Elements of Culture

​Elements of Culture

Culture is the set of beliefs, values, and practices a group of people have in common. Everything in day-to-day life is part of culture, including language, religion, clothes, music, and foods. People everywhere share certain basic cultural features, such as forming a government, educating children, and creating art or music. However, people practice these things in different ways, making each culture unique.

Culture traits are activities or behaviors in which people often take part, such as language and popular sports. People share some culture traits but not others. For example, people eat using forks, chopsticks, or their fingers in different areas.​

What is Culture?

Cultures are often passed from one generation to the next. They may be based on family traditions, like holiday customs, or laws and moral codes passed down within a society. Other factors that influence how cultures develop include immigrants moving to a new country, historical events, and the environment where people live and work.

What is Culture?

​There are thousands of different cultures in the world. People who share a culture are part of a culture group that may be based on things like age or religion.

A culture region is an area in which people have many shared culture traits such as language, religion, or lifestyle. A cultural region can extend over many countries. For example, most people in North Africa and Southeast Asia share the Arabic language and Muslim religion. Some countries, like Japan, may be a single culture region. Other countries may have several different culture regions.

Culture Groups

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Often, cultural regions within a country are based on ethnic groups. An ethnic group

is a group of people who often share cultural traits like language, foods, or religion. Sometimes, though, people who have the same religion are still in different ethnic groups, and different ethnic groups can have different religious beliefs.

Culture Groups

Countries or areas with many ethnic groups are multicultural societies. Multiculturalism can create an interesting mix of ideas and practices, but it can also lead to conflict. In Canada, French Canadians want to separate from the rest of Canada. In Rwanda, a 1990s ethnic conflict led to extreme violence. In some countries, like the U.S., different ethnic groups cooperate and live side by side. That is because so many people have migrated to the country from all over the world and they celebrate their ethnic heritage.

Culture Groups

​Cultures change constantly, sometimes quickly and sometimes over years. Two main causes of change are new ideas or contact with other societies. New technology like motion pictures and the Internet have changed how people spend their time and how they communicate. Contact with another culture may cause both to change. For example, both Spanish and Native American cultures changed when the Spanish arrived in the Americas.

Cultural diffusion is the spread of culture traits from one part of the world to another. It occurs when people bring their culture to another country. This happens when people immigrate or when people trade goods in different regions. People also move to other countries to escape conflicts and wars.

Changes in Culture

All people have the same basic needs, such as food, clothing, and shelter. Geographers believe that all societies have developed cultural universals—specific features that meet basic needs. Three important cultural universals are social institutions, creative expressions, and technology.

What do all cultures have in common?

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Social institutions are organized patterns of belief and behavior that focus on meeting the needs of the society’s members. The most basic social institutions are family, education, religion, government, and economy. These institutions are shaped by a group’s cultural values and principles, which vary from culture to culture.

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Family is the most basic social institution. The family cares for the children and provides support. They also teach the culture’s values and traditions, often through elders. Family members may live together under one roof or be part of a whole village. Societies also pass on values and knowledge through education. For example, U.S. schools teach students how to be good citizens.

Basic Social Institutions​

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Although there are many religions, they all help explain the meanings of life and death and the difference between good and bad behavior. Religions’ practices and traditions make them the source of many cultures’ beliefs and attitudes. In all world regions, religion has inspired great works of devotion, including art and architecture.

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Government is a system of leaders and laws that help people live together in their community or country. It defines standards, protects property and people’s rights, and helps settle conflicts. A society’s economy is its system of using resources to meet needs. Economic principles guide the way a nation does business.

Basic Social Institutions​

​Societies, like individuals, express themselves creatively. There are three main types of creative expression. Performing arts include music, theater, and dance. Visual arts include painting, sculpture, and architecture. Literary arts are related in words and language such as literature and folklore.

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Creative expressions reflect a specific heritage, or wealth of cultural elements that have been passed down through generations. Creative expressions also express individual choices, as well as universal themes. A universal theme is a message about life that is true throughout time and in all places. This is true of art masterpieces that continue to speak to people everywhere.

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​Creative Expressions

Technology is the use of knowledge, tools, and skills to solve problems. Science is a way of understanding the world through observation and the testing of ideas. Technology is often developed to solve problems posed by the environment we live in. Its use is influenced by factors such as politics, economics, and belief systems. For example, some countries restrict Internet use. Advances in science and technology have made life easier and have changed society. Vaccines have prevented diseases. Electricity and computers have transformed daily life and work for most of the world’s people.​

Science & Technology

​Quiz Time!

Multiple Choice

__________ is the set of beliefs, goals, and practices that a group of people share.

• Technology

• Culture

• Heritage

• Society

Multiple Choice

The features common to all cultures are called __________.

• cultural diffusion

• social institutions

• universal theme

• cultural universals

Multiple Choice

The use of knowledge, tools, and skills to solve problems is __________.

• heritage

• culture

• technology

• institution

Multiple Choice

An activity or behavior in which people often take part is a __________.

• culture trait

• culture region

• ethnic group

• multicultural society

Multiple Choice

Organized patterns of belief and behavior that focus on meeting societal needs are called __________.

• multicultural societies

• social institutions

• ethnic groups

• universal themes

Multiple Choice

A __________ is a message about life or human nature that is meaningful across time and in all places.

• multicultural society

• social institution

• universal theme

• culture region

Multiple Choice

A __________ is an area in which people have many shared culture traits.

• multicultural society

• social institution

• universal theme

• culture region

Multiple Choice

__________ is the spread of culture traits from one region to another.

• Multicultural society

• Cultural diffusion

• Universal theme

• Social institution

Multiple Choice

__________ is a wealth of cultural elements that has been passed down over generations.

• Culture

• Institution

• Heritage

• Society

Multiple Choice

A group of people who share a common culture and ancestry is __________.

• an ethnic group

• a heritage

• a society

• an institution

Multiple Choice

A __________ includes a variety of cultures in the same area.

• social institution

• multicultural society

• universal theme

• cultural diffusion

Multiple Choice

Which cultural features do nations throughout the world share?

• People throughout the world grow crops and raise the same animals.

• People throughout the world make similar meals and use utensils to eat.

• People throughout the world have some form of government and create artwork.

• People throughout the world worship the same religion and speak the same language.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following characterizes the culture region of Southwest Asia and North Africa?

• People speak a common language and follow Islam as their religion.

• People celebrate their ethnic heritage in festivals like Saint Patrick's Day.

• People mark the "beginning of the year" in the fall during Rosh Hashanah.

• People bow to their elders as a sign of respect and remove their shoes when they enter a home.

Multiple Choice

How did the Spanish change some cultures in the Americas?

• by introducing religion and written language

• by introducing firearms and horses to the region

• by learning about new foods like chocolate and potatoes

• by spreading games like baseball and lacrosse throughout the region

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is a basic need that people must have in order to survive?

• food

• technology

• social institutions

• creative expressions

Multiple Choice

Which of the following accurately describes social institutions?

• The most basic social institution is the government.

• Social institutions include family, religion, and government.

• The ways social institutions are practiced are the same from culture to culture.

• Social institutions like economy and education are important only to wealthy members of society.

Multiple Choice

How are performing arts used to express cultural themes?

• through stories and folktales

• through painting, sculpture, and architecture

• by using expressive language through literature

• by combining sounds and movement through dance, music, and theater

Multiple Choice

Which of the following explains how technology can improve people's lives?

• North Korea restricting internet usage

• farmers building dams to protect their crops

• Louis Pasteur urging people to wash their hands

• the Amish refusing to use computers for religious reasons

Multiple Choice

The language you speak and the sports you play are examples of culture traits.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Cultural universals can create an interesting mix of ideas but sometimes can lead to conflict.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

When more than one cultural group lives in an area, this is called a cultural diffusion.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

A great masterpiece of art, music, or literature has a universal theme.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Family, education, religion, and government are all examples of basic ethnic groups.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

A culture region can be one country or many countries.

• True

• False