One of the most significant concepts in social science is “culture.” It is commonly used in Psychology, Political Science and Economics. In both Sociology and Anthropology, it is a fundamental idea. The study of human society immediately and necessarily leads us to the study of its culture. Without a thorough understanding of the culture of the society in question, the study of that society or any aspect thereof is incomplete. Culture and society go together. They are inseparable.
Culture is a unique possession of man. It is one of the distinguishing traits of human society. Culture does not exist at the sub-human level. Only man is born and brought up in a cultural environment. Other animals live in a natural environment. A man is a social being and a cultural being also. To say that every man is born into culture is to say that every man is born into a society. The term ‘culture’ is given a wide variety of meanings and interpretations. Culture is a very broad term that includes in itself all our walks of life, our modes of behaviour, our philosophies and ethics, our morals and manners, our customs and traditions, our religious, political, economic and other types of activities. Culture includes all that man has acquired in his individual and social life. Culture is the “realm of styles, values, emotional attachment, and intellectual adventures,” according to MacIver and Page. It is the entire ‘social heritage’ which the individual receives from the group. In Sociology ‘culture’ does not mean personal refinement.
The Sociological meaning of the word is quite different. But common men often speak of culture as synonymous with education. Accordingly, they apply the term ‘cultured’ to an educated person or group and ‘uncultured’ to one lacking on or devoid of education. Another way historians use the term “culture” is to talk about the so-called “higher” achievements of a group or a time period. But Sociologists never use the term ‘culture’ to mean the so-called ‘higher’ achievements of group life-art, religion, philosophy, etc. They use culture to mean ‘all’ the achievements of group life. So, we can say culture is the treasury of knowledge, it defines situations, it defines attitudes, values and goals, it decides our career and provides behaviour patterns and after all culture moulds one’s personality.
The individual is, in fact, shaped by the culture of the group into which he or she is born. Still, no individual is completely culturally determined. Every individual is unique in any culture. The uniqueness may be based on individual differences in ability, aptitude, and learning. The impact of culture on the individual is not always identical in every case. Various biological and social factors bring about the uniqueness of the individuals in any culture.
Culture is a unique possession of man. The distinctive human way of life that we call culture did not have a single definite beginning in time. This is obvious because men never suddenly appeared simultaneously on all parts of the earth at a single time. Culture is often understood as anything that is created and cultivated by man. Man’s culture in a way has begun with man’s capacity to use and to create or produce tools and techniques.
Definition of Culture
1. Edward. B. Tylor has defined that “culture is the complex which includes knowledge, belief, morals, art, law, customs and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society.”
2. Malinowski has defined culture as the ‘cumulative creation of man.’ He also regards culture as the handwork of man and the medium through which he achieves his ends.
3. Mazumdar defined that “culture is the sum total of human achievements material as well as non-material, capable of transmission by tradition and communication vertically as well as horizontally.”
4. C. North is of the opinion that culture “consists in the instruments constituted by man to assist him in satisfying his wants.”
5. Robert Bierstedt is of the opinion that “culture is the complex whole that consists of all the ways we think and do and everything we have as members of society.”
Characteristics of Culture
1. Culture is a complex whole: All the elements and traits of culture are to be understood in relation to one another. All of them, in this respect, constitute a whole called culture and is complex in nature.
2. Culture is learned: Human culture is not innate, inherited, or biologically passed down. It is composed of habits, i.e., learned tendencies to react, acquired by each individual through his own life experiences after birth.
3. Culture is inculcated: All animals are capable of learning but man alone seems to be capable, to a large extent, of passing on his acquired habits and behaviour to his offspring. A dog can be trained to learn many tricks, but it cannot pass them on to its puppies. However, man is capable of transmitting all his learning and habits to his offspring.
4. Culture is social because it is shared by all people who live together in a society. This means that cultural order practices are not just learned and passed down through generations. The habits shared together by the members of the society constitute their culture.
5. Culture is commercial: The habits that constitute a culture of a group form the ideal norms or patterns of behaviour.
6. Culture is gratifying: Culture always, and necessarily, satisfies biological needs and secondary needs derived from it. It also helps in gratifying human interaction with the external world of nature and fellowmen.