Culture Concept Worksheet

Across the history of the culture concept, three figures are pivotal: Matthew Arnold, Edward B. Tylor, and Franz Boas. Match each with the correct core idea.

• A. Arnold—“high culture”; Tylor—“complex whole” (universal); Boas—cultural uniqueness/relativism

• B. Arnold—relativism; Tylor—folkways; Boas—linear evolutionism

• C. Arnold—political culture; Tylor—materialism; Boas—structuralism

• D. Arnold—behaviorism; Tylor—legal positivism; Boas—geographic determinism

Answer explanation

The correct choice is A. Arnold emphasized 'high culture' as a standard of excellence, Tylor defined culture as a 'complex whole' encompassing all aspects of life, and Boas advocated for cultural uniqueness and relativism.

Which is NOT a general characteristic of culture?

• Culture is learned, shared, and dynamic.

• Culture is abstract, pervasive, and integrated (holistic).

• Culture is innate at birth, unchanging, and only material.

• Culture is transmitted intergenerationally; language is a chief vehicle.

Answer explanation

The correct choice, 'Culture is innate at birth, unchanging, and only material,' is NOT a general characteristic of culture. Culture is learned, dynamic, and evolves over time, making it distinct from innate traits.

A South Asian child grows up in a European country and adopts local habits and views. This most directly illustrates culture as…

• Learned

• Innate

• Instinctive

• Genetic

Answer explanation

The child's adoption of local habits and views demonstrates that culture is learned, as it reflects the influence of the surrounding environment rather than being innate, instinctive, or genetic.

Which best exemplifies the cognitive component of culture?

• Community beliefs about spirits, cosmology, or scientific explanations

• The design of phones and household appliances

• Traffic regulations and legal sanctions

• Office dress codes on certain days

Answer explanation

The cognitive component of culture includes beliefs and knowledge systems. Community beliefs about spirits, cosmology, or scientific explanations reflect how a group understands the world, making this the best example.

Which statement about Tylor’s definition is most accurate?

• Culture is only elite art owned by a few.

• Culture is the “complex whole” including knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom, and other acquired capabilities.

• Not everyone “has” culture.

• Culture is purely a hierarchy from savage to civilized.

Answer explanation

Tylor's definition emphasizes that culture is a "complex whole" encompassing various elements like knowledge, beliefs, and customs, making the second statement the most accurate. The other options misrepresent the concept of culture.

The notion that culture is “super-organic” is best taken to mean…

• The same physical object can bear different cultural meanings for different actors.

• Culture is always superior to nature.

• Culture is fully determined by biology.

• Culture is identical to economic structure.

Answer explanation

The notion of culture as 'super-organic' suggests that the same physical object can have varied cultural meanings depending on the context and the actors involved, highlighting the subjective nature of cultural interpretation.

Which item is NOT among the functions of organizational culture discussed?

• A. Differentiates organizations, provides identity, fosters commitment

• B. Stabilizes the social system; acts as social glue

• C. Serves as a sense-making and control mechanism

• D. Proliferates paperwork to slow employees down

Answer explanation

Option D is correct because proliferating paperwork to slow employees down is not a function of organizational culture. The other options describe positive roles that culture plays in organizations.

Which set consists entirely of channels/markers of organizational culture?

• Language, jargon & metaphors; stories/myths/legends; ceremonies & celebrations

• Net profit, ROI, EPS

• Fixed-cost structure, depreciation, amortization

• Tax rate, exchange reserve, capital controls

Answer explanation

The correct choice, 'Language, jargon & metaphors; stories/myths/legends; ceremonies & celebrations', consists of elements that reflect and shape organizational culture, unlike the other options which pertain to financial metrics.

Regarding norms, which statement is INCORRECT?

• Mores/laws = formal norms; folkways/customs = informal norms

• Values are abstract standards; norms translate values into specific rules

• All norms are biological at birth

• Norms guide behavior contextually in social life

Answer explanation

The statement "All norms are biological at birth" is incorrect because norms are social constructs learned through culture, not innate biological traits.

Which statement best captures the three aspects of culture (pattern of behavior—learned—transmitted)?

• A. A majority enacts shared lifestyles; we learn them via interaction; we pass them on through enculturation.

• B. Culture appears spontaneously; no learning; not transmitted.

• C. Only artifacts count; values and norms are not cultural.

• D. Culture is static; patterns never change across generations.

Answer explanation

Choice A accurately reflects the three aspects of culture: behaviors are learned through interaction and shared lifestyles are transmitted via enculturation, making it the best statement among the options.