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Popular Culture

Definition

Popular culture (pop culture) refers to ideas, perspectives, attitudes, images, and other phenomena within the mainstream of a given culture. It is heavily influenced by mass media.

Analogy

Think of popular culture as the trending page on YouTube. It's what most people are watching, talking about, and sharing - it's current, widespread and constantly changing.

Related terms

Mass Media: Mass media refers to various platforms for communicating with large numbers of people. These include newspapers, magazines, radio, television and social media.

Subculture: A subculture is a group within a larger culture that has its own distinct set of cultural norms and values.

Consumerism: Consumerism is a social and economic order that encourages an acquisition of goods and services in ever-increasing amounts.



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© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.

AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.