Final answer:
The question addresses sociological concepts of major U.S. values and the difference between ideal and real culture, as well as how values serve as lenses for societal perception and behavior.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question is focused on the understanding of major U.S. values and the sociological concepts such as value clusters, value contradictions, value clashes, how values act as lenses of perception, and the distinction between ideal culture and real culture. Values provide a framework suggesting how individuals in society should behave, representing the ideal culture, or the aspirational standards of a society. However, real culture reflects the actual behavior and conditions in society, which may not always align with these values.
For example, while American teenagers may be taught to value celibacy, the actual number of unplanned pregnancies among teens indicates discrepancies between the ideal and the real. Similarly, although values like freedom and democracy are held in high esteem, polarization within American society shows there are significant value clashes and contradictions. Sociological research further explores these concepts utilizing various theoretical perspectives such as functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism, which help analyze and interpret social issues and cultural phenomena.