Unit: III.1.

Culture Sociology for Health Sciences

Unit: 3.1. Culture

Dr. G. Pitchaimani B.P.T., M.SC., PhD
Content
 Concept of culture,
 Function of culture,
 Elements of culture,
 Influence of culture on health and diseases.

1. Meaning of Culture
Culture is a very broad that includes in itself all our way of life
 modes of behaviour,
 our philosophies and ethics,
 our morals and manners,
 our customs and traditions,
 our religious, political,
 economic and other type of activities.
 It is main concept in Anthropology but it is essential or fundamental in Sociology.
 The study of society becomes incomplete without a proper understanding of the
culture of the society.
 Culture and society go together they are inseparable.
 Man is born and brought up in a cultural environment.
 Other animals live in a natural environment.
 Culture refers to a system of learned behaviour which is shared by and transmitted
among the members of a group.

2. Need of Culture in Man

 Man differs from animal species in that he lives in a world of ideas.
 He acts and reacts in terms of ideas about objects and organisms.
 The animal live only in the present.
 They lack language; their knowledge is limited to instincts plus what is learned by
direct observation.
 Such learning can never accumulate.
 Only man inhabits past, present and future simultaneously.
 He possesses the capacity to vocalize, respond, represent, articulate and learn from the
stimulus- response relationship.
 These peculiar elements in the make-up of man provided a background against which
culture arose.
 The rudiments of culture developed by one generation serve as a foundation-stone to
the next generation, which makes its own additions.
 Man is born in the stream of culture and must continuously swim in it if he is to live
as a member of society.

1
Unit: III.1. Culture Sociology for Health Sciences

3. Definition of Culture
 Tylor
Culture is that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom
and any other capabilities acquired by man, as a member of society.
 Roberty
Culture is the body of thought and knowledge, both theoretical and practical, which only
man can possess.
 C.C. North
Culture consists in the instruments constituted by men to assist him in satisfying his
wants.
4. Nature of Culture
1. Culture is Acquired:
 Culture is an acquired quality or behaviour.
 It is not biologically inherited but learnt socially by individuals.
 In other words any behaviour or quality which is socially acquired or learned is called
culture.
 Behaviour's learned through socialization habits and thoughts are called culture.
 Human beings learn or acquire culture by living in group. He learns it from society
through education.
2. Culture is Social:
 Culture is not individual but social in nature.
 As a social product culture develops through social interaction which is shared by all.
 Without social interaction or social relations it is very difficult and almost impossible
to be cultured.
 Culture is inclusive of the expectations of the members of the groups.
 It is created or originated in society.
 Hence it is social.
3. Culture is Transmissive:
 Culture is transmitted from one generation to another. It passes from parents to
children and so on.
 This transmission is a continuous and spontaneous process.
 It never remains constant.
 Man inherits or learns culture from his ancestors and passes it to his successors.
 In this way culture constantly accumulate.
4. Culture fulfils some needs:
 Culture fulfils many social psychological, moral etc. needs of individuals.
 Culture is created and maintained because of different needs.
 It fulfils needs of both society as well as individuals. For example, religion used to
fulfil the solidarity and integrative needs of society.
 Our need for food, clothing, shelter, name, fame, status and position are fulfilled as
per our cultural ways.

2
Unit: III.1. Culture Sociology for Health Sciences

5. Culture is Shared:
 Culture is not possessed by a single or a few individual.
 Culture is shared by majority of individuals.
 Hence culture is collective in nature.
 For example polytheism is our culture. It means majority of Indians believe in
polytheism.
6. Culture is Idealistic:
 Culture is idealistic in nature.
 Because it embodies the ideals, values and norms of the group.
 It sets ideal goals before individuals which is worth attaining.
 In other words culture is the sum total of ideals and values of individuals in society.
7. Culture is Accumulative:
 Culture is not created in one day or one year.
 It gradually accumulates through centuries.
 Beliefs, art, morals, knowledge are gradually stored up and became part of culture.
 Hence culture is the social heritage.
8. Culture is Adaptive:
 Culture possesses adaptive capacity.
 It is not static and it is undergoes changes.
 Different aspects of culture adapt with new environment or challenges posed by social
and physical environment.
 Adaptation refers to the process of adjustment.
 And culture helps man in this process of adjustment.
9. Culture is Variable:
 Culture is variable and changeable.
 It varies and changes from society to society.
 Because each and every society has its own culture.
 It also varies within a society from time to time.
 Ways of living of people of a particular society varies from time to time.
10. Culture is Organized:
 Culture has an order or system.
 As Tylor says culture is a ‘complex whole’.
 It means different parts of culture are well organized into a cohesive whole.
 Different parts of culture is organised in such a way that any change in one part brings
corresponding changes in other parts.
11. Culture is Communicative:
 Man makes and uses symbol.
 He also possesses capacity of symbolic communication.
 Culture is based on symbol and it communicates through different symbols.
 Common ideas and social heritage etc. are communicated from one generation to
another.
 In our society ‘red colour’ stands for danger.
 In Indian culture red colour symbolic danger.
 Hence culture is communicative in nature.

3
Unit: III.1. Culture Sociology for Health Sciences

12. Language is the chief vehicle of Culture:

 Culture is transmitted from one generation to the next.
 It never remain static.
 This transmission became possible through language.
 Culture is learned through language.
13. Culture is the total social heritage:
 We know culture is a social product.
 It is linked with the past.
 Through transmission past continues to live in culture.
 It is shared by all.

5. Types of Culture
There are Two types of culture
 Material culture
 Non-material culture
Material and Non-material Culture
Material culture-
 Material culture concerned with the external, mechanical and utilitarian objects.
 It can be easily communicated and makes our life more comfortable, luxurious and
meaningful.
 Thus material culture has the extrinsic value like housing, fashion, diet etc.
 material culture represent the whole apparatus of life or civilization.

Non-material culture-
 It includes the concepts, values, mores and ideas e.g. monogamy, democracy, worship
etc.

4
Unit: III.1. Culture Sociology for Health Sciences

Ideal Culture & Real Culture

 Ideal Culture
Refers to cultural guidelines publicity embraced by members of a society
 Real Culture
Refers to actual behaviour patterns, which often conflict with these guidelines.
Examples
Equal Opportunities is a value, but seldom reality when examined
Marriages; Often fall short form what we have taught to believe
Friendship; Often fail us when most needed

6. Structure of Culture
Cultural Traits
 It is single elements or smallest units which together form a culture.
 Every culture includes thousands of such traits.
 Eg. Shaking hand, touching the feet
 Traits are the basic units of a culture which distinguish one culture from other.
 Important of traits vary from one culture to other.
 Eg. Offering water to sun is important in hindu culture, but is not so in western culture
Cultural Complexes
 Cultural traits do not exist independently but they are usually associated with other
related traits to form a culture complex.
 The significance of a cultural traits is realized when it is associated with the cluster of
related traits and each one of them plays a significant role in the total complex.
 Eg. A religiuos complex consists of traits, Kneeling before the idol, sprinkling sacred
water over it, putting some food in mouth, folding hands, taking prashad from the
priest, singing, arti etc.
Cultural Pattern
 Cultural traits and complexes when get related to each other for functional purpose
a culture pattern is formed.

5
Unit: III.1. Culture Sociology for Health Sciences

 Each culture complex has a definite role and place in a society.

 A number of culture complexes together form culture patterns of a society.
 Eg. Indian cultural pattern includes many cultural complexes like Gandhism,
Spirtualism, Joint family, caste system, ruralism etc.
Universal
 Cultural traits that are followed by all are called universals.
Alternatives
 Alternatives are those traits where the individual can have his own choice of
following.
Specialties
 The cultural traits which are followed by some but not all group within the
society
Contra cultures
 It is the culture of those group which is different and sharply challenging the
existing main culture.
Cultural area
 Each society has a specific culture. But there are some societies which are
similar in their cultural traits and complexes and such societies constitute
cultural area.

7. Elements of Culture
Elements (Components) of culture are as follows:
 Values and Beliefs
 Norms
 Folkways,
 Mores,
 Laws
 Symbols
 Language
Values
 The first, and perhaps most crucial, elements of culture we will discuss are its values
and beliefs.
 Values are a culture’s standard for discerning what is good and just in society.
 Values are deeply embedded and critical for transmitting and teaching a culture’s
beliefs.
Beliefs
 Beliefs are the tenets or convictions that people hold to be true.
 Individuals in a society have specific beliefs, but they also share collective values.

6
Unit: III.1. Culture Sociology for Health Sciences

 To illustrate the difference, Americans commonly believe in the American Dream—

that anyone who works hard enough will be successful and wealthy. Underlying this
belief is the American value that wealth is good and important.
Symbols
 Anything that carries particular meaning recognized by people who share the same
culture.
 It can be either material object like flag a cross or word or it can be a non material
object like sound gesture.
 Symbolic meaning is obvious uniform in culture and powerful.
Language
 A major symbolic system in use in all human societies is languages.
 Human languages are learned and variable, flexible and generative.
 Without language there is no culture.
 It is language through which we are able to create share, preserve and transmit
cultural meanings such as complex patterns of emotions, thought, knowledge and
beliefs.
 Language is essential to give members of society a sense of identity.
Folkways
 Folkways are accepted ways of behaviour.
 According to Gillin and Gillin folkways are the behaviour pattern of every day life
which unconsciously arises within a group.
 According to AW Green folkways are the ways of acting that are common to a
society or a group that are handed down from generation to the next.
 Folkways are social in nature, repetitive in character, unplanned in origin, informal
enforcement, varied in nature and subjected to change.
 Example of folkways are eating pattern, habits, communication, dressing walking,
working and greeting.
Mores
 Standard of behaviour that influences the moral conduct of people conformity to mass
is called as mores.
 According to MacIver & CH Page when folkways have added to group welfare and
high standards that are converted into mores.
 mores determine our conception of right or wrong and proper and improper.
 Mores differ from group to group and from society to society.
 Mores are dynamic, they keep on changing according to changing need of society.
Laws
 Laws are enacted by the state or centre to have control over individual.
 Essential for social stability when violating mores.

7
Unit: III.1. Culture Sociology for Health Sciences

8. Functions of Culture
Culture functions at the Individual and Group level
Importance of culture to the Individuals:
 It makes man as a human being.
 To regulate the conduct and prepares the human being for group life through the
process of socialization.
 It defines the meaning of situation.
 Provides solutions for difficult situations.
 Defines values, attitudes and goals.
Importance for the Group:
 Broaden the vision of individuals.
 Provide behaviour patterns and relationship with others.
 Keep the individual behaviour intact.
 Moulds national character.
 Define myths, legends, supernatural believes.
 Creates new needs and interests

9. Influence of culture on health and diseases

Culture Influence on Health and Diseases
 Culture also plays on important role.
 It refers to the way of living which includes ideas, knowledge, attitude, practices,
customs etc.,
Food habits:
 In Andra Pradesh people take spicy foods. Which causes gastritis among them.
 Brahmins are vegetarian so they don’t get balanced nutrients.
 People who take nonvegetarian food in excessive quantity which leads to obesity,
diabetes, coronary heart disease, blood pressure etc.
Practice of bad habits:
 Chewing raw tobacco is common among rural people. This is causes for oral
cancer.
 Now panparag, smoking, drinking etc.,
Occupational conditions:
 Cervical spondylosis and arthritis are more among manual labours.
Consanguineous marriage
 Consanguineous marriage is a causes for weak physical and mental condition,
mental retardation and other health problems.

8
Unit: III.1. Culture Sociology for Health Sciences

Walking barefoot:
 Walking barefoot is a trait of Indian culture. Such practice places the individuals
at the risk of fungal infections and sprain.
Oil bath:
 Oil bath is a common practice among people in India. Warm oil is poured into the
ear during oil bath. If the oil is too hot it causes otitis media) and sometime
deafness.
Brick powder to clean the teeth
 Socio economically weaker groups often use brick powder to clean the teeth. This
leads to gingivitis pyoria etc.
Pardah system:
 Pardah system by Muslim woman still followed which causes vitamin D
deficiency.
Getting up early in the morning and taking bath.
 People exposed to chill weather have greater chances of suffering from disease
like bell’s palsy, pneumonia and asthma.
 For instance women suffer from such problems more frequently than men because
they wake up in the early morning and get exposed to chill climate.
Chicken Pox
 In a chicken pox affected children’s family, keeping the neem leaves at the
entrance of home and prevents the spreading of the diseases to the neighbourhood.
 Cleaning of the house, taking hygienic care and put rangoli in front of the house,
offering pooja will give blessing for the entire home.
 Doing meditation will increase concentration and attention.
 Polygyny is accepted social phenomena is certain religion.
 Superstitious belief.
 Thus culture induces various symptoms and disease.
10. Conclusion
 Man is not only a social animal but also a cultural being.
 His social life has been made possible because of culture.
 Culture is something that has elevated him from the level of animal to the heights of
man.
 Man cannot survive as man without culture.
 Culture represents all the achievements of mankind.
 Culture and society are interdependent.
 Culture possesses continuity and extends beyond the lifetime of those who possess,
create and utilize it.
 It is passed from the old to the new members.
 It provides knowledge, which is essential for the physical, social and intellectual
existence of man.
 Society and culture and social culture are mutually related concepts.
 There is no culture without human society.
 There is no society without individuals.
 Its learned behavior acquired by man as a member of society.