Culture

ppt presentation on culture in sociology foe undergraduate teaching

1. Culture By Dr Utpal Sharma Demonstrator Deptt . Of Community Medicine, FAAMCH

2. Introduction Culture is one of the most important concepts in social sciences. In sociological usage, culture specifically refers to social structure and ideas that give meaning to human social structure……… …………while society refers to social structure apart from underlying values and ideas. They are inseparable…….it is important to distinguish between the related concepts of culture and society. Sometimes the concepts are used synonymously to mean all learned habits the total ways of life of a social group, or a group’s social heritage. Although culture and society are closely related concepts that can never be wholly separated.

3. Simplified…. Culture comes from the Latin word " colere " ,meaning to build on, to cultivate, to foster . Culture is a set of accepted behaviour patterns, values , assumptions, and shared common experiences. Culture defines social structure, decision making practices , and communication styles .

4. Culture….. meaning Culture refers to the beliefs, values, behavior and material objects that, together, form a people's way of life . Culture determines how we view the world around us Culture includes the traditions we inherit and pass on to the next generation Culture : totality of our shared language, knowledge, material objects, and behavior

5. Understanding culture… Culture is a unique possession of man……. ………………every man is born into a society is the same as saying that “every man is born into a culture . Every man can be regarded as a representative of this culture . Culture is the unique quality of man which separates him from the lower animals. Culture can be said to include all the human phenomena in a society…… …………including all learned behaviour . Culture is a very board term that includes….. our ways of life and modes of behaviour , our philosophies and ethics, our morals and manners, our customs and tradition, our religious, political, economic and other types of activities.

6. Structure of culture Trait Smallest unit of culture is “Cultural Trait” e.g Shaking hands etc Complexes Traits combine to form “Cultural Complexes” e.g. Dance group consists of dancers, choreographers, production house, manager, audience etc. Pattern Cultural Complexes combines to form Cultural Pattern e.g. industrial township has a way of life different from agricultural society Cultural Institutions An institution is a series of complexes and patterns centering around a configuration of needs. e.g.: Family: match making complex, wedding pattern , child rearing pattern, husband-wife relation pattern, etc .

7. Culture and Society Society : the structure of relationships within which culture is created and shared through regularized patterns of social interaction……. Society provides the context within which our relationships with the external world develop How we structure society constrains the kind of culture we construct Cultural preferences vary across societies

8. Functions of culture Culture defines situation Culture conditions and determines what we eat, and drink what we wear , where to laugh, weep sleep to make friends with, what work we do, what to worship etc . Culture is the treasury of knowledge Culture provides knowledge which is important for the physical , social and intellectual existence of man . Culture preserves knowledge and helps its transmission from generation to generation through its element that is language. Language helps not only the transmission of knowledge but also its preservation, accumulation and diffusion. On the contrary, animals do not have this advantage, because, culture does not exist at sub-human level.

9. Cont … Culture provides behavior patterns Culture assigns goals and provides means for achieving them. It rewards his noble ones and punishes the immoral ones. Culture not only controls but also liberates human, energy and activities . Culture defines attitudes, values and goals Culture conditions our attitudes towards various issues such as religion, morality, science, family planning, prostitution, and so on. Our values concerning private property, fundamental rights, being respectful and obedient to elders and teachers being patriotic, loyal etc. are influenced by our culture.

10. Cont …. Culture models personality Culture prepares man for group life and provides him the design of living. I t is not possible to develop human qualities viz. personalities in the absence of a cultural environment. It is culture that provides opportunities for the development of personality and sets limits on its growth Culture decides our career Culture sets limitations on our choice to select different careers. Individual is exposed to and molded by the culture of the group into which he is born . Every individual is unique in any culture…… but the culture provides not only for “universals” but also for “alternatives ”. The uniqueness may be based on individual differences in ability, aptitude and learning.

11. Characteristics of culture C ulture is shared and acquired with birth……and it is transmitted from one generation to the next. Culture is basically a blueprint for living in a particular society. Culture is learnt It is not an inborn tendency but learnt socially by man. Unlearned behavior such as closing the eyes while sleeping, the eye blinking reflex and so on, are purely physiological and not cultural. E.g. Shaking hands or saying “ namaskar ” or “thanks” on the other hand, are cultural. Culture is social Culture does not exist in isolation neither is an individual phenomenon. It is a product of society and originates and develops through social interactions. No man can acquire culture without association with other human beings . It is the culture which helps man to develop human qualities in a human environment.

12. Cont … Culture is shared Culture in the sociological sense, is something shared. It is not something that an individual alone can possess e.g. customs , traditions, beliefs, ideas, values, morals etc. are all shared by people of a group or society. Culture is something adopted, used, believed, practiced or possessed by more than one person. It depends upon group life for its existence. Culture is transmissive Culture is transmitted not through genes but by means of language through generations. Language in its different forms like reading and writing is the main vehicle of culture. But language itself is a part a culture. Once language is acquired, transmission of culture may take place by imitation as well as by instruction .

13. Cont … Culture is continuous and cumulative Culture is a “growing whole” which includes in itself….. …….Achievements of the past and….. …….The present and…… …….Makes provision for the future achievements of mankind Culture is consistent and integrated Culture has a tendency to be consistent and are interconnected . Culture is dynamic and adaptive Culture is subjected to slow but constant changes. Change and growth are latent in culture……culture is therefore dynamic. Culture is responsive to the changing conditions of the physical world……. adaptive nature.

14. Cont … Culture is gratifying Culture provides proper opportunities and prescribes means for the satisfaction of our needs and desires. These needs may be biological or social in nature. Culture determines and guides the varied activities of man Culture varies from society to society Culture of every society is unique to itself ……..they are not uniform. Culture elements such as customs, traditions, morals, ideas , values, ideologies etc , are not uniform everywhere. No culture ever remains constant it varies from time to time also.

15. Types of culture

16. Material Culture Refers to the physical objects and resources people use to define their culture. These include homes, neighborhoods, cities, schools, churches, temples, mosques, offices, factories and plants, products stores etc. Physical aspects of a culture help to define its members' behaviors and perceptions. Non Material Culture Includes creations and abstract ideas that are not embodied in physical objects. Intangible products created and shared between the members of a culture over time E.g. Social roles, rules, ethics, and beliefs Crucial guides for members of a culture to use to know how to behave in their society and interpret the world.

17. Components of Culture Symbols and Language Symbols are acts e.g. gestures or objects e.g flag that have come to be socially accepted as standing for some particular thing Language is the most important form of symbol Language is the chief vehicle by which people communicate ideas, information, attitudes and emotions To the human mind, symbols are cultural representations of reality. Gun in the hands of policeman…….Protection Gun in the hands of civilian…..crime Every culture has its own set of symbols associated with different experiences and perceptions. Symbols occur in different forms: verbal or nonverbal , written or unwritten . They can be anything that conveys a meaning , such as words on the page, drawings , pictures , and gestures .

18. Cont … Values These are ideas about what is “right” and what is “wrong” T hey are standards that people use to decide what is desirable, good, and beautiful and that serve as broad guidelines for social living . Values differs from society to society as every social order chooses what to be valued and what not E.g. our value system gives more importance to religion, concern for others etc. while in western world success, achievements are given more importance

19. Cont …. Norms These are social rules which dictates correct and appropriate behavior in the society Norms tells us what we MUST do and what we MUST NOT do Norms are enforced with sanctions i.e. Reward or Punishments that encourage conformity to cultural norms . Societal sanctions are ranked by severity…..

20. Cont … Folkways Customary ways of behavior Habits (Although is a personal matter) those are common to group Related with day to day way of behavior, not related to moral values They are socially approved but vary society to society Followed automatically and spontaneously If violated person is ridiculed, laughed upon boycotted (if violation is repeated) E.g. way of greetings, way of dressing for an occasion, standing, sitting etc

21. Cont … Mores Standards of behavior which influences the moral conduct of the people conformity to mass Associated with moral vales and is more vital (security) of society than folkways Society considers compliance with mores more important for its welfare and maintenance of order The reaction to violation is stronger compared to folkways Negative mores (not to be done) are called taboos More closely associated with law e.g. stealing is a taboo as well as crime

22. Folkways and norms Folkways Mores Customary ways of behavior Socially accepted behavior that involves moral values Should be followed Must be followed Useful for day to day living Essential for social welfare Folkways changes more rapidly More deep rooted and change less rapidly Followed spontaneously Mores are more vigorously enforced Followed not out of fear Followed or avoided (taboo) out of fear Sanction on violations are lenient Sanctions on violation are more strong/ strict Vary from society to society e.g. ways of greeting differs in Hindus and Muslims Being related to moral values, mores shows less variation between societies e.g. stealing is prohibited in all societies Less likely to be converted into law Mores often forms basis of laws e.g. Dowry act Example ways of greetings, eating dressing Examples Stealing, eve teasing, incest, rape etc.

23. Role or functions of culture Culture makes a Human being out of a biological organism Culture provides us guidelines for day to day living Culture provides us a configuration of DO’s and DON’Ts Culture ensures stable social order

24. Few important terms….. Culture is not uniform, but varies from regions to region. This is called cultural variability Some aspect of culture are universal e.g. family as basic unit of society is present in all cultures It is subculture that tries to oppose or reject many aspect of dominant culture e.g. Hippy culture Counter culture Cultural variability Cultural universality

25. Cont … In each culture, we have subcultures e.g. youth culture, working group culture Acculturation means cultural contact When there is contact between people of different cultures a diffusion of cultures occurs in both ways Promoters of cultural contact are: Transport and communication Trade and commerce Tourism, media and education Propagation of religion Subculture Acculturation

26. Thank you