SOC202H5 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Sociology Of Culture, Research On The Effects Of Violence In Mass Media
Document Summary
By definition, a cultural object has shared significance; it has been given a meaning shared by members of the culture. The japanese businessman attached personal honor to his business card, whereas the same card meant nothing to the american beyond its practical function. A schoolgirl"s veil means modesty to local muslims, but it means a religious intrusion into the secular state"s domain to non-muslim french. We can identify two types of meaning: simple and complex: simple meaning denotes one-to-one correspondence. We express this type of meaning when we talk about signs and what they stand for. Look for complex meaning in the signs typically called symbols. Rather than standing for a single referent, symbols evoke a variety of meanings, some of which may be ambiguous: symbols do not denote; they connote, suggest, or imply. They evoke powerful emotions think how many people have died for a flag and can often both unite and disrupt social groups.
