Ch. 4 Folk and Popular Culture
Key Issue 1 Where Are Folks and Popular Leisure Acvies Distributed?
1. a. Define culture:
the body of material traits, customary beliefs, and social reform, that together constute the
disnct tradion for a group of people
b. Idenfy and define/give examples of each of the three parts of the definion of culture.
Material Traits- the visible elements groups possess and leave behind; music, sports, clothes
Customary Beliefs- language and religion
Social Forms- ethnicity and polical instuons
2. Similaries and differences between cultures are largely a result of the interacon, or lack thereof, of
two or more cultures.
3. Differenate between habit, custom, and culture AND give an example of each:
Unlike custom, a habit does not imply that the act has been adopted by most of the society’s
populaon. A custom is, therefore, a habit that has been widely adopted by a group of people
I. INTRODUCING FOLK AND POPULAR CULTURE
4.
This is the most important part of the enre chapter! Take detailed notes on the two categories of
culture (and differences between them):
a. Folk Culture- tradionally pracced by small, homogeneous groups living in isolated rural
areas
b. Popular Culture- found in large, heterogeneous sociees that share certain habits
despite differences in other personal characteriscs
5. Idenfy the two main elements of culture:
a. Daily necessies of food, clothing, and shelter
b. Leisure acvies, such as arts and recreaon
II. ORIGIN, DIFFUSION, AND DISTRIBUTION OF FOLK AND POPULAR CULTURE
Characterisc
Folk Culture
Popular Culture
Origin
Folk culture oen have anonymous
hearths, originang from anonymous
sources, at unknown dates, through
unidenfied originators. It may also have
mulple hearths, originang
independently in isolated locaons.
Populaon culture is typically traceable to a
specific person or corporaon in a
parcular place. It is most oen a product
of developed countries, especially in North
America and Europe.
Diffusion –
method, and
speed
Folk culture are transmied from one
locaon to another relavely slowly and
on a small scale, primarily through
relocaon diffusion (migraon).
Populaon culture typically spreads
through a process of hierarchical diffusion,
diffusing rapidly and extensively from
hearths or nodes of innovaon with the
help of modern communicaons. Distribuon
A combinaon of local physical and
cultural factors influences the disncve
distribuon of folk culture.
Popular culture is distributed widely across
many countries, with lile regard for
physical factors. The distribuon is
influenced by the ability of people to
access the context. The principal obstacle
to access is the lack of income to purchase
the material.
6. Complete the chart below comparing the origin, diffusion, and distribuon of folk & popular culture.
7. What geographic factors account for the diversity of cultures in the Himalayas?
The geographic factors isolate each cultural group, so the groups produce disncve folk customs due to
the limited interacon between them.
IV. ORIGIN AND DIFFUSION OF FOLK AND POPULAR MUSIC
8. Take detailed notes on the origin and characteriscs of folk music:
Songs may be modified generaonally, content derived from daily life. Folk music travels as people
migrate. Tells stories of life cycle events.
9. Take detailed notes on the origin and diffusion of popular music:
Wrien by specific individuals to be sold or performed. Originated around 1100. Tin Pan Alley-NYC;
Dixieland Jazz-New Orleans; Country-Nashville; Motown-Detroit
V. ORIGIN AND DIFFUSION OF FOLK AND POPULAR SPORTS
13. a. What is the world’s most popular sport?
soccer
b. Describe the origin of this sport:
originated as a folk sport in England
c. How does its origin reflect the origin of elements of folk culture in general?
It’s obscured
d. The diffusion of soccer demonstrates that through diffusion, folk customs can become part of
global culture.
e. Describe the diffusion of soccer:
started in England and diffused around the world
f. What is the most widely-viewed event worldwide? the world cup
is 14. Label popular “surviving folk sports” with the countries in which they are the most popular.
cricket in India, hockey in Canada, wushu in china, baseball in the US and japan, football in Australia,
lacrosse in nave American