What is Culture?CARLA’s Definition
Other Definitions of CultureBanks, J.A., Banks, & McGee, C. A. (1989). Multicultural education. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Damen, L. (1987). Culture Learning: The Fifth Dimension on the Language Classroom. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
Hofstede, G. (1984). National cultures and corporate cultures. In L.A. Samovar & R.E. Porter (Eds.), Communication Between Cultures. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Kluckhohn, C., & Kelly, W.H. (1945). The concept of culture. In R. Linton (Ed.). The Science of Man in the World Culture. New York. (pp. 78-105).
Kroeber, A.L., & Kluckhohn, C. (1952). Culture: A critical review of concepts and definitions. Harvard University Peabody Museum of American Archeology and Ethnology Papers 47.
Lederach, J.P. (1995). Preparing for peace: Conflict transformation across cultures. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press.
Linton, R. (1945). The Cultural Background of Personality. New York.
Parson, T. (1949). Essays in Sociological Theory. Glencoe, IL.
Useem, J., & Useem, R. (1963). Human Organizations, 22(3).
"Culture is the acquired knowledge people use to interpret experience and generate behavior." - James Spradley, Anthropologist
An understanding of culture requires an understanding not only of language differences, but also differences in knowledge, perceptions, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. Culture (from the Latin cultura stemming from colere, meaning "to cultivate") generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic structures that give such activities significance and importance. Cultures can be "understood as systems of symbols and meanings that even their creators contest, that lack fixed boundaries, that are constantly in flux, and that interact and compete with one another." Culture can be defined as all the ways of life including arts, beliefs and institutions of a population that are passed down from generation to generation. Culture has been called "the way of life for an entire society." As such, it includes codes of manners, dress, language, religion, rituals, art. norms of behavior, such as law and morality, and systems of belief. Let's listen to the thoughts of our panelists.
return to top | previous page | next page When norms and values are passed from generation to generation this is called?Culture is defined as the language, beliefs, values, norms, behaviors, and even material objects passed from one generation to the next.
How are the characteristics of a culture passed along from one generation to the next?A culture is a way of life of a group of people--the behaviors, beliefs, values, and symbols that they accept, generally without thinking about them, and that are passed along by communication and imitation from one generation to the next. Culture is symbolic communication.
Who says that culture is a way of life and transmitted to generation to generation?John Beattee: Culture is the way of life which is transmitted from generation to generation”. 6.
What are the beliefs and patterns of behavior that are shared by a group of people and passed from generation to generation?Heredity is the beliefs and patterns of behavior that are shared by a group of people and passed from generation to generation.
|