Week2

CHARACTERISTICS of CULTURE

CHARACTERISTICS of CULTURE

2. 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

2. 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.

3. 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.

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4. 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.

5. Culture is transmitted among members ofsociety.

• 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.6. 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.

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• 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