What Is Culture?
The cultural aspect of a person or group refers to the values, beliefs, arts, language, and other things that a particular society or community uses to define itself. Culture is distinct from the social structure or economic aspects of a society, although it is continuously informed by them and in turn influences them. It has a broad range of definitions from “behavior peculiar to Homo sapiens” to the collective programming of the mind of a category of people, and it also has a tangibly material form in the artifacts that are used as an integral part of a culture such as buildings, clothing, food, etc. In addition to a general concept, there are many specialized fields that use the word cultural such as cultural anthropology, which studies a group’s work, beliefs, and traditions; or cultural geography, which studies how cultures have spread across the world by means of trade, war, and migration.
There is no single, clear-cut definition of what culture is. It has been described as the cumulative deposit of a group’s ideas, values, beliefs, attitudes, hierarchies, religion, notions of time and space, roles, concepts of the universe, and more. Some of these are transmitted formally in a written form such as a constitution or informally through social learning, such as the experience of living and being raised in one’s own culture, which may cause someone to eventually internalize some or all of its norms without formal transmission.
Many of the characteristics that make up a culture are not measurable, and it is difficult to compare cultures objectively since most of what makes them unique cannot be communicated directly to outsiders. Some cultures, such as the indigenous inhabitants of Easter Island, were able to create sophisticated works of art without the benefit of tools and technology. In contrast, the early civilizations of Sumer and Egypt were characterized by their advanced writing systems.
For psychologists and sociologists, the idea of a culture is not just something that exists out there amongst the masses but also consists of a set of learned behaviours, which are acquired by a person through social learning and become an integral part of the individual’s personality. Some of these are learned in the course of childhood and are then reinforced by social learning throughout adulthood.
Understanding people’s different cultures is crucial to building diverse and thriving communities. People who feel a strong sense of belonging and acceptance to their communities are more likely to be engaged, productive members of society. As such, people from all backgrounds need to be involved in decision-making processes so that programs and policies can be effective for everyone. The appreciation of different cultures can help to achieve this goal by allowing people from all backgrounds to find common ground and work together. For example, students from all backgrounds benefit from an appreciation of their own culture in the classroom. This ensures that they have the support and resources they need to succeed in school, and it helps them feel welcomed by their peers.
The cultural aspect of a person or group refers to the values, beliefs, arts, language, and other things that a particular society or community uses to define itself. Culture is distinct from the social structure or economic aspects of a society, although it is continuously informed by them and in turn influences them. It has a broad range of definitions from “behavior peculiar to Homo sapiens” to the collective programming of the mind of a category of people, and it also has a tangibly material form in the artifacts that are used as an integral part of a culture such as buildings, clothing, food, etc. In addition to a general concept, there are many specialized fields that use the word cultural such as cultural anthropology, which studies a group’s work, beliefs, and traditions; or cultural geography, which studies how cultures have spread across the world by means of trade, war, and migration. There is no single, clear-cut definition of what culture is. It has been described as the cumulative deposit of a group’s ideas, values, beliefs, attitudes, hierarchies, religion, notions of time and space, roles, concepts of the universe, and more. Some of these are transmitted formally in a written form such as a constitution or informally through social learning, such as the experience of living and being raised in one’s own culture, which may cause someone to eventually internalize some or all of its norms without formal transmission. Many of the characteristics that make up a culture are not measurable, and it is difficult to compare cultures objectively since most of what makes them unique cannot be communicated directly to outsiders. Some cultures, such as the indigenous inhabitants of Easter Island, were able to create sophisticated works of art without the benefit of tools and technology. In contrast, the early civilizations of Sumer and Egypt were characterized by their advanced writing systems. For psychologists and sociologists, the idea of a culture is not just something that exists out there amongst the masses but also consists of a set of learned behaviours, which are acquired by a person through social learning and become an integral part of the individual’s personality. Some of these are learned in the course of childhood and are then reinforced by social learning throughout adulthood. Understanding people’s different cultures is crucial to building diverse and thriving communities. People who feel a strong sense of belonging and acceptance to their communities are more likely to be engaged, productive members of society. As such, people from all backgrounds need to be involved in decision-making processes so that programs and policies can be effective for everyone. The appreciation of different cultures can help to achieve this goal by allowing people from all backgrounds to find common ground and work together. For example, students from all backgrounds benefit from an appreciation of their own culture in the classroom. This ensures that they have the support and resources they need to succeed in school, and it helps them feel welcomed by their peers.