Culture

Culture is a set of shared values, beliefs, and practices created by a group of individuals to guide their social relationships and shape their developmental pathways. It is not an objective reality, but a shared understanding among individuals that influences one’s attitudes, judgments, emotions, and practices. Culture is fluid and dynamic, dependent on societal and group factors. This is only one definition of culture. As it turns out, many scholars have attempted to define culture, yet there is no one agreed-on definition. In 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn listed 160 definitions of culture and then added their own. This entry focuses on key factors that influence a culture, theories on cultural worldviews, and ways cultures can affect individuals and their families across the lifespan.