What is Culture?

The first anthropological

definition of culture comes
from 19th-century British
anthropologist Edward Tylor:
Culture...is that complex
whole which includes
knowledge, belief, art, law,
morals, custom, and any
other capabilities and habits
acquired by man as a
member of society (Tylor
1920 [1871], 
Basically, culture is how people
think and behave.
Culture is Learned
We learn our culture as we grow
up. This process is
called enculturation. We can
learn our culture by being
taught–like in school or when
our parents tell us how to think
and behave. We can also learn
our culture by absorbing it from
family, friends, and the media.
Culture tells us what to do and
how to live. For example,
everyone needs to eat. But what
kind of food we eat and how we
eat it is something learned from
culture. 
Culture is Symbolic
 Symbols are things that stand for, or mean something
else. An example is the national flag–it stands for and
means a country. Another example of a symbol is shaking
your head. In some cultures, this means “yes” but in other
cultures, it means “no” and in some cultures, it doesn’t
mean anything.
Culture is Shared
If one person thinks something or behaves a certain way,
that is not culture–it is a personal habit. But if most of
the people in a society do it, then it is culture. Culture is
shared between members of a group, meaning they all
think and behave the same way because they grew up in
the same culture. For example, people who grew up in
North American culture know that a hand stretched out
to a person means they are friendly and want to shake
hands. Other people who didn’t grow up in that culture
might think about an outstretched hand differently–for
example, they may wonder if the person is going to hurt
them.
Culture is Integrated

Culture is a complex system,

made up of many parts that
are related to each other.
Some examples of the parts
of culture are education,
technology, marriage,
medicine, economics, family,
beliefs and religion,
government, and language.
Culture is Adaptive
Culture helps humans adapt to
their environment. For example,
we weren’t born with fur coats
to be able to survive in cold
climates. But culture has given
us a way to make clothing, build
fires, and create shelters so that
we can adapt to living in cold
climates. Because culture helps
people adapt, people can live in
may different environments on
Earth, and even in outer space!
Society
“A society consists of individuals belonging to groups
which may vary in size.” Anthony Giddens (2000) states;
“A society is a group of people who live in a particular
territory, are subject to a common system of political
authority, and are aware of having a distinct identity
from other groups around them.”
What are the characteristics of society?
* Society is made up of people.
* Society is dependent on every human
being.
* Every level of society is entirely dependent
on each other.
* The goal is achieved through the division
of labor and division of responsibilities in
society.
* There is a feeling of unity and cooperation
in society. It is more or less a standing
association.
* Society is ever-progressive, and society is a
controlled and orderly structure.
* The members of the society have a spirit of
cooperation and tend to share common interests.
* Society is made up of many similarities and
differences. Similarities such as needs, rules, and
activities and differences such as attitudes, looks,
talents, and personalities are all known as part of
society.
* The perception of society is abstract because
even if it can be felt in the existing imagination of
social relations, it is not possible to see or touch
it.
What are Cultural Traits?
A cultural trait can be defined as a cultural element,
whether physical or not, that has been created by a
specific culture and transmitted to people in it by some
form of communication. These traits exist as part of a
larger system of culture. Cultural traits are not static.
They can change from generation to generation, whether
changed only slightly or altered significantly. Traits can be
transmitted from culture to culture as well. Cultural traits
can be created, shaped, or altered by attributes such as
economics, religion, language, arts, government, or
technology, just to name a few.
* Traits are learned. This refers to elements of culture
 that are shared through experience or communication.
* Traits are shared. Whether it is a nation, city, or small
community, specific cultural traits are shared across the
community. They can be connected by shared religious
belief systems, a connection to a common history, or
even regional cuisine.
* Traits can and will change. Many outside factors can
gradually influence culture and cultural traits.
Immigration, economics, politics, and even the rise of
leisure travel have developed a more integrated global
community. Increasing cultural exposure allows cultural
traits to flow from one region to another.
• Traits can exist in the form of symbolism. This
can be seen in styles of art or music that vary
from region to region, by generation, or
something more culturally universal, such as a
birthday cake.

• Traits are flexible and adaptable. Not only are

traits shared from culture to culture, but they
adapt to best suit a given environment.

* Traits can be used ethnocentrically, meaning

one culture uses its traits as a frame of reference
for understanding that of other groups.
 A number of traits when organized together
make a culture complex. A watch, football match,
attitudes and actions, prayer, Hajj, Eids, agriculture
system, market system, a political party, a
constitution, an industrial unit, an examination
system are the examples of culture complex.
References:

https://slideplayer.com/slide/7393648/
https://slideplayer.com/slide/8440350/
https://slideplayer.com/slide/14520417/
https://www.architectureforhumans.com/trepca-cultural-complex/
http://studylecturenotes.com/organization-of-culture-cultural-pattern-trait-complex-cultu
ral-area/#:~:text=A%20number%20of%20traits%20when,the%20examples%20of%20cult
ure%20complex
.