What is Sociology?

Sociology is the scientific study of

human society & social behavior.
 Introduction

Culture is derived from the English word ‘Kulthra’ and Sanskrit word
‘Samskar’ which denotes social channel and intellectual excellence.
Culture is a way of life.

•The term culture refers to the knowledge, language, values, customs, and physical
objects that are passed from generation to generation among members of a group.

•Role of culture is to help explain human social behavior.

•Another role of culture is to provide the blueprint that people in a society use to
guide their relationships with others.

•Culture and society are tightly interwoven, one cannot exist without the other, but
they are not identical.

•A society is a group of people who live in a defined territory and participate in a

common culture
 Concept of Culture

The concept of culture is among the most widely used notions in sociology.
Normally, one can presume culture to be equivalent to higher things of the mind
such as art, literature, music and painting. However, in the perspective of sociologist
it goes beyond such activities.
Culture refers to the ways of life of the members of society, or of groups within a
society. It includes how they dress, their marriage customs, language and family life,
their patterns of work, religious ceremonies and leisure pursuits.

Cultural sociology is one of the main major and most popular areas
of the American Sociological Association. A Society is a system of interrelationships
which connects individuals together. All societies are united by the fact that their
members are organized in structured social relationships according to a unique
culture.

No cultures could exist without societies. But equally, no society could exist without
culture.
 Elements of culture.

Symbols: Symbols are those illustrations that are used to represent a particular
meaning of something that people who share the same culture can easily recognize.

Language: A system of symbols that permits people to communicate with one

another.

Values: Culturally defined principles of desirability, goodness, beauty and many

other things that serves as broad guidelines for social living.

Folkways.

Mores.

Customs
Symbols : Anything that carries particular meaning recognized by people who
share the same culture.
It can be either material object like flag a cross or word or it can be a non material
object like sound gesture. Symbolic meaning is obvious uniform in culture and
powerful.

Language : A major symbolic system in use in all human societies is languages.

Human languages are learned and variable, flexible and generative. Without
language there is no culture.
It is language through which we are able to create share, preserve and transmit
cultural meanings such as complex patterns of emotions, thought, knowledge and
beliefs. Language is essential to give members of society a sense of identity.

Mores : Mores are the customs, norms, and behaviors that are acceptable to
a society or social group. Mores differ from group to group and from society to society.
Mores are dynamic, they keep on changing according to changing need of society.
Values : Values are general abstract moral principles defining what is right or
wrong, good or bad, desirable or undesirable.
In other words values often come in pairs of positive and negative terms. Values
define general moral qualities of behavior expected from members of society such as
honesty, patriotism or commitment to freedom
Customs : Customs are formed on the basis of habits. Customs are social
habits which through repetition become the basis of an order of social behavior.
According to MacIver custom is a group procedure that has gradually emerged
without express enactment without any constituted authority to declare it, apply it,
to safe guard it.

Folkways are accepted ways of behavior. These are the behavior pattern of every day
life which unconsciously arises within a group. Also these are the ways of acting that are
common to a society or a group that are handed down from generation to the next.
Example of folkways are eating pattern, habits, communication, dressing walking,
working and greeting.
 NATURE OF CULTURE

•Culture is a learned behavior not inherited. It is learned through

experience, imitation, communication, concept, thinking and socialization
process.

•Culture is transmitted by vertically or horizontally thus it is communicative.

Vertical transmission is from one generation to another whereas horizontal
transmission is from one group to another group within the same period
.
•Culture is social not individual the pattern of thinking, feeling & acting can
be shared by the members of the group and kept relatively uniform through
group pressures.

•Culture provides opportunities and provides means for the satisfaction of

our needs and desires to fulfill group functions.
 FUNCTIONS OF CULTURE

•It makes man as a human being. To regulate the conduct and prepares the
human being for group life through the process of socialization.

•It defines the meaning of situation. Provides solutions for difficult

situations. Defines values, attitudes and goals.

•Broaden the vision of individuals. Provide behavior patterns and

relationship with others.

•Keep the individual behavior intact. Moulds national character. Define

myths, legends, supernatural believes. Creates new needs and interests.
 Cultural identity

•Some of the main sources of identity include gender, sexual orientation, nationality, or
ethnicity and social class.

•They are two types of identity often spoken of by sociologist which are social identity and self-
identity or (personal identity).

•These forms of identity are analytically distinct, but are closely related to one another.

•Social Identity refers to the characteristics that are attributed to an individual by others. Social
identities can include student, mother, Anglican, homeless, doctor, Asian, married and so forth.

•A person could simultaneously be a mother, a doctor and a Christian. Multiple social identities
reflect the many dimensions of people's lives. Social identities therefore involve a collective
dimension.

• Feminist, environmentalists, supporters of nationalist movements are examples of cases in

which a shared identity is drawn on as a powerful source of meaning.
 Cultural diversity

•Culture is a set of behavior of a group. Therefore there are many culture as

there are many groups.
•Culture of one group may differ completely or in certain aspects from
other.
These variations are known as cultural diversity. Factors responsible for
diverse culture are as follows-
• Geographical location.
•Unconscious behavior imitated and later on become a custom which is the
part of culture.
•Flexibility in behavior.
•Technological advancement.
•Religious belief.
•Life style Language.
 Factors of socio-cultural
changes.
•Shift from rural to urban life;
•From agricultural to industrial economy;
•The introduction of democratic pattern and their
focus on individual freedom and initiative;
•Keen competition for economic survival so that
both parents are forced to work
•Greater opportunities for personal and professional
enhancement;
•Increased participation of women in activities
outside the house
 Process

Oinvention : An invention may be defined as a new

combination or new use of existing knowledge.

Odiscovery : A discovery is a shared human experiences of an

element of reality which already exist.

Odiffusion : Most of the social changes in all known societies

develop through diffusion, the spread of culture traits from
group to group.
 Theories

Evolution Theory : According to evolutionary theory,

society moves in specific directions. Therefore, early social evolutionist saw
society as progressing to higher and higher levels. As a result, the
concluded that their own cultural attitudes and behaviors were more
advanced than those of earlier societies.

Conflict Theory: Conflict theorists maintain that, because a society's

wealthy and powerful ensure the status in which social practices and
institutions favorable to them continue, change plays a vital role in
remedying social inequalities and injustices.
Cyclical Theory: This theory posits that every society undergoes a
phenomenon of cyclical change.

Equilibrium Theory: Changes in one aspect of society

require adjustments in other aspects. When these adjustments do not occur,
equilibrium disappears, threatening social order. Parsons’ equilibrium theory
incorporates the evolutionary concept of continuing progress, but the
predominant theme is stability and balance.
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