Identity, Society and Culture
Summary
TLDRDr. Steve Klein explores the intricate relationship between identity, society, and culture in this educational video. He distinguishes between personal and social identity, highlighting how they shape our self-concept and group affiliations. Furthermore, he delves into cultural identity, emphasizing its foundational role in our understanding of self and societal norms. Using the analogy of a mobile phone, he illustrates the difference between society's structural framework (hardware) and culture's guiding beliefs and values (software). The video serves as a foundational insight into the dynamics of communication within and across cultures.
Takeaways
- đ Dr. Steve Klein discusses the interrelationship between identity, society, and culture in the context of communication studies.
- đ The video aims to explore how our identity is shaped by our social and cultural positions, building on previous discussions about perception.
- 𧩠The distinction between society and culture is highlighted as crucial for understanding challenges in intercultural communication and media impacts.
- đ Society is likened to the 'hardware' of a mobile phone, focusing on the structural and operational systems that organize a community.
- đ Culture is compared to the 'software' of a phone, encompassing the beliefs, values, and norms that give meaning to actions and interactions.
- đ€ Personal identity is described as self-concept, influenced by individual life experiences and what makes a person unique.
- đ„ Social identity arises from interpersonal commitment to social groups, based on shared interests and common concerns.
- đ Cultural identity is internally constructed, reflecting long-standing historical and social traditions that impart expectations for behavior.
- đ The United States is used as an example to illustrate the differences between society (organizational infrastructure) and culture (core beliefs and values).
- đ U.S. culture's positive aspects and internal flaws, such as race, gender, and social power constructs, are acknowledged as part of its ongoing cultural negotiation.
- đ± Culture is dynamic, subject to change through communication and social interaction, and includes not only nationality and ethnicity but also aspects like gender and socioeconomic class.
Q & A
What is the main focus of Dr. Steve Klein's video lesson?
-The main focus of Dr. Steve Klein's video lesson is to explore the interrelationship between identity, society, and culture in the context of communication studies.
How does Dr. Klein define 'identity' in the video?
-Dr. Klein defines 'identity' as the characteristics and attributes that define who a person or a group is, encompassing both personal and social aspects.
What is the difference between personal identity and social identity according to the video?
-Personal identity refers to the self-concept that is connected to an individual's life experiences and what makes them unique. Social identity, on the other hand, is derived from involvement in social groups where one is interpersonally committed and enacts membership in a group with common interests and concerns.
Can you explain the concept of 'cultural identity' as discussed in the video?
-Cultural identity is based on socially constructed categories that teach us a way of being and include expectations for social behavior. It is more fundamental and ingrained in our identity, often pre-existing us and likely to outlive us.
What is the primary distinction between 'society' and 'culture' in Dr. Klein's explanation?
-Society refers to the organizational infrastructure of a community, including structures, systems, and institutions. Culture, in contrast, is about the core beliefs, values, rules, and expectations that define the group of people and their actions within that social structure.
How does Dr. Klein suggest we differentiate between social identity and cultural identity?
-Social identity is externally constructed through membership in social groups and is driven by interpersonal activity and commitment. Cultural identity is internally constructed, often from birth, and is driven by pre-existing historical and social traditions.
What is the analogy Dr. Klein uses to explain the difference between society and culture?
-Dr. Klein uses the analogy of a mobile phone to explain the difference. Society is like the hardware of the phoneâthe physical structure and operational systems. Culture is like the softwareâthe apps and functionalities that make the phone meaningful for the user.
How does the concept of 'American exceptionalism' relate to U.S. culture as discussed in the video?
-American exceptionalism is an ideology that views the United States as a unique and special nation with a divine mission regarding its values, especially freedom and equality. It is a part of the cultural identity that has shaped and defined the U.S. culture.
What are some of the internal flaws in U.S. culture that Dr. Klein mentions, and how do they relate to the concept of culture?
-Dr. Klein mentions that U.S. culture has developed race, gender, and sexuality as primary means for establishing social power for some people at the expense of others. These internal flaws are part of the ongoing negotiation and interrogation of the cultural tradition to identify and address problematic aspects.
How do the concepts of nationality, ethnicity, and race intersect with the idea of culture according to the video?
-Nationality, ethnicity, and race are aspects of culture that involve traditions and histories of acceptable versus unacceptable assumptions about beliefs, values, and behaviors. They are part of the ongoing negotiation of learned and patterned cultural elements.
What is the role of communication in the development and maintenance of culture as explained in the video?
-Communication plays a crucial role in the development and maintenance of culture as it is through continuing processes and practices of communication and social interaction that culture is established, maintained, and evolves over time.
Outlines
đ Introduction to Identity, Society, and Culture
Dr. Steve Klein introduces the video series on communication studies, focusing on the interplay between identity, society, and culture. He discusses the importance of understanding the distinctions between society and culture and how they impact perception and self-concept. The video aims to explore how one's identity is shaped by their social and cultural positions, emphasizing the need to differentiate between personal, social, and cultural identities.
đ„ Social and Cultural Identities Defined
This paragraph delves into the definitions of social and cultural identities. Social identity is described as a choice-based involvement in groups with common interests, while cultural identity is rooted in historically and socially constructed categories that dictate expected behaviors. The distinction is clarified by outlining that social identity is externally constructed through membership, whereas cultural identity is internally constructed and often predetermines one's way of being.
đ± Society and Culture: The Mobile Phone Analogy
Dr. Klein uses the analogy of a mobile phone to illustrate the difference between society and culture. Society is likened to the phone's hardwareâthe structure and systems that enable organized function. Culture, on the other hand, is compared to the software, apps, and usage that give the phone meaning and guide user behavior. This analogy serves to emphasize that society provides the framework within which culture operates, influencing actions and beliefs.
đïž U.S. Society: Infrastructure and Institutions
The fourth paragraph examines the concept of U.S. society, focusing on its organizational infrastructure, including political, legal, economic, and institutional aspects. It highlights the importance of these structures in facilitating social interactions and communal activities. The paragraph also touches on the role of communication and media services in enabling information sharing across the nation.
đœ U.S. Culture: Values, History, and Beliefs
In this segment, Dr. Klein explores U.S. culture, discussing its core beliefs, values, and historical roots. He mentions the influence of Judeo-Christian traditions, the European Enlightenment, and the concept of the nuclear family. The paragraph also addresses the cultural flaws and the ongoing process of cultural development, including the negotiation of problematic historical aspects and the evolution of cultural norms.
đ Beyond Geography: The Broader Scope of Culture
The final paragraph broadens the discussion of culture beyond geographical boundaries, emphasizing that culture encompasses ongoing negotiations of beliefs, values, and behaviors. It acknowledges the importance of factors such as nationality, ethnicity, race, religion, and social constructs like gender and socioeconomic class. The paragraph concludes by highlighting the dynamic nature of culture and its impact on individual and communal identity.
Mindmap
Keywords
đĄIdentity
đĄSociety
đĄCulture
đĄPerception
đĄSocial Identity
đĄCultural Identity
đĄIntercultural Communication
đĄSelf-Concept
đĄMass Media
đĄHistorical Traditions
đĄAmerican Exceptionalism
Highlights
Dr. Steve Klein discusses the interrelationship between identity, society, and culture in the field of communication.
Explains the distinction between society and culture, emphasizing their importance in understanding communication.
Identity is defined by personal characteristics and social attributes that shape who a person or group is.
Personal identity is connected to life experiences and what makes an individual unique.
Social identity arises from involvement in groups and interpersonal commitment to common interests.
Cultural identity is based on socially constructed categories and expectations for behavior.
Cultural identity is more ingrained and fundamental, often pre-existing and outliving an individual.
Differentiates social identity as externally constructed through group membership versus cultural identity as internally constructed.
Cultural identity is driven by historical and social traditions, unlike social identity driven by interpersonal activity.
Uses the analogy of a mobile phone to explain the difference between society (hardware) and culture (software).
Society is the organizational infrastructure, while culture consists of core beliefs, values, and expectations.
Illustrates the concept of U.S. society and culture, highlighting the differences in their structures and values.
U.S. culture is influenced by historical, religious, and philosophical roots, shaping its values and priorities.
Cultural identity involves ongoing negotiation and patterned beliefs, attitudes, values, and behaviors.
Cultures are not just geographic; they encompass nationality, ethnicity, regional, and other social constructs.
The importance of understanding the dynamic nature of culture and its impact on communication and identity.
Encourages further questions and engagement with the content to deepen the study of communication.
Transcripts
[Music]
hi
i'm dr steve klein from the department
of communication at the university of
missouri
this is the latest in a series of online
video lessons intended to provide you
important principles and helpful
concepts for the study of communication
in this video i want to tackle the
interrelationship between
identity society and culture
in a previous video in the series we
looked at the processes
of perception and how communication
influences the perception process in
ways that lead us to learn about
and draw conclusions not just about how
other people behave and what might
explain
who they are based on how they behave
but also
ways of understanding our own
self-concept from the standpoint of
other people
so what we want to do is we want to take
it to the next level and think about how
our identity is informed in pretty
important ways
by our social and our cultural positions
now when we talk about society and
culture
these are terms that feel rather fuzzy
and we often use these terms
simultaneously to talk about large
groups of people
that have some kind of communal identity
but in fact
there are some really important
distinctions between society
and culture and these distinctions are
going to be important to keep in mind
when we subsequently study such things
as the challenges and obstacles involved
in intercultural and cross-cultural
communication
or if we want to try to look at the
social and cultural impacts of mass
media in
popular entertainment but in order to do
that we need to make sure that we've got
these first assumptions
so in order to start let's get
fundamental and let's think about the
idea
of identity in a very simple way
identity involves the characteristics
and attributes
that define who a person is or who a
group is
and so when we think about identity from
your individual standpoint you're
answering the question
who am i and when you're answering that
question from a group standpoint you're
addressing the question
who are we and then subsequently who am
i
based in part on the fact that i'm part
of this we
now in order to understand identity it's
going to be important to note that there
are a number of distinct but
interrelated dimensions that we need to
think about
the first is personal identity what we
can think about as self-concept
that's especially connected to our life
experiences this is the kind of identity
that we think about when we consider
what makes us
unique as an individual and not
necessarily that we are completely
unalike from anybody else in the world
but when we think about something that
is part of me because it's something
that i like or i appreciate or
something that i do or something that's
particularly important to me
based on the way that i'm drawn to it so
for instance
i can think of myself as a hockey player
i could think of myself as a gamer
i could think of myself as a crazy cat
lady
and before you get too worried about
that some of my best friends
are absolutely comfortable and telling
the other people in their lives
that they are in fact a crazy cat lady
so i'm just trying to respect
their self-designated identity but this
is the kind of self-concept
that describes and understands who we
are
because these are aspects of our
personally lived experiences that are
important to us
however you're probably already starting
to think well how does somebody get
involved in hockey or
gaming in the first place how does
someone
even know that the label crazy cat lady
is going to be something that other
people are going to be able to
understand and either empathize with or
scratch their heads about
that's where we need to start thinking
about identity not just as personal
but as social social identity is derived
from involvement in social groups with
which we are interpersonally committed
the idea is that we affirmatively enact
membership in some kind of group with
other people
that are involved in common interests
and common concerns
and it's our interpersonal interaction
our
social involvement with one another in
that social group
that establishes that identity so for
instance
while i might have a personal interest
in chess i could be a member
of the university of missouri chess team
i could have
particular interests in my identity
and uh my the history of myself as
a black woman and that might lead me to
join the social organization
of the delta sigma theta sorority
i might be really into dungeons and
dragons and love the
twitch stream show critical role and so
i might end up
joining the social construction of those
who refer to themselves as critters
who communicate about the show
frequently attend conventions
do cosplay activities discuss episodes
on reddit and so forth
what makes all of these social
identities
similar is that these are groups that we
make a decision to join
because it's giving us something that we
want to have
that we are sharing in common with the
other people that are in that group
and so it's our social and interpersonal
commitment
that makes that social identity what it
is
now that being said we can now start to
see
how there's going to be an important
distinction between social identity
and cultural identity cultural identity
is based on socially constructed
categories
that teach us a way of being and include
expectations for social behavior
or ways of acting this is something
that's much more fundamental
it's not just what kind of people i
choose to associate with
or what kinds of personal activities i
engage in because i want to but it's
getting at something that's
much more ingrained and fundamental in
our identity
that is something that pre-existed us
and something that is likely going to
outlive us
so for instance while i might be a
hockey player and i might be a member of
a hockey team
i can also understand myself as a white
man
i might be a gamer i might be a member
of an esports team
and i can understand myself as a woman
or and as an asian american
and i might be a member of a sorority
from a historically black college or
university
but i can also understand myself as a
black woman
and these kinds of identities are really
fundamental in that
do impart to the in-group development
of expectations and roles and norms
as well as the interaction of this group
with
other groups outside of it imposing
power on that group
however it happens it happens over the
course
of long-standing history and practice we
learn
how we are supposed to be and how we are
supposed to
act based on that now things may be
getting a little fuzzy at this point so
let's make sure we lay down some
distinctions
first of all if we're trying to think
about the difference between social
identity and cultural identity
there are some distinctions that can
help us keep these things straight
on the one hand social identity is
externally constructed through
membership
you become part of a social group
because
generally speaking you're going to
choose to be a part of that group
membership however it is that it happens
happens and there may be a point in time
in which you could potentially elect
to not be part of that social group in
which case that part of your social
identity
might go away on the other hand cultural
identity is
internally constructed and though not
all the time
usually it happens even from birth or
before birth
when you are born you are born into a
particular set
of important identifiers ways that you
are expected to understand yourself
ways you're expected to understand the
world ways that you are expected to
try to act based on those things and
it's
not something you can choose to have or
not have
for the most part now while social
identity
is driven by interpersonal activity and
commitment
you're only really part of a social
group
if you're actually doing things that
enact your membership in that group
cultural identity is driven by
pre-existing historical and social
traditions
the nature of that culture was developed
long before you were born
and is going to continue long after
you're
not there right uh social traditions
historical traditions and other
variables we'll talk about in a bit
are the things that really make you who
you are
in terms of cultural identity and it's
not like you can
choose to act on those or not act on
those the fact
that they are part of your composition
means that
to some extent people within that
culture and people outside of that
culture
will have these expectations of you
finally while social identity is defined
by alignment with
like-minded others i can join a chess
team
or an esports club or a sorority
or a fan group because there are other
people who
also have those interests and want to
interact with others
that have the same kinds of interests
again this is something that
by and large we choose to do and we can
certainly opt out of at a certain point
if we want to
cultural identity is defined by learned
ways of
being and acting this is an education
process that happens
from the time that we're born throughout
our entire lives
we learn what it is to understand
ourselves and how we're supposed to act
based on that and while there can be
internal differences and even internal
differences
of opinion uh between people who live
within a particular cultural framework
everyone is going to have an
understanding that this is the way
things are and this is the way things
ideally
should be based on our cultural
commitments
now if you want a really weird way
to understand the distinction between
society and culture
we can think about a relatively
off-the-wall analogy but stick with me
on this one
think about a mobile phone
now many if not all of you have mobile
phones and you've used them
for a long time so what i want you to do
is think about
how that mobile phone works and
what you use that mobile phone for and
why you use it
and what kinds of things that are in the
phone
make that phone and the use of it
meaningful to you
so when you think about the distinction
between society and culture you can use
the mobile phone as a touchstone
society is like the hardware of the
phone
the case of the phone itself the various
buttons that activate
functions the internal microchips and
other pieces of technology
the wiring and the lights and all of the
different things
that make the machine operate when we
think about society we want to think
about structure
we want to think about operational
systems how
things happen on the other hand when you
consider
culture think about the software think
about the apps on the phone
why do you use this phone what do you
get out of using this phone
the various pieces of software that come
with the phone
once you buy it or the ones that over
time you're able to accumulate and
collect onto the phone
these are the things that make the phone
meaningful for you
you act based on what the possibilities
are
in the software so society is the
structural hardware
that enables things to happen in an
organized way
and culture is the software it's the
underlying intelligence
it's the beliefs the values the actions
the priorities
it's what defines the parameters of what
you can do
and what you should do and why you might
want to do those things
so to tease out the distinction between
society and culture
we can think about some important
differences if we think about society
as a community's organizational
infrastructure
we're thinking about such things as
geographic space
political and legal systems economy and
commerce
public and private institutions these
are the things that
organize and structure and enable
the kinds of social and interpersonal
interactions
that make the community of people able
to function and able to do the things
that they want and need to do
on the other hand when we're thinking
about culture we're thinking about a
community's core beliefs
values rules and expectations what do we
need all that infrastructure for
in the first place and what are the
underlying assumptions that
led us to build that society the way
that we built it instead of some other
way
so think about such things as religion
and philosophy
arts and sciences behavioral norms
and of course the communication
practices and traditions
that make all of that stuff possible so
society is the organizational structural
way
of setting up a community of human
beings to be able to do stuff together
but the culture is what defines that
group of people
in terms of who they are why they are
and the ways in which they should act
within that social structure
as a final kind of illustration of the
distinction
let's think about the united states of
america now not everybody who's watching
this video
is necessarily a citizen of the united
states or
a member of u.s culture but many of you
are probably
at least passingly familiar with u.s
society and culture
so we can use this as a basis for
teasing out some of these distinctions
what's the difference between the united
states of america as a society and the
united states of america as a culture
when we think about u.s society again
remember we're thinking about
the organizational and structural
systems
and infrastructure the institutions and
the operational things
that enable the group of people in the
community
to function and do things so things like
local state and federal governments
our institutions of courts and law
enforcement
public institutions and services it's
not all
public and governmental institutions of
course
we also need to be able to get the
things that we need on the day-to-day
basis
and so the fact that we have a
consumer-driven market-based capitalist
economy
is an important part of the social
infrastructure of the united states
our education systems those institutions
that determine what we learn and how we
learn it
from an institutional perspective civic
organizations that bring people together
so that discourse and common activity
can take place
and of course the communication and
media services that are made available
so that we can go even beyond
interpersonal interaction
to be able to share information and
share meaning
with other members of the society that
could even be in very
far-flung locations within the
geographic space
of the united states so that's u.s
society
how do we think about u.s culture well
what we want to do
is think about what are the underlying
beliefs and values
and sources of our expectations and
priorities
that led us to build a society in this
particular way
so we're going to think about history
not just the history of the united
states and
the history of the colonial region of
the united states before it became a
nation
but we're going to think about the
periods of history that provided a lot
of the intellectual and cultural roots
of how we understand u.s culture so for
instance classical greece and rome
as well as for the most part european
societies
it's not just history but we're also
going to think about religion
and while there are many religions
practiced in a society
that structures a recognition of the
freedom of religious practice
the judeo-christian religious tradition
is one that
from the inception of colonies being
established in what we now call the
united states
uh christian traditions that come from
the judeo-christian interpretation of
the bible and relevant religious
scriptures provide
a moral and a spiritual and an ethical
sense
for much of what we have instantiated
into law we have a social separation
between church and state
but judeo-christian religion has
traditionally
provided much of the basis for how we
understand why we do
the laws and expectations that we do
it's not just religion though
and indeed religion isn't necessarily
the most important part
we also derive much of our cultural
assumptions from classic liberal
political philosophy and values
the tradition of the european
enlightenment particularly
in places like france and britain from
which we drew
inspirations for such things as small r
republican forms of government concepts
such as the importance of
individual autonomy freedom and equality
and those other kinds of values that now
we think almost
synonymously with u.s culture we think
about family as an important cultural
element
and the nuclear family is one that's
been particularly important for us
culture
in this culture we tend to think about
family in terms of individual households
parents and children living under the
same roof
we don't necessarily always think about
family
in terms of larger extended
organized family groups or clans as
you might for instance in other cultures
that might live in more
communal living arrangements or indeed
entire villages or towns
now it's not just the stuff that we
teach about in the textbooks and we
highlight
whenever we're feeling patriotic about
our nation that defines our cultural
identity
there's also the variety of ways
inculcated through historical practice
that have led to some pretty significant
internal flaws in our culture
that have been pretty definitive for
instance
the ways in which u.s culture has
developed
race gender and sexuality as primary
means
for establishing social power for some
people
at the expense of other people this is
something that we don't necessarily
equate with as the ideal
of united states values and principles
but
many scholars of u.s culture remind us
that it's really important
to look at these kinds of historical
actions as well
because it's not just the stuff we
celebrate but also the stuff that has
continually caused us problems as a
culture
that have really shaped and defined how
we understand ourselves
an american ideology of exceptionalism
has one that's been important ever since
the colonial period
you are probably familiar with such
phrases as
understanding the united states as a
city on a hill
a divinely selected unique and special
nation
that has a mission that is unique in the
world with regard to our values
especially values such as freedom and
equality you might be familiar with the
concept of american
manifest destiny in the 19th century the
idea that
it was always going to be the goal of
the united states
to essentially take over the entire
north american continent
because as a special culture it was
almost our duty and responsibility to
establish this
exceptional land for ourselves and of
course
with all of these kinds of values and
beliefs and priorities
the ones that feel pretty positive as
well as the ones that feel pretty
controversial
culture involves all of the art and
literature
and mythology and music and visual
iconography
all of the stuff that we learn about
from a very young age and gets passed on
from generation to generation that
teaches us
what it is to be part of the us culture
what the core values and priorities are
and indeed and it's important to note
that cultures can
and do change we're not talking about
static
human communities that are always going
to be that
the way that they are culture wasn't
established by magic
culture is established by continuing
processes and practices of communication
and social interaction so over the
course of american history
u.s culture has developed in ways that
not only have tried to maintain
what we see as the most important and
valuable aspects
of our beliefs and values and priorities
but also try to identify those
aspects of our cultural history that
have caused some
really pernicious problems and that
actually
contradict the kinds of beliefs and
values from our culture that we really
want to lift up is most important
so the ongoing work of culture is to
continually
not only maintain a tradition but also
to identify
and interrogate those aspects of the
historical and cultural tradition
that might be problematic for those who
live
within the cultural community so in
brief
as you recall while society is about the
organizational infrastructure
that makes a human community feasible
culture
is about the ongoing negotiation of
learned and patterned beliefs
attitudes values and behaviors and this
idea is going to be really important
as we move forward in our study of
communication and really start to
understand
how these enduring and powerful elements
of culture
have a really powerful impact not just
on the broad
scope of our larger community but on how
we think
and feel and act on a daily basis so as
a final point then to think about
when we consider what we mean when we're
talking about cultures
is that we want to make sure that we
move past what generally
tends to be the easiest and most
fundamental way of thinking about a
culture
that normally we pick up very early in
school or when we talk about things like
expanding our cultural awareness or our
cultural surroundings having different
kinds of cultural experiences
we often talk about cultures as
particular
places that involve certain people from
that place
so we talk a lot for instance about
things like french culture
or spanish culture or nigerian culture
or pakistani culture but it's not just
geographic places that involve culture
what makes those cultures
what they are as a culture is this
ongoing negotiation and
inculcation of the beliefs and values
and norms and
expectations of the people within that
group
so when we talk about cultures of course
we're going to talk about things like
nationality and ethnicity
we're also going to talk about things
such as
regional cultures even within a larger
nation
there can be specific locations or
specific
areas within a larger geographic space
that are going to have their own unique
traditions and ways of being
we're also going to talk about things
like race even though
the concept of race is fundamentally an
artificial social construct that was
established
in order to give some groups of people
power at the expense of other people
over the course of traditions and
interactions over the centuries
race has become a really important way
of
thinking about cultural ways of being
and acting
that should not and cannot be overlooked
we're going to talk about religion of
course and while religion
often gets wrapped up in nationality and
ethnicity
these are separable concepts and we
don't want to get caught up
in the assumption that somebody from a
particular religion
is also going to occupy the same kind of
ethnic or national space necessarily
we're also going to talk about some
things that don't necessarily
jump right off the top of your head when
you think about what makes a culture a
culture
things like gender sexual orientation
ability and disability socioeconomic
class
these kinds of constructs of human
communities
also involve traditions and histories
of acceptable versus unacceptable
assumptions
about what to believe what to value and
how to act
these kinds of patterned beliefs
attitudes
values and behaviors sometimes come
from the organic development within the
cultural community itself
and sometimes it's happened through the
imposition of power
from other groups of people coming from
outside the culture
but however it is it happens it happens
and this kind of ongoing negotiation
of learned beliefs attitudes values and
behaviors
is fundamentally important not just to
the way
that we understand how large groups of
people hold certain assumptions in
common
but also how we think about the
decisions we make about
who we are what to believe and how to
act on a day-to-day basis
so in a nutshell that's the relationship
between identity society and culture
at least a starting point for those
connections if you've got any questions
about the content in this video or other
videos in this series
please don't hesitate to let me know
otherwise i'll see you next time
[Music]
you
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