Sociologists believe that society is made up of people, groups, and social institutions (e.g., family, politics, economics, education, religion, media) that interact with each other to create large, common bonds. For example, the social and cultural bonds may be ethnic or racial, based on socio-economic status, political interests, or due to shared beliefs, values, and activities.

It is important to note that these two major or essential(definition:extremely important) questions below will guide this activity.

• “How do diverse factors influence and shape our individual behaviour, group behaviour, and social behaviour?”
• “How are the effects of these factors interconnected?”

You will explore different topics that relate to, and explain, these questions as you work through this activity.

In this activity, you will use a sociological lens to learn about diverse factors, such as culture, social norms and expectations, and technology that influence and shape social (society’s) behaviour, individual behaviour, and group behaviour. Although these factors are diverse on their own, they are all interconnected because they influence each other. Let’s start this activity by examining society and group culture through a sociological lens.

Culture

In sociology, the term culture is a word that refers to a set or collection of values(definition:what is considered important or useful), beliefs, behaviours, and material objects that are shared and valued by a group. Learning about culture is an important aspect of our socialization, a topic that you’ll discover more about in this unit. 

Culture can be broken into two categories:

• material culture, which includes objects and artifacts (e.g., tangible or physical things) that are found in a culture or society. Examples of material culture may include: paintings, technology, tools, vehicles, and clothing; and 
• non-material culture, which includes values, beliefs, customs, and traditions that are passed on, and shared in a culture. Examples of non-material culture may include: policies and politics, religious beliefs, morals, traditions, and celebrations.

Thinking about food as an example of material culture is a good way to demonstrate an example of something that is considered to be specific to a culture and society. For example, if someone were to ask you about a cultural dish from Canada, what would you say? Maybe, poutine? However, did you know that butter tarts originated in Canada, as well? (The article 12 Foods that Canada has given the world  offers more quick and interesting facts about other uniquely Canadian cultural cuisines.)  And, the article Indigneous chefs aim to raise awareness of their food traditions discusses some traditional dishes of different Indigenous Peoples in Canada.

Let’s reflect on Canadian cultural identity. Take a moment to think about your knowledge of our Canadian culture - that is, what you think you know about it.  Then, add one sticky note, image, or video link in each column.

Canadian_Culture

Long Description

Thinking Critically about Canadian Society and Cultural Identity

Did you have a difficult time coming up with examples of Canadian culture? You may or may not have, and either way, it’s fine. The idea of Canadian culture is a more controversial(definition:gives rise to disagreement) topic than you may initially think.   

Canada is very fortunate to have a multicultural, diverse population; however, some people might argue that it means that Canada lacks its own unique and specific culture or identity.

In an interview for the New York Times Magazine in 2015, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told the interviewer (Guy Lawson) that Canada is its own kind of state that isn’t defined by its European history, but rather “by the multiplicity of its identities from all over the world.” He then continued to explain that, “There is no core identity, no mainstream in Canada ...There are shared values — openness, respect, compassion, willingness to work hard, to be there for each other, to search for equality and justice. Those qualities are what make us the first post national state.’’

He may not have realized it at the time, but that quote (included in the article Trudeau's Canada, Again) challenged the beliefs of many Canadians. 

Canadians, who believe that Canada does have its own culture and identity, were frustrated because they felt that the Prime Minister’s comments dismissed what they considered to be a truly Canadian set of values, beliefs, behaviours, and objects.

We won’t actually debate the idea of Canadian culture now, but in order for you to explore whether you agree or disagree on a deeper level with the belief that Canada has its own culture, you must first be able to answer this question: what are some defining features of culture in groups?

Defining Features of Culture in Groups

These following features explain how culture develops and exists.

Transmitted: Culture is passed down from one generation to the next. Culture may be passed on in many different ways (e.g., through oral storytelling or documented in books and media). When parent(s), guardian(s), family, friends, and teachers pass on knowledge about cultural values, beliefs, behaviours, and objects, they are helping to make sure that the culture will continue to survive. It stands to reason then, that if one generation doesn’t teach the next about their culture, it cannot continue. We will consider an example of the effects of intentionally and aggressively stopping the transmission of culture later in this course.

Learned: We aren’t born with cultural knowledge - we learn it. This explains why cultures are different throughout the world. Hand gestures, body language, housing, traditions, customs - these are all examples of culture that may differ between cultural groups in the world, and between Canadians, too.

Continuous: Culture is dynamic, which means that it continues to change and evolve as society does. As social or societal changes occur, culture is edited and changes are accepted and pushed forward. Technology, and how quickly it changes, is a good example of the idea that culture is continuous or ever-changing. This video clip illustrates how quickly our view of technology (and the relevance of current material objects) changes.

Shared: Culture develops as people share experiences and create meanings with each other. The game of hockey is often synonymous with (or associated with) Canadian culture. As you may or may not know, when the same (hockey) player scores three goals in one game it’s called a ‘hat trick.’ Watch or listen to these short videos to see that Canadian custom(definition:a traditional and widely accepted way of behaving or doing something that is specific to a particular society, place, or time) in a new context.

An interesting side note: Exactly a year to the day, Josh Donaldson did the same thing for the Toronto Blue Jays!

Cumulative:  Culture doesn’t happen instantly -  it emerges over time. Today’s culture is a product of years of tweaking, editing, and building on the foundations that previous generations laid down.

Social: Culture is not the product of one individual; rather, it is the product of a society or group of people.

Mass Media, Culture, and Groups in Society

Mass media is an agent of socialization (or way that we learn social skills) and it has an impact on the transmission of culture. Examples of mass media include: newspapers, radio, television, magazines, and the Internet. It is a form of communication that is created or produced by a few people, but then consumed (e.g., viewed or listened to) by many people. As a result, several people and groups in society can be affected (either positively or negatively) by the media and what the media says or portrays about them. Mass media can also be a very effective tool to spread a message and share knowledge about culture and groups in society. You will learn more about mass media as an agent of socialization later in this unit.

This example of media (an article from HuffPost Canada) shares insightful messages from Indigenous Peoples about their various cultures in Canada. 

Analysing media, specifically music and lyrics, also provides some great insight or knowledge about society, social interactions, and the culture that they reflect.

For example, artists will often use their lyrics to convey or communicate cultural meanings, such as:

• the things we value;
• our beliefs;
• how we treat each other;
• power and privilege; and
• trends(definition:what’s in style) and fads(definition:a craze or an intense and widely shared enthusiasm for something, especially one that is short-lived) that are happening in society.

The Glue that Holds Society Together: Values, Norms, Folkways, Mores, Laws, and Sanctions

Have you ever built a model of something - a plane, car, or building, for example? The model kit comes with lots of different pieces that have to be glued together to create the final product, or the ‘big picture.’

If we think about society as the ‘big picture,’ then the different elements of society (e.g., culture, technology, economics, religion, etc.) are like the pieces of the model.  All the pieces are important because they contribute to the structure and strength of the model (or society in this analogy.)(definition:a comparison between two things, typically for the purpose of explanation or clarification, e.g., society and a model).  So, you may be asking - what is the ‘glue’ that holds all of the pieces in society together? Good question! Let’s examine some important characteristics that help keep society intact (definition:complete) by influencing the way members act or behave (as individuals and groups) in it. 

Values: As you know, values are a collection of the standards that people in a group generally agree on as being good, or ideal. Values are the beliefs or general guidelines about right and wrong, and they reflect what most people in a culture prefer. Values can change over time (e.g., from one generation to the next). The political climate, social changes, and economic changes may influence society’s (collective) values. For example, gender inequality is an important issue in Canadian society because it represents changing or shifting values. Values influence our behaviour or the way we act as individuals, and they also influence the way we treat different groups in society. For example, we use values to evaluate how other people and groups around us act - if they don’t fall in line with our values, then we may treat them differently.

Norms: Norms are rules or standards about acceptable ways to act (e.g., acceptable behaviours). Norms are important because they help people to know how to act in different social situations. For example, being quiet in a library or study area is usually considered a norm. Usually we might not consider the impact of norms until they are broken.

Laws are formally defined rules that are part of the legal system. When people break laws there is a formal process (e.g., court) that they must go through to determine consequences for their behaviour. For example, people who steal others’ belongings are guilty of breaking laws.

And, finally, sanctions are consequences for people’s behaviour. Acceptable behaviour is rewarded with praise, positive feedback, or rewards, whereas unacceptable or poor behaviour is punished with disapproval, suspensions, etc. You might remember these terms from Unit 2's operant conditioning. Also, recall that positive sanctions will encourage behaviour to continue, whereas negative sanctions or punishments will deter or stop unwanted behaviour. Sanctions may be different in every culture, because they reinforce culturally appropriate or acceptable behaviours. For example, in Western culture, people tend to value privacy. Therefore, there are strong sanctions for violating other people’s privacy. People may break social norms if they think that violating the norm outweighs the possible sanction. For example, under-age drinking is, unfortunately, a common behaviour in our society.  Is it because peer pressure or conformity (the desire to fit in) outweighs the sanction (e.g., being grounded, or charged by the police)?  

Long Description

Social Change, Group Behaviour, and Social Movements

As you know, society’s beliefs and values, and thus its culture, change as time passes - in response to different factors (e.g., political changes, economic changes). Sociologists refer to this change or evolution as social change. Social change accounts for many different factors in our lives - from what we wear (e.g., trends or fads) to how we are expected to act or social norms, and everything in between.

Many times, when people in society share the same ideas they unite or come together to try to achieve a goal, such as raising awareness about a particular cause in society. This is known as collective behaviour. Change is inevitable(definition:certain to happen or unavoidable) in society. But not everyone is always happy with all of the different changes that occur.

Social Movements(definition:a collection of people who are organized to bring awareness to social issues) are used by groups to try to bring about or resist social change. You can likely think of some groups that spread messages about inequalities or injustices in society. Whether by marching in the streets or using social media, spreading their movement’s messages increases awareness of the social issues that they believe are important. There are many different social movements in Canada, from environmental movements to the rights of specific, marginalized groups in society. You’ll have a chance to learn about specific social movements in Canada in the Consolidation task of this activity.

Social movements are an example of social action - taking steps to change the things that are unjust in society and introducing new ideas and processes for doing things better in the future.

Technology and Social Change

‘How has technology(definition:machinery and equipment that has developed from the application of scientific knowledge) influenced change in society?’

Add an effect that technology has had on your life to a sticky note. 

The fact that you may be taking this course online is an example of just that - the impact that technology is having on society and social interaction. Technology is changing us as a society. For example, technology affects:

• the way we interact (e.g., virtually);
• how we physically organize ourselves (e.g., in a classroom or in a coffee shop, in cities or towns);
• how we access information (e.g., online books); and
• how we communicate with each other (e.g. social media).

The technology we have today is certainly very different from the technologies invented in the past, and although past technology may seem old or ‘lame’ by today’s fast-paced standards, it still had a significant impact on society, individual, and group behaviour. It's also how we got to where we are today!

Watch or listen to this short video. Before you do, you’ll need to know what the term ‘urbanization’ means. Urbanization refers to the shift of the population from rural (e.g., farm) to urban areas (e.g. cities). You’ll notice that the video describes some interesting ways that geographic location affects social organization, society, and the way people interact with each other.

As you watch or listen to the video, keep this question in the back of your mind: Is there a relationship between technology and social change?

This interaction - humans creating technology that, in turn, affects humans - continues to this very day! When two factors both have effects on each other  this is called a symbiotic relationship. Sometimes the changes are beneficial or positive (e.g., being able to stay connected with friends and family throughout the world or automated milking farms), and sometimes the effects of technology are negative (e.g., bullying through social media sites).

An important period in history that saw significant changes in technology was the Industrial Revolution (as the video narrator mentioned). The Industrial Revolution saw a big shift to urbanization, but it also saw the rise of poorly paid workers and different social classes (socio-economic statuses), social injustices, and social inequities.  Workers often lived in horrible and over-crowded dwellings, were paid little, and suffered poor working conditions. Children were forced to work in these poor conditions, as well. It would take many years for social movements to effectively spark changes that improved worker’s rights.