What is Culture?
Understanding Culture
-
Culture is a complex combination of the practices, beliefs, values, and behaviours that characterise a society or group.
-
It involves shared expectations, symbols, and norms that guide and inform individuals' interactions with each other.
-
Culture is a dynamic social phenomenon, which is to say it is influenced by interactions between people, and changes over time and through different contexts.
-
It is a learned behaviour, not innate or biologically determined.
Components of Culture
-
Material culture comprises of the physical, tangible objects produced by a society or group. This could include art, architecture, technology, clothing, and food.
-
Non-material culture refers to the non-tangible aspects of culture, such as beliefs, practices, aesthetics, norms, and values.
-
Symbols and Language: Culture generates and uses symbols, including language, to derive meaning and communicate complex ideas. Symbolic interaction is a key element in maintaining and changing culture.
Levels of Culture
-
There are several 'layers' to culture, starting with universal culture, the common behaviour patterns and institutions that are typical of all human societies.
-
National culture is a shared set of norms, beliefs, customs and traditions that characterises a country or nation.
-
Subculture is a cultural group within a larger culture, often possessing beliefs or interests that contrast with those of the larger culture.
-
Counter-culture is a type of subculture that rejects and opposes significant elements of the dominant culture.
Culture and Society
-
Culture provides a framework for social structure, defining roles and relationships within a society.
-
It shapes the way individuals perceive and react to their social environment and provides them with patterns of behaviour.
-
Cultural diversity acknowledges the variety of cultures co-existing in a society and the importance of maintaining this variety.
-
Culture clash or culture conflict happens when significantly differing cultures or subcultures come into contact, often leading societal tension or conflict.