Chapter Eight:

Aspects of Culture Vocabulary

Culture• Culture refers to a people’s way of life from how

they meet their needs, their language, religion, beliefs, customs, institutions, and technology.

Customs• Things people usually do, such as how they dress,

the foods they eat, and how they celebrate holidays and the great turning points in life – birth, coming of age, marriage, parenthood, and death.

Animism• A polytheistic form of religion in which it is

believed things in nature have their own spirit.

Hinduism• A polytheistic form of religion which teaches that

the principles of life can be discovered through meditation.

Buddhism• A polytheistic form of religion which teaches to

end suffering, a person must come to accept the world as it is and to block out selfish desires.

Judaism• A monotheistic form of religion who believe in one

God and follow the Ten Commandments.

Christianity• A monotheistic form of religion which believes

Jesus died to redeem mankind.

Islam• A monotheistic form of religion which believe in

Muhammad as Allah’s last and greatest prophet and the Five Pillars of Faith.

Sikhism• A monotheistic form of religion which believe in

both Hindu and Muslim beliefs.

Gender Roles• Roles specifically assigned to men and women by

society.

Urban• City Setting

Rural• Countryside Setting

Multicultural• Containing a mix of peoples and cultures.

Social Class• A group within a society’s social structure

containing people of similar wealth and power.

Social Mobility• Refers to how easy it is to change one’s social

class.