What is Culture?

Understanding Culture

Culture is a complex combination of the practices, beliefs, values, and behaviours that characterise a society or group.
It involves shared expectations, symbols, and norms that guide and inform individuals’ interactions with each other.
Culture is a dynamic social phenomenon, which is to say it is influenced by interactions between people, and changes over time and through different contexts.
It is a learned behaviour, not innate or biologically determined.

Material culture comprises of the physical, tangible objects produced by a society or group. This could include art, architecture, technology, clothing, and food.
Non-material culture refers to the non-tangible aspects of culture, such as beliefs, practices, aesthetics, norms, and values.
Symbols and Language: Culture generates and uses symbols, including language, to derive meaning and communicate complex ideas. Symbolic interaction is a key element in maintaining and changing culture.

There are several ‘layers’ to culture, starting with universal culture, the common behaviour patterns and institutions that are typical of all human societies.
National culture is a shared set of norms, beliefs, customs and traditions that characterises a country or nation.
Subculture is a cultural group within a larger culture, often possessing beliefs or interests that contrast with those of the larger culture.
Counter-culture is a type of subculture that rejects and opposes significant elements of the dominant culture.

Culture provides a framework for social structure, defining roles and relationships within a society.
It shapes the way individuals perceive and react to their social environment and provides them with patterns of behaviour.
Cultural diversity acknowledges the variety of cultures co-existing in a society and the importance of maintaining this variety.
Culture clash or culture conflict happens when significantly differing cultures or subcultures come into contact, often leading societal tension or conflict.