Question

Explain the meaning of culture and describe its important features.

Answer 1

The term culture refers to the shared customs, beliefs, values, norms institutions and other products of a community which are transmitted from one generation to another. It includes all materialistic, abstract and behavioural particulars that exist prior to the individual and consists of features that vary across societies. The important features of culture are as follows:

• It contains values and language that can be expressed.

• It contains a way of life that is followed by individuals who have grown in that context.

• It is a historically transmitted pattern of meanings embodied in symbols.

• It has influence upon human behaviour.