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Ch. 2: Cultural Analysis Sociology

Mean Girls

An Introduction to Culture

Watching Mean Girls is like taking a microscope and viewing the workings of society. As you watch the film, be aware of the sociological terms from the vocabulary list below. After watching the movie, you will write a paper responding to the questions listed using the vocabulary terms and concepts we have discussed. Specification for the response paper are listed with the questions.

Mean Girls is based on a sociological book titled Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Boyfriends and Other Realities of Adolescence by Rosalind Wiseman. This film is not only entertaining but is an excellent tool to use to evaluate our chapter on culture.

Culture Vocabulary

• Culture – values, beliefs, behavior and material objects that constitute a people’s way of life

• Subculture – segments of a culture that share characteristics that distinguish it from the broader culture

• Counterculture – a subculture with values and norms in opposition to the dominant culture

• Ethnocentrism – the tendency to evaluate one’s own culture as superior to others

• Multiculturalism – the concept that different cultural groups exist side by side within the same culture and the belief that the heritage of each should be understood and respected

• Norms – rules of conduct that guide people’s behavior in specific situations

• Sanction – a penalty for norm violation as well as approval or disapproval for norm adherence

• More (more-ay) – society’s standard of proper moral conduct

• Folkways – information norms that lack moral significance and suggest customary ways of behaving

• Laws – formal norms that are enforced by legal power authorities

• Symbol – anything that carries a particular meaning recognized by people in a society

• Values – culturally defined standards that serve as broad guidelines for social living

Response Questions:

1. Describe the culture at Cady’s school (look at the definition to help you with your answer).

2. Give THREE examples of subcultures at Cady’s school and describe each of them. How important are language, gestures and values to these cultural groups?

3. Give an example of a norm that dictates behavior. What type of norm is it (folkway/more/law)? What is (are) the sanction(s) for breaking that particular norm?

4. How do the “Plastics” illustrate ethnocentrism?

5. Describe how being immersed in a new culture guided Cady’s values, way of thinking and actions.

*Response paper must be typed (12pt font); double-spaced and at least 500 words.

DATE DUE: _________________

Name________________________________________________ Date_________Hour_______

Ch. 2: Cultural Analysis Sociology

Mean Girls Viewing Guide

|Character |Mean Activity |Consequence |

|Regina | | |

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|Gretchen | | |

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|Karen | | |

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|Cady | | |

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|Janice | | |

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|Damien | | |

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1. Give two examples of how each agent of socialization was important in socializing the above characters.

|School | |

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|Family | |

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|Peers | |

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2. In Cady’s situation, her home expectations were very different from her peer expectations. How did this create conflict for her? How did she resolve this conflict?

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3. How does this film serve as a reflection or exaggeration of high school culture? What things in this film could incorrectly socialize young people? BE SPECIFIC.

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4. Describe how Cady learned the rules of “girl world”. BE SPECIFIC.

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