Culture
Definition
The culture is normally related to the moral values, honesty , truth and good behaviors. Culture is a
whole way of life.
According to Taylor ,culture is that the complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, law,
morals, custom, and any other capabilities acquired by man as a member of society”
Types of Culture
Nonmaterial culture
It includes the values, beliefs, symbols, and language that define a society.
Material culture
includes all the society’s physical objects, such as its tools and technology, clothing, eating utensils, and
means of transportation.
Nature of the culture
1. Culture is an acquired quality , culture is not inherited. Culture is learned through experiences,
imitation, communication and socialization process.
2. Culture is dynamic – culture is subjected to slow but constant changes. It is the process of
adjustment.
3. Culture is social, not individual- man cannot create culture while existing apart from the group.
It is inclusive of the expectation of the members of groups .
4. Culture fulfil social needs – culture fulfill ethical and social needs of the group.
5. Culture is communicative from one generation to the next –culture is constantly accumulating
. the new generation benefits by the experiences of the older generation through the
communicability of culture.
6. Language is the chief vehicle of culture- culture uses language to common ideas values and
customs allowing for shared understanding and cohesion among its members .
7. Culture evolves into more complex forms through division of labor which develops special
skills and increase interdependence of society members.
8. Culture varies from society to society –every society has a culture of its own . culture elements
are not the same everywhere and culture varies from time to time.
Elements of culture
1. Language
A group of words or ideas having common meaning and is shared to a social situation is called language.
Language is the entrance to a culture. Language is a set of socially sound pattern, words, and sentences
having specific meaning and terminology common to the same culture.
Language is a source of communication and to transmit message from one person to another. It is the
method to mold the behavior and experience of a person. Language differs from culture to culture and is
transmitted from one generation to another.
Language is like a vehicle through which we can carry out our complex social activities. Language is the
foundation of a culture and ticket to the entrance of a social life. Animal have not culture because they
have no specific language to transmit worlds to others. So, language is the key to open a social life of an
individual with some special characteristics.
2. Symbols
Culture is a system of symbols. Symbols are anything used to represent express and stand for an event
situation. Symbols direct to guide our behavior. It is used to show an event of past, present or future. For
example the heap of ash show that the something has been burnt or the wet street shows that it has rained.
Bowing head, whistling, winkling of eyes situation, all are the symbols, which express a specific object
idea about other. BaithUllah is the symbol of God and we pray to it. American Shake their hand to answer
for No. Other examples are flag, anthem, picture, statues are symbols. Symbols are the short expression
for the identification of an object or situation.
3. Norms
Norms as elements of culture are the rules and the guidelines which specify the behavior of an individual.
Norms keep a person within the boundary of society and its culture. It gives us restriction about
something which to do and which not to do. It molds our behavior and gives as knowledge about wrong
and right. Norms can be divided into:
• Folkways. Folkways are the simple customary ways of the people. It is the normal and habitual
action of people within a culture. Folkways are the recognized or accepted ways of behavior.
These are the behavior pattern which a person use generally in his daily life.
• Mores. means customs or beliefs accordance with a group customary expectation. It is the “must”
behavior of a person. Mores refers to “what ought to be and what ought not to be.” Mores are
serious norms but are informed like folkways. They have a serious binding on a group the
violation of mores threats to social order. Punishment may be both formal and informal for the
violation of mores.
4. Values
Anything getting importance in our daily life becomes our values. The origin of values is not biological
but it is social production while living in society the values develop. Values depend upon the culture.
Culture varies from society to society and thus values are different in every social situation. Values are
what we like and what we say will in our society values are the good idea and thinking of a person.
Some values are hereditary which we gain from our elders, books and parents. The culture is full of
values and can transmit from one generation to another. When a natural object get a meaning it becomes a
value.
Beliefs
Every sect within a culture having some beliefs for cultural refuge. These beliefs are responsible fro the
spiritual fulfillment of needs and wants. Muslims believe in God, Holly Prophet, The Day of Judgment,
recitation of Holly Quran, Hajj etc.
Sikh wear bangle in one hand, bear a long beard, keeping a dagger. Cross for Christians and a necklace
or a cotton thread around nick, the water of ganga and are sacred for Hindus.
6. Cognitive Elements
Cognitive elements of culture are those though which an individual know how to cope with an existing
social situation. How to survive, how make shelter from storms and other natural calamities, how to travel
and transport etc. are the practical knowledge which make a culture. Such knowledge is carefully thought
to every generation.
Cultural variations
Definition
Cultural variation refers to the differences in social behaviors, beliefs , customs and traditions that exist
among various groups and societies . the difference arise from historical ,geographical religious and social
factors that shape each culture . in multicultural societies , cultural variations exists within the same
location.
For Example
Language diversity- different cultures have developed their own languages, leading to a vast array of
languages spoken worldwide .
Dietry Habbits- Sajji is a Balochi dish originating from the Balochistan province of Pakistan.
Traditional and authentic Sajji consists of lamb, marinated only in salt with a few spices. Its their famous
dish. And Nihari Paye these all are famous food of Punjab .
Why There Is Cultural Variation ?
Cultural variation is a direct consequence of the different ways in which societies adapt, interact and
develop in their respective environments. It is an apt caption of human diversity.
to understand cultural variation better, one needs to start by looking at the basic family unit and its
interaction with the next family unit.
Each family comprises of two or more individuals with different characteristics and behaviors but despite
the individual differences in traits and characteristics, families and societies share common values and
social practices which can then be identified as “culture.”
These social practices and values vary from community to community as explained in the definition. This
results in different cultural practices.
Subcultural Variation
Subcultures can be found within major cultures. Thus, there can be cultural variations within one major
culture and cultural variations among major subcultures within a culture.
There can be differences and similarities starting at the most basic level of a social group. Indeed, families
who are neighbors and raised in the same town may have different cultural affiliations.
Language: Language is central to cultural identity and sense of self. Generally, but not always, cultures
cohere around a common language.
Customs: Cultural customs can include leaving a tip after buying a coffee or shaking hands when
greeting someone.
Taboos: While there are universal taboos, there are also different taboos in different cultures For
Example n Pakistan, term divorce or divorcee is like a curse especially for women. treating mental illness
is itself a social taboo in Pakistan.
Gender Norms: While gender norms may seem natural, we notice some significant differences in
expectations of women when we look at it from a cross-cultural perspective.
• For example Men are generally the main source of income in households throughout Pakistan
and women are supposed to be house wife. Girls and women are generally expected to dress in
typically feminine ways and be polite whereas Men are generally expected to be strong,
aggressive, and bold. Every society, ethnic group, and culture has gender role expectations, but
they can be very different from group to group.
Religion: Religion shapes cultures.
Religion gives meaning to culture by providing the answers to basic questions on how a society
understands and experiences the world. In cultural terms, these sets of beliefs dictate how a society
behaves and relates with the surrounding environment.
The differences in religious beliefs and, consequently, culture, explains why, for instance, a Muslim has a
different worldview from a Hindu. Their cultures, informed by their religions, demand different behaviors
and practices hence the cultural variations.
History And Geographical Location
Just as the surrounding environment influences the social way of life in a community through adaptation,
so do the historical experiences.
Because histories and geographies of societies are not the same, their cultures also tend to be different.
The contact with and exposure to other cultures and different geographical circumstances may have
significant impacts on a society’s social strata.
For instance, nations that underwent colonization suffered a major cultural shift. In many cases, the
colonies ended up adopting the colonial masters’ cultures.
Race and Ethnicity
Race and ethnicity is used to categorize people based on cultural characteristics such as shared language,
ancestry, religious traditions, dietary preferences, and history.
For Example Pakistan is home to a multitude of ethnic groups, each with its language, traditions, and
cultural practices. Major ethnic groups include Punjabis, Sindhis, Pashtuns, Baloch, and Mohajirs, among
others. The preservation of these distinct identities contributes to Pakistan's rich cultural mosaic.
