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Aspects of Culture: Lesson 4

Culture refers to the knowledge, beliefs, arts, customs, and habits that are shared by members of a society. It includes both real culture, which are actual behaviors, and ideal culture, which are publicly embraced guidelines. Culture is learned and transmitted between members of a society. It defines situations, attitudes, myths, legends, behaviors, and provides meaning through symbols, language, social institutions like family and religion. Elements of culture include social norms, beliefs, symbols, and language. Cultural orientation includes concepts like enculturation, ethnocentrism, cultural relativism, and xenophobia.

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337 views15 pages

Aspects of Culture: Lesson 4

Culture refers to the knowledge, beliefs, arts, customs, and habits that are shared by members of a society. It includes both real culture, which are actual behaviors, and ideal culture, which are publicly embraced guidelines. Culture is learned and transmitted between members of a society. It defines situations, attitudes, myths, legends, behaviors, and provides meaning through symbols, language, social institutions like family and religion. Elements of culture include social norms, beliefs, symbols, and language. Cultural orientation includes concepts like enculturation, ethnocentrism, cultural relativism, and xenophobia.

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ASPECTS OF

CULTURE
LESSON 4
Culture as Concept
» It is a complex whole which includes knowledge, belief,
art, morals, law, custom and any other capabilities and
habits acquired by man as a member of society.
» It is the way of life, especially the general customs and
beliefs, or a particular group of people at a particular
time.
» It refers to an organization of phenomena that is
dependent upon symbols and includes acts (patterns of
Culture as Concept

⸎Real Culture – Actual behavior patterns exhibited by


members of the society

⸎Ideal Culture – These are cultural guidelines publicly


embraced by members of the society. Also defined as
the social patterns mandated by norms and values
Characteristics of Culture
1. Culture is social because it is the product of behavior.
2. Culture varies from society to society.
3. Culture is shared.
4. Culture is learned.
5. Culture is transmitted among members of society.
6. Culture is continuous and cumulative.
7. Culture is gratifying and idealistic.
Functions of Culture
1. Culture defines situation.
2. Culture defines attitude, values, and goals.
3. Culture defines myths, legends and the supernatural.
4. Culture provides behavior pattern.
Types of Culture

Ideas Language and Symbols

Non- material Culture

Behaviour, Gesture and Habits Religion


Types of Culture

Technological tools Architectural Structures

Material Culture

Food Fashion and Accessories


Elements of Culture
►Social Norms – it is a society’s standards of acceptable behavior. It is essential in
a society because majority of the people pattern their way of living after them.
a. Folkways –norms that are known to be the proper way of dealing with their
everyday living and social interaction
b. Mores –these are customs or folkways that needs to be followed by the society
strictly
c. Laws –formalized mores that are legislated, approved and implemented in a
society
Elements of Culture
• Beliefs – This are the means of the people on explaining the sense of
their experiences or ideas that they hold to be true, factual and real.
a. Good luck Superstitions – Producing a good result by chance.
b. Bad Luck Superstitions – not favored by fortune
Elements of Culture
a. Good luck Superstitions
⸎If your right hand itches, you will earn money.
⸎If you dream about a white cat, you will have good luck.
⸎If your right ear itches, someone is speaking well of you.
⸎You can hang up garlic in your house for good luck.
⸎If you step on your shadow, it brings you luck.
⸎If you blow out all the candles on your birthday cake in one blow, you will get
whatever you want.
Elements of Culture
b. Bad Luck Superstitions
⸎If you break a mirror, it will bring you seven years of bad luck
⸎If a dog howls at night, death is near.
⸎If you eat from the pot, it will rain at your wedding ceremony.
⸎It is bad luck to see an owl in the sunlight.
⸎If a bat flies into your house it is bad luck.
⸎Many people believe Friday 13th is an unlucky day.
⸎If a black cat crosses your path you will have bad luck.
Elements of Culture
• Symbols – these are representations or illustrations to represent a particular
belief or meaning of something. People who share or practice the same belief
or culture attach a specific meaning to an object, gesture and image.
• Language – it is the system of symbols that individuals utilize to
communicate, interact, and share their views or beliefs, thus making an
understanding amongst individuals.
• Social Institutions - this consists of a group of people who have come
together for a common goal or a purpose.
Elements of Culture
Major Social Institutions
1. Family
2. Education
3. Religion
4. Economic Institutions
5. Government
Cultural Orientation
1. Enculturation – It refers to the gradual acquisition of
the characteristics and norms of a culture.
2. Ethnocentrism – It is the practice of comparing other
cultural practices with those of one’s own and
automatically finding those other culture practices to
be inferior.
3. Cultural Relativism – It is the idea that all norms,
beliefs, and values are dependent on their cultural
Cultural Orientation
4. Xenocentrism – It refers to a preference for the foreign
believing that the product of the culture of one is inferior
to the other one. Colloquially knows as “Colonial
Mentality”
5. Xenophobia – it is the fear of what is perceived to be
foreign or strange.
6. Sinocentrism – It is the belief that Chinese culture is much
more superior than others.

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