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Body Modification, Folkways And Mores

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Body Modification, Folkways and Mores Our book defines sociology as, "the systematic or scientific study of human society and social behavior, from mass culture to small groups and individual interactions (Ferris)." So, quite literally sociologists study individual, group and cultural behaviors and actions as a way to assess society as a whole. Body modification is any alteration to a person 's body from its natural state. Practices of body modification include but are not limited to piercings, tattoos, scarification and implants. Individuals engage in body modification for health benefits, cultural expectations and the ever changing standard of beauty. Sociologist are interested in studying body modification because by researching the types of body modifications individuals, groups and cultures engage in, in specific areas they will can better understand society. With social imagination sociologist can connect body modification to social folkways and mores in a given society. Social imagination allows connections to be made between what people believe is an individual choice, want or desire to social standards and norms. Sociologist may also find body modification interesting because they can study how societies such as the United States can influence the different cultures within the society. United States societal norms are easy to get wrapped up in especially with cultural imperialism planting seeds of what beauty is. United States though created of many cultures and

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