Distinguish between discovery, invention, and diffusion as means of cultural change
What will be an ideal response?
Discovery is the process of learning about something previously unknown or unrecognized. Historically, discovery involved unearthing natural elements or existing realities, such as "discovering" fire or the true shape of the earth. Today, discovery most often results from scientific research. For example, the discovery of a polio vaccine virtually eliminated one of the major childhood diseases. As more discoveries have occurred, people have been able to reconfigure existing material and nonmaterial cultural items through invention. Invention is the process of reshaping existing cultural items into a new form. Guns, video games, and airplanes are examples of inventions that positively or negatively affect our lives today. When diverse groups of people come into contact, they begin to adapt one another's discoveries, inventions, and ideas for their own use. Diffusion is the transmission of cultural items or social practices from one group or society to another through such means as exploration, military endeavors, the media, tourism, and immigration.
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The Super Bowl is a principal element of nonmaterial culture in the United States.
Answer the following statement true (T) or false (F)
The most common reason that parents give for homeschooling is
a. a belief they are better qualified to teach most subjects. b. a concern with religious or moral deficits in public schools. c. the lack of adequate math and science education in the public schools. d. their child's serious health problems. e. fear of having their child mix with students of different backgrounds.
Lois Benjamin's research on the life experiences of high-achieving African Americans suggests that ________
a. race has little to do with the life experiences of successful people. b. racism remains a burden even among privileged African Americans. c. race is now more of a barrier to African Americans than ever before in U.S. history. d. racism mainly affects lower-class African Americans.
A sociologist is studying the behavior of children in a school cafeteria and wants to engage in participant-observation. How would this sociologist engage in participant-observation effectively?
A. by observing the seating habits of school children in the cafeteria B. by sitting with the children in the lunchroom and eating with various groups C. by having the children report who they typically sit with at lunch D. by reducing the number of seats in the school's cafeteria