Concept of Culture

Concept of Culture
Meaning and Nature of Culture

It was E.B. Taylor who conceptualized the definition of
culture in 1860s.
According to him, culture is a complex whole which
consist of knowledge, beliefs, ideas, habits, attitudes, skills,
abilities, values, norms, art, law, morals, customs,
traditions, feelings and other capabilities of man which are
acquired, learned and socially transmitted by man from one
generation to another through language and living together
as members of the society (Arcinas, 2016).
Below are other definitions of culture as
mentioned in the book of David and Macaraeg
(2010) entitled“ Socioloy: Exploring Society and
Culture”
Culture consists in the shared patterns of behavior
and associated meanings that people learn and
participate in within the groups to which they belong. –
Whitten and Hunter
 A society’s culture consists of whatever it is one has
to know or believe in order to opera ate in a manner
acceptable to its members. – Ward Goodenough
•Simply culture refers to the way we
understand ourselves both as individuals and
as members of society, and includes stories,
religion, media, rituals, and even language.
Characteristics of
Culture
Culture is social because it is
the product of behavior.
•Culture does not exist in isolation. It is a product of society.

It develops through social interaction. No man can acquire
culture without association with others.
Culture varies from society to
society
• .Every society has a culture of its own that differs from

other societies. The culture of every society is unique by
itself. Cultures are not uniform. Cultural elements like
customs, traditions, morals, values, and beliefs are not
constant.
Culture is shared.
•Culture is not something that an individual alone
can possess. Culture, in sociological sense, is
shared.
•For example, people of a society share all
customs, traditions, beliefs, ideas, values,
morals, etc.
Culture is learned.
• Culture is not inborn. It is learned. Unlearned behavior
then, is not culture. Shaking hands, saying thanks, etc. are
cultural behaviors.
• Not all behaviors are learned, but most of these can be.
Combing hair, standing in line, telling jokes, criticizing the
president, and going to movies all constitute behaviors that
need to be learned
Culture is transmitted among members of society.
• . Cultural ways are learned by people from others. Many of
these ways are handed down from elders, parents, teachers,
and others (most likely individuals of older generation), while
other cultural behaviors are handed up to elders.
• Transmission of culture is made possible by language.
Language is the main vehicle of culture. Transmission of
culture may take place also through imitation as well as
through instruction.
Culture is continuous and
cumulative
• . Culture exists as a continuous process

• . In its historical growth, it tends to become cumulative. Ralph
Linton called culture “the social heritage” of man.
• No culture ever remains constant or permanent. It is subject to
slow but constant variation. Likewise, culture is responsive to the
changing conditions of the physical world; hence, it is dynamic.
culture is gratifying and idealistic
• Culture provides proper opportunities for the
satisfaction of our needs and desires. Our needs,
both biological and social, are fulfilled in cultural
ways.
• Culture consists of the intellectual, artistic, and
social ideals, and institutions where members of the
society profess and strive to confirm.
Importance/Functions of Culture
• Sociologists recognize culture because it plays a vital role in
our social lives.
• It is essential for shaping social relationships, maintaining
and challenging social order, determining how we make
sense of the world and our place in it, and in shaping our
everyday actions and experiences in society.
• social order refers to the stability of society based on the
collective agreement to rules and norms that allow us to
cooperate, function as a society, and live together (ideally)
in peace and harmony (Cole, 2019)
In the book of (David and Macaraeg, 2010), the following
functions of culture were given emphasis:
:(1) it serves as the “trademark” of the people in the society;
(2) it gives meaning and direction to one’s existence;
(3) it promotes meaning to individual’s existence;
(4) it predicts social behavior;
(5) it unifies diverse behavior;
(6) it provides social solidarity;
(7) it establishes social personality;
(8) it provides systematic behavioral pattern;
(9) it provides social structure category;
(10) it maintains the biologic functioning of the group;
(11) it offers ready-made solutions to man’s material and
immaterial problems; and
(12) it develops man’s attitude and values and gives him a
conscience.
Answer the two questions :
1. Why is culture important in our
society?
2. How does our culture play a role
in our functions in the society?
Elements
of
Culture
Symbols
refers to anything that is used to stand for something else.

 It is anything that gives meaning to the culture.
 People who share a culture often attach a specific
meaning to an object, gesture, sound, or image.
Language
is known as the storehouse of culture ( Arcinas, 2016).

It system of words and symbols used to communicate
with other.
Technology
• refers to the application of knowledge and equipment to

ease the task of living and maintaining the environment; it
includes artifacts, methods and devices created and used
by people (Arcinas, 2016)
Values
• are culturally defined standards for what is good or
desirable.
• Values determine how individuals will probably respond in
any given circumstances.
•.
Filipinos are known for the following values:
(a) compassionate;
(b) spirit of kinship and camaraderie;
(c) hardwork and industry;
(d) ability to survive;
(e) faith and religiosity;
(f) flexibility, adaptability and creativity;
(g) joy and humor; (h) family orientation;
(i) hospitality; and
(j) pakikipagkapwa-tao
5. Beliefs
• refers to the faith of an individual ( David and Macaraeg,
2010).
• They are conceptions or ideas of people have about what
is true in the environment around them like what is life,
how to value it and how one’s belief on the value of life
relate with his or her interaction with others and the world.
6. Norms
• are specific rules/standards to guide for appropriate

behavior (Arcinas, 2016).
• These are societal expectations that mandate specific
behaviors in specific situations (David and Macaraeg)
Types:
a. Proscriptive norm defines and tells us things not

to do
b. Prescriptive norm defines and tells us thing
Forms of Norms
a. Folkways
also known as customs (customary/repetitive ways of doing
things); they are forms of norms for everyday behavior that
people follow for the sake of tradition or convenience.
b. Mores
• are strict norms that control moral and ethical behavior; they are
based on definitions of right and wrong (Arcinas, 2016).
• They are norms also but with moral understones (David and
Macaraeg, 2010).
• For example, since our country Philippines is a Christian nation,
we are expected to practice monogamous marriage. So if a
person who has two or more partners is looked upon as
immoral. Polygamy is considered taboo in Philippine society.
3. Laws
are controlled ethics and they are morally agreed, written
down and enforced by an official law enforcement agency
(Arcinas, 2016).
They are institutionalized norms and mores that were
enacted by the state to ensure stricter punishment in order
for the people to adhere to the standards set by society
(David and Macaraeg, 2010)
Two Components of Culture
Sociologists describe two interrelated aspects of human
culture:
1. the physical objects of the culture (material culture) and
2. the ideas associated with these objects (non-material
culture)
Material culture
• consists of tangible things (Banaag, 2012).
• It refers to the physical objects, resources, and spaces that people
use to define their culture.
• These include homes, neighborhoods, cities, schools, churches,
synagogues, temples, mosques, offices, factories and plants, tools,
means of production, goods and products, stores, and so forth.
• All of these physical aspects of a culture help to define its
members' behaviors and perceptions.
• Everything that is created, produced, changed and utilized by men
is included in the material culture (Arcinas, 2016).
.2. Non-material culture
• consists of intangible things (Banaag, 2012).
• Non‐material culture refers to the nonphysical ideas
that people have about their culture, including beliefs,
values, rules, norms, morals, language, organizations,
and institutions.

Concept of Culture

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Concept of Culture

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Concept of Culture

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Concept of Culture

Meaning and Nature of Culture

•Culture does not exist in isolation. It is a product of society.

• .Every society has a culture of its own that differs from

• . Culture exists as a continuous process

refers to anything that is used to stand for something else.

is known as the storehouse of culture ( Arcinas, 2016).

• refers to the application of knowledge and equipment to

• are specific rules/standards to guide for appropriate

a. Proscriptive norm defines and tells us things not

You might also like