This document defines culture and its key elements. Culture consists of the beliefs, behaviors, and symbols shared by a society. It is learned and influences how people view the world. The main elements of culture discussed are social organization into groups like families and classes, customs and traditions, language, arts and literature, religion, forms of government, and economic systems. Cultures also change over time due to factors like technology, environment, new ideas, and the diffusion of customs between places. The document cautions against ethnocentrism and racism when examining other cultures.

1. Culture

2. Characteristics of Culture
 The Concept of Culture
 Culture is Learned
 Culture is Shared
 Culture is Based on Symbols
 Culture Gives Meaning to Reality
 Functions of Culture
 Culture and Change
 Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism

3. SuperstructureSuperstructure: A culture’s worldview,
including morals and values,
oftentimes grounded in religion
Social structureSocial structure: The rule-governed
relationships—with all their rights and
obligations—that hold members of a society
together. This includes households,
families, associations, and power relations,
including politics.
InfrastructureInfrastructure: The economic
foundation of a society,
including its subsistence
practices and the tools and
other material equipment used
to make a living.
The Barrel Model of
Culture
What is Culture?

4. What is Culture?
 The beliefs and behaviors of a society
 Culture consists of abstract ideas, values, and
perceptions of the world that inform and are reflected
in people’s behavior
 Culture is the lens through which we view our world,
it “invents” our reality

5. Culture is like an Iceberg…

6. 7 Elements of Culture
1.1. Social OrganizationSocial Organization
-When a culture organize its members into
smaller groups
 What might some smaller groups be in a culture?
 Families
 Friends
 Religious groups
 Social classes
 Occupation
 Interest groups
These are things that all cultures have in common.These are things that all cultures have in common.
What might some of those things be?What might some of those things be?

7. 1.1. Social OrganizationSocial Organization
- family: the most importantmost important unit of social
organization
 Nuclear family- husband, wife, children
 Extended family- several generations in one household
- respect for elders is usually strong in extended fams.
7 Elements of Culture

8. 1.1. Social OrganizationSocial Organization, cont.
- social classes: a way to rank people in
order of status
 What can social class be based on?
 Money
 Occupation
 Education
 Race
 Etc.
7 Elements of Culture

9. 7 Elements of Culture
2. Customs and TraditionsCustoms and Traditions
- rules of behavior (written and unwritten)

10. 3.3. LanguageLanguage
 Important for communication and passing on
traditions and beliefs
7 Elements of Culture

11. 4. Arts and LiteratureArts and Literature
- teach about a culture’s values
- promote cultural pride and unity
7 Elements of Culture

12. 5.5. ReligionReligion
 Monotheism: belief in one god
 Polytheism: belief in more than one god
 Major World Religions
 Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism
7 Elements of Culture

13. 6. Forms of GovernmentForms of Government
 People form governments to provide for their
common needs
 Types
 Democracy: people have supreme power
 Republic: people choose leaders to represent them
 Dictatorship: a ruler or group holds power by force
7 Elements of Culture
White House
Great Britain’s
Houses of
Parliament

14. 7.7. Economic SystemsEconomic Systems
 Four types
1. Traditional: people produce most of what they
need to survive
2. Market: basic economic questions are
answered by buying/selling goods and services
3. Command: government controls answers to
economic questions
4. Mixed: individuals make some economic
decisions, the government makes others
7 Elements of Culture

15. Ways Cultures Change
1. Technology
 Cars, telephone, computers, TV dinners
1. Environment Changes
3. New Ideas (like recycling)
4. Diffusion: movement of customs and
ideas from one place to another

16. Be Careful of…
 Ethnocentrism: judging other cultures by
the standards of your own
 Assuming your own culture to be the best
 Racism: belief that one racial group is
naturally superior to another
 Race is a culture thing. It does not actually, physically
exist.

17. Examples:
1. Kumbha mela
2. Pushkar fair, Rajasthan
3. Sonepur Mela, Bihar
4. Hemis Gompa Fair – Ladakh