Principles and Techniques of Veterinary and AH Extension

CONCEPTS OF CULTURE

• Culture
  • “Culture is the continually changing patterns of learned behaviour and the products of learned behaviour (including attitudes, values, knowledge and material objects), which are shared by and transmitted among the members of society.” [Cuber, 1968]
  • Culture is not merely customs, though customs are a part of culture. In other words, culture includes everything that man learns or acquires as a member of particular society.
• Culture area
  • Geographic area within which culture exists.
• Culture trait
  • Simplest functional unit into which culture may be divided and is defined as a ‘reportedly irreducible unit of learned behaviour pattern or material product thereof’ [Hoebel,1949] eg., a dhothi, a sari, a bamboo pen are examples of material culture trait whereas bowing slightly in respectful greeting to an elder is a non-material trait.
• Culture complex
  • Organization of culture traits around one dominant trait. It is a group or cluster of related traits. eg.’ the sacred thread ceremony in a Hindu Brahmin home involving a large number of related culture traits.
• Culture pattern
  • It is a group of culture complexes, formed in the same way to form a complex culture.
• Culture lag
  • Time difference between some technological change and the resulting change in culture.