic
physical needs of the child are met, the society must see to it that the children learn the way
of life of society.
-social control systems = if groups of people are to survive, they must develop some
established ways of preserving social order. Every society has a system for forcing people to
obey the social rules.
-supernatural believes = all societies have a certain degree of control pver their social and
pshysical environments – by a supernatural believe they try to find explainations for the
unexplainable occerences.
Cultural change
all cultures experience continual change. Change occurs as a result of both internal and
external forces. By discovery and invention. Most change occur as a result of borrowing from
other cultures= cultural diffusion
Although cultural diffusion varies form situation to situation, we can identify certain
generalizations that hold true for all cultures.
1 cultural diffusion is a selective process, items will be borrowed from another culture only if
they prove to be useful and/or compatible.
2 cultral borrowing is a two-way process, by time cultural traits diffuse in different directions
3 frequently borrowed items are not transfered into recipient culture in exactly their original
form
4 some cutural traits are more easily diffused than others, like large technological
innovations are more likely tob e borrowed than social patterns or beliefs.
Culture is an intergrated whol: cltures are coherent and logical systems, the parts of which
to a degree are interrelated.
A culture is integrated = it is an organized system in shich particular components may be
related to other components
A corporate culture
Helps ensure that people at all levels of the organization are pulling together in the same
directions.
Succesfull corporate cultures manage to intergrate: symbols, legends, heroes,
communcation patterns, shared values, patterns of social interaction and shared
experiences.
