Culture: consists of the beliefs, values, behavior, and material objects that define a people’s way of life. It is passed from generation to generation among the members of a society. It is a shared way of life that is learned.

Material culture: the tangible products of human society.

Nonmaterial culture: the intangible creations of human society.

Symbols: anything that carries a particular meaning recognized by the people who share culture. Meanings of the same symbols can vary from culture to culture.

Language: a system of symbols that allows members of a society to communicate with one another.

Values: culturally defined standards used to judge desirability, goodness, and beauty. They serve as broad guidelines for social living.

Beliefs: Ideas about what is considered to be true.

Norms: the rules and expectations used to guide the behavior of members of society.

Mores: norms that have great moral significance (taboos).

Folkways: norms that have less moral significance.

Ideal culture: Social patterns mandated by cultural values and norms. (Example: Sexual fidelity in marriage should be maintained.)

Real culture: Actual social patterns that only approximate cultural expectations. (Example: 1/3 of spouses cheat—Macionis 1999).

Culture shock: the personal disorientation that accompanies exposure to an unfamiliar way of life. In extreme cases, it is the inability to attribute meaning to symbols (ex. understanding language).

Ethnocentrism: The practice of judging another culture by the standards of one’s own culture.

Cultural relativism: The practice of judging a culture by its own standards.