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Culture

Meaning of Culture
Components of Culture
Characteristics of Culture
Elements of Culture
Ways of Transmitting Culture

What is culture?
Comes from the Greek word cultura meaning
cultivation.
Culture is that complex whole which includes
knowledge, beliefs, art, law, custom, and any
other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a
member of the society. Edward Tylor.
Set of patterns of human activity within a society
or a social group and the symbolic structures that
give such activity significance.
The arts, customs, and habits that characterize a
particular society or nation.
The beliefs, values, behaviour and material
objects that constitute a peoples way of life.

Components of Culture

Communication Component
I. Language
- a major symbolic system in use in all
human societies. It is thru language that we
are able to create, share, preserved, and
transmit cultural meaning such as complex
patterns of emotions, thought, knowledge
and beliefs.
II. Symbols
- anything that represent something else

Cognitive Component
Ideas/Knowledge/Beliefs
1. Ideas- mental representations use to organize
stimulus. They are the basic unit out of which knowledge is
constructed and a world emerges.
2. Knowledge- storehouse where we accumulated,
representations, information, facts, assumptions, and etc.
II. Values
- are defined as culturally defined standards or
desirability, goodness, and beauty which serve as broad
guidelines for social living.
III. Accounts
- refers to the stories, may it be written or orally passed
from one generation to another.
I.

Behavioral Component
I.

Norms
- rules and expectations by which a society guides the behavior of
its members.
- varying terms of the degree of importance.
- standards that define the obligation and expected behaviors of
people in various situations.
Types of Norms
1. Folkways- behavior patterns of society which are organized and
repetitive.
2. Mores- customary behavior patterns of folkways which have taken
on moralistic value.
3. Laws- the most important norm. This are the mores deemed so vital
to dominant interest that they become translated into legal
formalization that even non-members of society are required to
obey.
4. Rituals- highly scripted ceremonies of strips of interaction that
follow a specific sequence of action.

Material Component

Refers to physical objects of


culture such;
- machines
- equipment
- tools
- clothing and etc.

Characteristics of Culture

1. Culture is learned. It is acquired thru education, training


and experience.
2. Culture is socially transmitted thru language. It is
transmitted from one generation to another thru
medium of language, verbal or non-verbal, thru
gestures or signs, orally or in writing.
3. Culture is a social product. Many person interact with
one another to develop culture. Culture is a product of
social interactions thru the mutual interstimulation and
response of people with one another.
4. Culture is a source of gratification. It provides
satisfaction of mans varied psychological, social,
emotional, and spiritual needs.
5. Culture is adaptive.
6. Culture is the distinctive way of life of a group of people.

7. Culture is material and non-material. Material


such as building and machines are the products or
outputs of the application of mans knowledge and
skills which are basically non-material.
8. Culture has sanctions and controls. These
sanctions could be formal or informal.
9. Culture is stable yet dynamic. It is preserved and
accumulated, highly stable and continuous. Culture
is also changing. Culture grows and accumulates
with the passing of time.
10. Culture is an established pattern of behavior.
Members of the certain society act in a fairly
uniform manner because they share mutual beliefs,
customs, and way of doing.

Elements of Culture

Social Organization

The way a culture divides its


society into smaller structure
or groups.
It starts in the most
important social unit which is
the family.

Customs and Traditions


Rules of behavior enforced by social pressures or
written laws.
Ways of doing everyday things
Basic moral values
Language
Clothes
Foods
Education
Occupation

Arts and Literature


Products of human imagination that
promote cultural pride. It also teach
about cultural values and also it rebels
against cultural norms.
It includes
# Painting, sculpture, drawing,
architecture
# Music, theatre
# Literature

Religion
Helps people answer the basic
questions about the meaning of life;
supports the values of culture; can
shape morals and ethics of a group of
people.

Forms of Government
Designed to provide peoples
common needs.
Designed in keeping order in
society.
Designed in protecting it from
outside threats.

Economic Systems
Helps how people use limited
resources to satisfy their wants
and needs.

Ways of Transmitting Culture

1.Social Interaction
2.Language
3.Beliefs
4.Religion
5.Politics
6.Entertainment
7.Business

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