What Is Culture?
Culture is a concept that encompasses all the social behaviors, beliefs, ideas, philosophies, and activities of groups of people. It’s a broad concept that covers everything from socialization to art, music, and even the way groups of people greet each other. Generally speaking, every group of people has its own set of behaviors and beliefs that are considered to be part of their culture. These are often not spoken of, but are ingrained in the group through learning from birth.
The word “culture” derives from the Latin word colere, which means cultivation, or taking care of something. It has been used since the 18th century to describe a general process of human development, as well as the specific traditions and activities of particular groups of humans.
One of the earliest definitions of the term “culture” was that of a particular group’s characteristics and knowledge, encompassing language, religion, cuisine, social habits, arts and crafts, music and more. These are the ways in which a particular group of people sees itself and distinguishes itself from other groups.
Several different approaches to the study of culture have emerged. Each has favored its own objects, fields, and methods. These different focuses reflect the vast scope of the concept and the difficulty of narrowing it down to a single definition.
Anthropologists have traditionally studied culture, as have sociologists and historians. The latter have tended to focus on cultural evolution. In the late 20th century, however, a movement has taken hold to combine cultural history with other disciplines such as psychology and linguistics.
A major issue that has been raised in this new approach to the study of culture is how to reconcile the notion of a universal, evolution-based cultural history with the fact that different cultures develop in very different ways. Some cultures evolve rapidly, while others seem to stagnate or decline. The question of whether certain cultures are more creative than others is also a major topic for debate.
Traditional cultural expressions include music, dance, design, names, signs and symbols, heirlooms, architectural works and stories that are passed on from generation to generation within a society. They represent a distinctively cultural identity and often impart skills and techniques while communicating ideas or values.
Another aspect of culture is the inherited framework or lens that influences how people perceive the world. This is sometimes referred to as a “cultural grid” or a filter that helps sort and prioritize inputs, imposes conscious and subconscious values, and confers meaning on events, behavior, communication, and so forth.
The underlying idea behind this view of culture is that all humans have an internal set of cognitive tools for making sense of the world around them. Those tools are shaped by their culture, and they vary by individuals as well as between cultures. For example, some cultures might prefer a more rational approach to problem solving while others may be more intuitive. The different cognitive tools are thought to influence the way that people react in situations, and these reactions are then reflected in their art, music, and other cultural expressions.
Culture is a concept that encompasses all the social behaviors, beliefs, ideas, philosophies, and activities of groups of people. It’s a broad concept that covers everything from socialization to art, music, and even the way groups of people greet each other. Generally speaking, every group of people has its own set of behaviors and beliefs that are considered to be part of their culture. These are often not spoken of, but are ingrained in the group through learning from birth. The word “culture” derives from the Latin word colere, which means cultivation, or taking care of something. It has been used since the 18th century to describe a general process of human development, as well as the specific traditions and activities of particular groups of humans. One of the earliest definitions of the term “culture” was that of a particular group’s characteristics and knowledge, encompassing language, religion, cuisine, social habits, arts and crafts, music and more. These are the ways in which a particular group of people sees itself and distinguishes itself from other groups. Several different approaches to the study of culture have emerged. Each has favored its own objects, fields, and methods. These different focuses reflect the vast scope of the concept and the difficulty of narrowing it down to a single definition. Anthropologists have traditionally studied culture, as have sociologists and historians. The latter have tended to focus on cultural evolution. In the late 20th century, however, a movement has taken hold to combine cultural history with other disciplines such as psychology and linguistics. A major issue that has been raised in this new approach to the study of culture is how to reconcile the notion of a universal, evolution-based cultural history with the fact that different cultures develop in very different ways. Some cultures evolve rapidly, while others seem to stagnate or decline. The question of whether certain cultures are more creative than others is also a major topic for debate. Traditional cultural expressions include music, dance, design, names, signs and symbols, heirlooms, architectural works and stories that are passed on from generation to generation within a society. They represent a distinctively cultural identity and often impart skills and techniques while communicating ideas or values. Another aspect of culture is the inherited framework or lens that influences how people perceive the world. This is sometimes referred to as a “cultural grid” or a filter that helps sort and prioritize inputs, imposes conscious and subconscious values, and confers meaning on events, behavior, communication, and so forth. The underlying idea behind this view of culture is that all humans have an internal set of cognitive tools for making sense of the world around them. Those tools are shaped by their culture, and they vary by individuals as well as between cultures. For example, some cultures might prefer a more rational approach to problem solving while others may be more intuitive. The different cognitive tools are thought to influence the way that people react in situations, and these reactions are then reflected in their art, music, and other cultural expressions.