Cultures

Culture is the integrated pattern of human behavior that includes language, beliefs, values, norms, ritual practices, art, music, food, technology, and institutions shared by a group. It is learned and transmitted across generations through family, education, and social interaction, shaping how people perceive the world and act within it.

Cultures vary across communities and over time. They arise from historical experience, geography, resources, and contact with other groups, and they can form subcultures that retain core features while developing distinctive practices. Culture is dynamic, not static.

Elements of culture include language or symbolic systems, religion or spirituality, social organization, norms, and material culture such as clothing and tools. Cultural knowledge is transmitted implicitly and explicitly through enculturation, schooling, and media, shaping everyday behavior and expectations.

Cultural change occurs through diffusion, innovation, migration, and globalization. Cultures may adapt to new circumstances while preserving core identities, and communities often establish institutions to preserve heritage, language, crafts, and sites. Institutions such as schools, museums, and cultural programs play key roles in sustaining cultural practices.

Intercultural contact can enable exchange and learning as well as tension. Cultures are dynamic and complex, and individuals may identify with multiple cultural influences. Respect for diversity and critical reflection on bias are central to understanding cultures and engaging respectfully in cross-cultural contexts.