1. Culture is the unique possession of man. Man is born and brought
.0000upin a cultural environment. Man is not only a social animal
but also a cultural being. Man cannot survive as a man without
culture. Culture fulfils our needs and represents the entire
achievements of mankind.
E. B. Taylor defined culture as "that complex whole which
includes knowledge, beliefs, art, morale, laws, customs and any
other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of
society."
Functions of Culture:
Culture has been fulfilling a number of functions which may be
divided into two - (a) for the individual and (b) for the group.
a. Importance to the individual:
(1) Culture distinguishes man from animal. It is the culture that
makes the human animal a man. It regulates his conduct and
prepares him for a group life. Without culture he would have been
forced to find his own way which would have meant a loss of
energy.
(2) Culture provides solution for complicated situations. Culture
provides man a set of behavior for difficult situations. In the
absence of culture man would have been baffled even at the

2. simplest situations. Culture not only defines but also determines
what we eat and drink, when to sleep, when to laugh etc.
(3) Culture provides traditional interpretation to certain situations.
Through culture man gets traditional interpretations for many
situations according to which he determines his behavior. For
example, if a cat crosses his way he postpones the journey.
(4) Culture shapes personality. No child can develop human
qualities in the absence of cultural environment. Culture prepares
man for group life. It is culture that provides opportunities for the
development of personality and sets limits on its growth.
b. Importance for the group:
(1)Culture keeps social relationship intact. Culture has importance
not only for men but also for the group. Culture prepares man for
group life. Group life would have been poor, nasty, and short if
there had been no cultural regulations. Group solidarity rests on
the foundation of culture.
(2) Culture has given a new vision to the individual. Secondly,
culture has given a new vision to the co-operation of the
individuals. Culture teaches him to think of himself as a part of the
larger whole. It provides him with the concepts of family, state,
nation etc. and makes possible the coordination and division of
labor.

3. (3)Culture creates new needs. Finally, culture also creates new
needs and drives, for example, thirst for knowledge and arranges
for their satisfaction. It satisfies the moral and religious interests of
the members of the group.