Characteristics of Culture

Culture is learned
Culture is not inherited biologically. The process of learning culture is unconscious. We learned it
within our surroundings as we grow and we live in it. We learn this culture from our families, peers, society
where we live, school media and entertainment. The learning process of culture is called enculturation,
which means we acquire of the characteristics and norms of a culture or group or by another culture.
An example of it is the influence of Korean Novela on our culture.

Culture is shared
Since we are member in the society, we share culture with other members in the community we
widely share values, beliefs, customs, practices, gender roles and social norms. We learn to act
appropriately how others act socially. Culture is shared and passed down through generations bringing
this culture to individuals with many shared traits.

Culture is based on symbols

A symbol that represents a deep meaning of one’s culture. Some good examples of symbolism
would be colors, figures, objects that anchored to a certain belief or norms in the society. In the
Philippines, it is common customary practice by Filipinos to wear a rectangular black mourning pin worn by
the immediate family members which means that the family is in deep bereavement. Even the type of color
of blouse or shirts to wear in the funeral has its symbolism of meaning.

Culture is integrated
Cultural integration is the blending of one’s culture to other cultures. This is common when
individuals adapt practices from another culture without lessening their own culture. Examples of this
practice include the style of how we cook the foods, integration of arts to another culture. All the
characteristics of culture are interrelated, we could not deny the fact that somehow we learn from each
other and copy certain cultural practices as we geared through this changing environment.

Culture is dynamic
Culture is dynamic because it changes all the time. It’s constantly changing its beliefs, values,
ideas, ideals and norms through interaction and time. The changing of environment awakens ones culture
to adaptability. When a certain culture adapts to its new environment the entire system also follows.

Ethnocentrism
Cultural variation refers to the differences in social behaviors that different cultures exhibit around
the world. What may be considered good etiquette in one culture may be considered bad etiquette in
another. "What is unacceptable and bad in a group of people may be good and acceptable in another
group of people."

There are two important perceptions of cultural variability namely, ethnocentrism and cultural
relativism.

Ethnocentrism means judging another culture solely by the values and standards of one’s own
culture. It is the belief that your native culture is the most superior way of understanding around the world.
Individuals may have difficulty showing appreciation of other cultures due to a lack of information about the
culture.

Cultural relativism is that a person’s beliefs and activities should be understood by others in terms of that
individual’s own culture. Cultural relativism promotes greater appreciation of the cultures one encountered
along the way. For instance, fur clothing is good in the Arctic countries but not in tropical countries. In
some cultures, food is eaten with different instruments: hands, cutlery, chopsticks. Even the way people
use these instruments can differ from culture to culture with people using forks or spoons more regularly or
for specific foods.

Characteristics of Culture
Culture is learned
Culture is not inherited biologically. The process of learning culture is unconscious. We learned it
within our surroundings as we grow and we live in it. We learn this culture from our families, peers, society
where we live, school media and entertainment. The learning process of culture is called enculturation,
which means we acquire of the characteristics and norms of a culture or group or by another culture.
An example of it is the influence of Korean Novela on our culture.

Culture is shared
Since we are member in the society, we share culture with other members in the community we
widely share values, beliefs, customs, practices, gender roles and social norms. We learn to act
appropriately how others act socially. Culture is shared and passed down through generations bringing
this culture to individuals with many shared traits.

Culture is based on symbols

A symbol that represents a deep meaning of one’s culture. Some good examples of symbolism
would be colors, figures, objects that anchored to a certain belief or norms in the society. In the
Philippines, it is common customary practice by Filipinos to wear a rectangular black mourning pin worn by
the immediate family members which means that the family is in deep bereavement. Even the type of color
of blouse or shirts to wear in the funeral has its symbolism of meaning.

Culture is integrated
Cultural integration is the blending of one’s culture to other cultures. This is common when
individuals adapt practices from another culture without lessening their own culture. Examples of this
practice include the style of how we cook the foods, integration of arts to another culture. All the
characteristics of culture are interrelated, we could not deny the fact that somehow we learn from each
other and copy certain cultural practices as we geared through this changing environment.

Culture is dynamic
Culture is dynamic because it changes all the time. It’s constantly changing its beliefs, values,
ideas, ideals and norms through interaction and time. The changing of environment awakens ones culture
to adaptability. When a certain culture adapts to its new environment the entire system also follows.

Ethnocentrism
Cultural variation refers to the differences in social behaviors that different cultures exhibit around
the world. What may be considered good etiquette in one culture may be considered bad etiquette in
another. "What is unacceptable and bad in a group of people may be good and acceptable in another
group of people."

There are two important perceptions of cultural variability namely, ethnocentrism and cultural
relativism.

Ethnocentrism means judging another culture solely by the values and standards of one’s own
culture. It is the belief that your native culture is the most superior way of understanding around the world.
Individuals may have difficulty showing appreciation of other cultures due to a lack of information about the
culture.

Cultural relativism is that a person’s beliefs and activities should be understood by others in terms of that
individual’s own culture. Cultural relativism promotes greater appreciation of the cultures one encountered
along the way. For instance, fur clothing is good in the Arctic countries but not in tropical countries. In
some cultures, food is eaten with different instruments: hands, cutlery, chopsticks. Even the way people
use these instruments can differ from culture to culture with people using forks or spoons more regularly or
for specific foods.