AS Sociology

Culture

Norm- Form of behaviour, most people in society follow

Values - general principle most of society agree on

Status - held by a peson based on social position in society

Ascribed status - given to a person normally from birth

Achieved ststus - earned based on talent or actions

Roles  - pattern of behaviour or routine in everyday life

Culture - beliefs, customs and ways of life in a society

Types of culture

High culture

Popular culture

Cultural diversity

Muticultralism

Subculture

Comsumer culture

High Culture

Linked with the upper class

Families with ascribed status

Operate a system of social closure (not allowing people in to thier society)

Want it to stay an exclusive position

Some sociologists question whether high culture still exists in contempary UK

Popular Culture

Media are highly responsible for creating popular culture in contempary UK

Material goods plays a key role in this culture especially designer brands

Argued that popular culture at times borrows an idea from high culture and popularises it

Some sociologists argue it's a product from a media-dominated world

Brings all different backgrounds together in a common culture

Subculture

It is a culture enjoyed by a small group within society

Have distinct norms and values which makes them a sub-section of society

Some subcultures develop in opposition to authority

It is mainly young adults who join subcultures but some people stay in these subcultures all there lives

Cultural diversity

Three types of diversity :

When members of society have distinct ways of life

Some members of a society rebel against the central principles

Communal diversification, where ethnic groups have long established communities

The contempary UK is a culturally diverse society

Multiculturalism

Different ethnic groups living side-by-side in society

UK is a multicultural society with 9% of the population from minority ethnic backgrounds

Promotes the belief that ethnic groups are all of the same status 

They all have an equal right to preserve their own cultural heritage

Its argued that it can cause riots and conflict in society

Cultural differences make it impossible for ethnically diverse groups to live together without conflict

Consumer Culture

Related to things we buy and use within society

Based on cultural and economic factors

Portrays a sense of identity throught the consumer goods avaliable

Contempary UK is a big consumer culture

Features of a consumer culture include: avaliability of consumer goods, shopping is now a leisure pursuit, wide varieties of shopping and debt is sociably excepted

Global Culture

Globalisation is the process at which things happen everywhere around the world

Means no individuality or isolated countries

Emerged due to patterns of migration, international travel and the spread of media

Media exposes people to world dominant companies

Culture is a term use to describe different groups within a society which have different norms, values, beliefs and customs to each other.