ASSIGNMENT#01(SOCIOLOGY)

NAME: MEHDI ALI QAMAR

CLASS: BSPA 2
TOPIC: CULTURE

BASIC DEFINITION

Complex set of learned and shared beliefs, customs, skills, habits,

traditions and knowledge common to members of society.
In other words by culture is basically a heritage of society passed on
from one generation to another.
Sir Edward Taylor defined the term as: “Culture is that complex whole
that includes knowledge, belief, art, moral, laws, customs, and many
other capabilities acquired by man as a member of society”.
Whatever we see in the society, we adopt it and becomes a part of our
culture. In other words society shapes and modifies our culture.

TYPES OF CULTURE

There are two types of culture-material and non-material culture.

 MATERIAL CULTURE:
It is a type of culture that grows rapidly. Tangible things are included in
this culture, such as machinery, technology, architecture, furniture,
clothing etc.
 NON MATERIAL:
This is no tangible and does not grow rapidly. With this are attached the
norms values and traditions of hundreds of years.
All our beliefs, customs, traditions, values, mores etc. are included in
non-material culture.

ELEMENTS OF CULCURE

Following are the elements of culture:

 LANGUAGE:
The basic tool to communicate with each other is called language.
There is a huge accent and style gap between different people of
different cultures. We can tell the person’s origin by the way he speaks
and communicate.
 VALUES:
These are basically the code of conduct for any person. It gives you the
guiding principle how to behave in a society and what are the
important guidelines for living a good life. Truthfulness, bravery,
honesty, discipline etc. are different values.
 NORMS:
Norms can be seen as reflection of values. For example if courtesy is
value, then paying Salam to elders is norm. Norms vary from society to
society. For example if a kid is looking straight into the elder’s eyes, he
will be said disrespectful in Asian countries but in Europe this is a
symbol of confidence.
 MORES:
Refer to a type of norm that is governed by morality that is governed by
morality in the sense of right and wrong. Example includes stealing,
killing etc. which are against the mores of society and somehow are
universal.

SPREAD OF CUTURE TROUGH DIFFERENT PHENOMENA

 ACULTURATION:
When people of one culture meet with people of another culture and in
this process they tend to know each other’s belief and values. The
adoption of some of their values is called acculturation.
 ASSIMILATION:
The process in which one culture absorbs into the dominant culture. An
African living in Europe speaks and dresses that way, which is called
assimilation.
 DIFFUSIONISM;
Social process in which elements of one culture spread from one
society to another. Examples include the widespread use of new
technology, Italian food etc.

THEORETICAL POINT OF VIEW

 FUNCTIONALISTS ON CULTURE:
Culture performs a very important role in overall functioning of the
society. Through collective culture-mores norms and values society is
bounded and it is a cause of coherence and solidarity among the
members of the society. So in this way people form strong bond and
remain together which also becomes a cause or their protection and
security.
 ONFLICT THEOCRIES:
Conflict theories urge on the issue of inequality and discrimination in
the society. Poor people cannot adopt to the culture of materialism like
technology and thus it creates a conflict in the society. Also education
system of poor societies is not up to the standard of elite and rich
societies which makes equal transfer of culture from one society to
another impossible and hence it has an impact on the rest of the
culture.