culture
Definition
Culture encompasses the social behavior, norms, knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups. It is the symbolic and learned aspects of human society, not genetically inherited.
Analogy
Culture is like the operating system for a smartphone; just as an operating system enables apps to run and dictates how they interact with each other and the user, culture shapes how individuals within a society behave, interact, and understand their world.
Related terms
Society: A group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction or a large social grouping sharing the same geographical or virtual territory and subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations.
Norms: Unwritten rules that govern social behaviors deemed acceptable within a society or group.
Beliefs: Convictions or acceptances that something exists or is true, especially without proof, which are integral to shaping cultural values and practices
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