Culture can be defined in different ways. For example, it can be considered as general patterns of behavior and interaction, cognitive constructions and understandings that are studied through socialization. Thus, it can be considered as the development of a group identity created by social structures unique to the group.
What is culture
This concept unites religion, education, etiquette, upbringing, material and spiritual development of people, their achievements in various activities. Culture includes a whole range of knowledge and skills inherent in groups of people, covering language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music, art and much more.
Elements of culture
Culture can be defined as a combination of symbols, languages, beliefs, values and artifacts that are part of any society. As this definition suggests, there are two main components of culture: ideas and symbols on the one hand, and artifacts (material objects) on the other.
The first type, called intangible culture, includes the values, beliefs, symbols and language that define society. The second type, called material culture, includes all the physical objects of society, such as its tools and technologies, clothes, dishes, and vehicles.
Characters
Each culture is filled with symbols or things that have a certain meaning and often cause various reactions and emotions. Some symbols are actually types of non-verbal communication, while others are material objects. As the symbolic perspective of interaction emphasizes, common symbols make social interaction possible.
For example, non-verbal categories include a handshake that is traditional in some societies but never used in others. In every society there are various gestures, movements of hands or other parts of the body that are designed to convey certain ideas or emotions. However, the same gesture among different nationalities may have the opposite meaning.
Some of our most important symbols are objects. It can be political (flag) or religious (crucifix).
Common symbols, both non-verbal communication and material objects, are an important part of any culture, but can also lead to misunderstandings and even hostility. These problems underline their importance for social interaction.
Language
Perhaps the most important character set is the language. As long as people agree on how to interpret different words, communication is possible, and therefore society. Likewise, differences in languages can make communication difficult. This symbol is crucial for communication and, therefore, for the culture of any society. Children learn the language of their culture in the same way that they learn about handshakes, gestures, the meaning of the flag and other symbols. People have the ability for language, which other species of animals do not have. Our communication skills, in turn, provide cultural interaction.
One of the most important events in the evolution of society was the creation of a written language. Some of the pre-industrial societies had a written language, while others did not; in others, it consisted mainly of images, not words.
Norms
Cultures vary widely in their norms, standards, or expected behavior. Norms are often divided into two types: formal and informal. The former relate to standards of behavior that are considered the most important in any society. An example would be the rules of the road, the criminal code, the rules of conduct for students, etc.
Unofficial norms, also called folk customs, refer to standards of conduct that are considered less important but still affect how we behave. A common example of informal norms, as well as everyday behavior, can be how we interact with the cashier and how we ride in the elevator.
Many norms vary greatly across cultures. For example, this is manifested in how far it is customary to stand apart from each other during a conversation.
Rituals
Different cultures also have different rituals or established procedures and ceremonies that often mark transitions from one stage of life to another. Thus, the rituals reflect and transmit cultural norms and other elements from one generation to another.
Graduation ceremonies at schools and universities are familiar examples of time-honored rituals. In many societies, rituals help to indicate gender identity. For example, girls in many cultures undergo various initiation ceremonies to mark their transition to adulthood. The boys also have their own initiation rites, some of which are related to circumcision.
Culture as a social phenomenon
Thus, culture can be represented as a phenomenon uniting various aspects of human activity, including, but not limited to, self-expression, self-knowledge, accumulation of knowledge and skills. In fact, culture is the totality of everything that man created, that which does not belong to nature.
Culture can also be regarded as an activity, as it has a result. The nature of the latter determines the type of culture. Based on this criterion, the material or spiritual values of society are distinguished.
Material culture
This kind of human culture includes everything that is connected with the material world, which provides a person with satisfaction of primary and urgent needs. Its main elements are:
- objects (or things), that which directly represents material culture (houses, clothes, toys, tools);
- technologies represented by methods and means that allow using objects to create new ones;
- technical culture, including practical skills, abilities and abilities, as well as experience that has been accumulated by generations.
Spiritual culture
This type of culture refers to feelings, emotions and intelligence. It is represented by the following elements:
- spiritual values (the main element acting as a standard);
- spiritual activity (uniting art, science and religion);
- spiritual needs;
- spiritual consumption.
Classification criteria
As a basis for determining which types of culture can be distinguished, various characteristics are presented. For example, on the basis of the relationship of culture to religion, secular and religious spheres can be distinguished, according to the degree of distribution, it can be national or world, on the basis of geographical criteria - Eastern, Western, Russian, Latin American, African, Native American, etc. Based on the level of urbanization , distinguish urban, rural culture. It can also be traditional, industrial, postmodern, medieval, antique, primitive, etc.
Typology
Among the main types of culture, several can be distinguished.
The main thrust of art culture is the aesthetic development of the world, it is formed around art, and beauty is the defining value.
Economic culture is formed by human activities in various areas of the economic sector: production, management, etc., where labor is the generative value.
Legal culture refers to activities related to the protection of human rights, the relationship between the individual and society, the state. The fundamental value is the law. To highlight the types of legal culture, one determines its carrier, respectively, distinguishes the legal culture of society, the individual and the professional group.
The formation of a political culture occurs when the individual has an active position related to the management of the state, attitude to individual social groups and political institutions. The main value of political culture is power.
The field of physical education is associated with improving the body and improving human health. There are several types of physical culture :
- physical education;
- professionally applied physical education;
- recreation;
- motor rehabilitation;
- background physical education, adaptive physical education.
Several years ago, sports were also classified as physical education, but they were allocated in a separate category.
The level of ecological culture determines a person’s attitude to nature; it helps maintain harmony between a person and the environment. The flora and fauna of the Earth acts as the main value determining the formation of ecological culture.
Moral culture is based on ethical standards based on traditions, social attitudes, which are fundamental in society. The main value here is morality.
Ethno-territorial typology
It is considered as one of the main ones. The culture of socio-ethnic communities includes several components: tribal, national, folk, regional. These types of cultures belong to different peoples and ethnic groups. Modern society is made up of more than 4,000 nationalities that make up almost two hundred states. Ethnic and national cultures develop under the influence of geographical, climatic, historical, religious and other factors.
Ethnic and folk cultures have similar features. Their origin does not have a specific authorship, the whole nation acts as a subject. Cultural works (epics, myths, legends, fairy tales) are preserved for a long time. The main characteristic is traditionalism.
Forms
Based on various grounds, types and forms of culture are distinguished. There are three of them:
- A high (elitist) culture is made up of high-quality samples of art that form cultural canons and act as a model. It is not-for-profit in nature; for its understanding, intellectual decryption is necessary. An example is classical music and literature.
- Mass, or pop culture, is characterized by a low level of complexity. It is intended for mass consumption. It is characterized by a commercial focus, designed to entertain a large audience.
- Popular culture is distinguished by a non-profit nature, the absence of specific authors.
Moreover, despite the differences in the nature of these forms of culture, their elements are interacting, mutually penetrating and mutually reinforcing.