CULTURE

What is Culture?
Culture is the characteristics of a
particular group of people, defined
by everything from language,
religion, cuisine, social habits, music
and arts.

Western and Eastern Culture

The term Western culture has come to
define the culture of European countries
as well as those such as the United States
that have been heavily influenced by
European immigration.
Eastern culture generally refers to the
societal norms of countries in Far East Asia
(including
China, Japan, Vietnam, North Korea a
nd South Korea) and the
Indian subcontinent. Like the West, Ea
stern culture was heavily influenced b

LATIN CULTURE
Many of the Spanish-speaking nations are
considered part of the Latin culture, while
the geographic region is widespread. Latin
America is typically defined as those parts
of the Central America, South America and
Mexico where Spanish or Portuguese are
the dominant languages. While Spain and
Portugal are on the European continent,
they are considered the key influencers of
what is known as Latin culture.

Middle Eastern Culture

The countries of the Middle East have
some but not all things in common,
including a strong belief in Islam and
religion is a very strong pillar of this
society. The Arabic language is also
common throughout the region;
however, the wide variety of dialect
can sometimes make communication
difficult.

AFRICAN CULTURE
The continent of Africa consists of
two cultures North Africa and SubSaharan Africa. The continent is
comprised of a number of tribes,
ethnic and social groups. One of the
key features of this culture is the
large number of ethnic groups
some countries can have 20 or more
and the diversity of their beliefs.

PAKISTANI CULTURE
Pakistan's culture is very
diverse. This stems from the fact
that what is now Pakistan has in
the past been invaded and
occupied by many different
peoples, including Persians,
Arabs, Turks, Mongols and
various Eurasian groups.

Elements of Culture
Language
Symbols
Norms
Values
Artifacts

 Material Culture
Nonmaterial Culture

Symbols

Crescent
Cross
Flag
Gestures
Nodding head
Eating with left hand
Handshake

Norms
Formal Norms
Laws and mores
Traffic laws
Criminal codes

Informal Norms
Folkways and customs
Riding in an elevator
The way we dress
How men and women are expected to behave

Values
Criteria of what is desirable or undesirable
and what is right and wrong.
A cultures values shape its norms. In Japan,
for example, a central value is group
harmony. The Japanese place great emphasis
on harmonious social relationships and dislike
interpersonal conflict. Individuals are fairly
unassertive by American standards, lest they
be perceived as trying to force their will upon
others (Schneider & Silverman, 2010).

Cultural Patterns
Handouts