Defining Culture Overview

Study Notes

The term "culture" originates from the Latin word "cultus," meaning "tilling," "cultivating," "refining," or "nurturing."
Culture represents a collection of shared ideas, customs, beliefs, and knowledge acquired from others and passed down through generations.
Edward B. Tylor defined culture as "That complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, customs, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society."
Clifford Geertz described culture as "A system of inherited conceptions expressed in symbolic forms by means of which men communicate, perpetuate, and develop their knowledge about and attitudes toward life."
James Spradley defined culture as "The acquired knowledge people use to interpret experience and generate behavior."

Culture encompasses how people think and behave.
It includes food, clothing, language, religion, and inherited societal values.
Culture embodies our thoughts and actions, encompassing achievements in art, music, literature, architecture, sculpture, philosophy, religion, and science.
It also includes customs, traditions, festivals, and perspectives on life.

Culture is Learned: It is not innate and acquired through enculturation or socialization.
Culture is Shared: Members of a group share a culture due to common upbringing, however, not all aspects of a culture are interconnected and some elements may be diametrically opposed.
Culture is Based on Symbols: A symbol represents something else, and their meaning is arbitrary and dependent on cultural agreement.
Culture is Integrated: All aspects of a culture are interrelated, though not all are seamlessly connected, and opposed elements may exist.
Culture is Adaptive: It involves adjusting to new cultures, like learning a new language and phrases. However, not all aspects of a culture are adaptive, and some elements may be maladaptive, potentially endangering long-term survival.
Culture is Dynamic and Ever-Changing: New objects introduced into material culture (physical objects, resources, and spaces) impact nonmaterial culture (nonphysical ideas about culture).
Cultural Change Drivers:
- Diffusion: The spread of ideas, behaviors, or objects between cultures.
- Acculturation: The process of adopting and learning cultural traits from another group due to exposure to a new culture.
- Technology: Methods, systems, and devices derived from scientific knowledge used for practical purposes.
- Globalization: Interconnectedness of economies, cultures, and populations driven by trade, technology, migration, and media.