M O D U L E 11 Recap and Review Summary In this module we examine the ways in which culture changes and spreads. 1. Human culture is constantly expanding through the process of innovation, which includes both discovery and invention. 2. Diffusion —the spread of cultural items from one place to another—has fostered globalization. Still, people resist ideas that seem too foreign, as well as those they perceive as threatening to their own values and beliefs. Thinking Critically 1. Name one culturally significant discovery and one culturally significant invention that occurred in your lifetime. Explain how these innovations have changed your culture. 2. Describe one positive example and one negative of McDonaldization that you have experienced. Key Terms Culture lag Diffusion Discovery Innovation Invention Material culture Nonmaterial culture Technology M O D U L E 12 Cultural Variation Despite the presence of cultural universals such as courtship and religion, great diversity exists among the world’s many cultures. Inuit tribes in northern Canada, dressed in fur for the hunt, share little with farmers in southeast Asia, who dress lightly for work in their hot, humid rice paddies. Cultures adapt to meet specific circumstances, such as climate, level of technology, population, and geography. Even within a single nation, certain segments of the populace develop cultural patterns that differ from the patterns of the dominant society— thus the difficulty of identifying a core culture in the United States, where regional differences fuel culture wars between conservatives and liberals. Moreover, in every region, specific communities tend to band together to form their own culture within a culture, called a subculture. Subcultures Rodeo riders, residents of a retirement community, workers on an offshore oil rig—all are examples of what sociologists refer to as subcultures. A subculture is a segment of society that shares a distinctive pattern of customs, rules, and traditions that differs from the pattern of the larger society. The existence of many subcultures is characteristic of complex societies such as the United States. Members of a subculture participate in the dominant culture while engaging in unique and distinctive forms of behavior. Frequently, a subculture will develop an argot, or specialized language that distinguishes it from the wider society. Athletes who play parkour, an extreme sport that combines forward running with fence Employees of an international call center in India socialize after their shift has ended. Call center employees, whose odd working hours isolate them from others, tend to form tight-knit subcultures. Cultural Variation 69
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