Introduction to Sociology

Here’s one famous example from an elevator:
https://youtu.be/XZDLbbfT9_Q
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  Introduction to Culture. Provided by: Lumen Learning. License: CC BY: Attribution
  
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  Introduction to Culture. Authored by: OpenStax CNX. Located at: https://cnx.org/contents/AgQDEnLI@10.1:io7WC_uF@5/Introduction-to-Culture. License: CC BY: Attribution. License Terms: Download for free at http://cnx.org/contents/02040312-72c8-441e-a685-20e9333f3e1d@3.49
  
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  Introduction to Sociology/Culture. Provided by: Wikibooks. Located at: https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Introduction_to_Sociology/Culture. License: CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
  
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  Human Behaviour experiment Lift Antics. Provided by: Michael Taggart. Located at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZDLbbfT9_Q. License: Other. License Terms: Standard YouTube License
  

Your assigned reading continues on the next page

Culture, Values, and Beliefs

LEARNING OUTCOMES

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  Compare material versus nonmaterial culture
  
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  Describe cultural values and beliefs
  

Humans are social creatures. Since the dawn of Homo sapiens nearly 250,000 years ago, people have grouped together into communities in order to survive. Living together, people form common habits and behaviors—from specific methods of childrearing to preferred techniques for obtaining food. In modern-day Paris, many people shop daily at outdoor markets to pick up what they need for their evening meal, buying cheese, meat, and vegetables from different specialty stalls. In the United States, the majority of people shop once a week at supermarkets, filling large carts to the brim. How would a Parisian perceive U.S. shopping behaviors that suburban Americans take for granted?
Note that in the above comparison we are looking at cultural differences on display in two distinct places, suburban America and urban France, even though we are examining a behavior that people in both places are engaged in. It’s important to note that geographical place is an important factor in culture—beliefs and practices, and society—the social structures and organization of individuals and groups.
Almost every human behavior, from shopping to marriage to expressions of feelings, is learned. In the United States, people tend to view marriage as a choice between two people, based on mutual feelings of love. In other nations and in other times, marriages have been arranged through an intricate process of interviews and negotiations between entire families, or in other cases, through a direct system, such as a “mail order bride.” To someone raised in New York City, the marriage customs of a family from Nigeria may seem strange or even wrong. Conversely, someone from a traditional Kolkata family might be perplexed with the idea of romantic love as the foundation for marriage and lifelong commitment. In other words, the way in which people view marriage depends largely on what they have been taught.
Behavior based on learned customs is not a bad thing. Being familiar with unwritten rules helps people feel secure and “normal.” Also, perhaps such cultural traditions are comforting in that they seem to have already worked well enough for our forebears to have retained them. Most people want to live their daily lives confident that their behaviors will not be challenged or disrupted. But even an action as seemingly simple as commuting to work evidences a great deal of cultural propriety and learned behaviors.