Culture and the Process of Social Transmission within a Society
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Course
Social Science
Institution
York University (Ebor
)
Sociologists define society as a fairly large number of people who reside in the same geographic area, are independent of other people who are outside their territory or area, and participate in a mutual culture. Sharing a similar culture with other members of society helps to define the group to w...
Culture and the Process of Social Transmission within a Society
As members of a society interact, they exchange cultural elements passed on to other
individuals. Tamariz defines culture as information such as beliefs, attitudes, values, ideas,
and skills that can influence human behavior and are acquired through cultural transmission
(48). In essence, cultural learning enables the spread of knowledge and behavior within a
society, thus establishing stable traditions. Cultural transmission is considered a vital element
in establishing and maintaining societal norms (Truskanov and Prat 1). Although there are
wide-ranging mediums for cultural transmission, linguistics, rituals, social behavior, and
norms are the most prevalent.
Linguistics plays a critical role in informing the social reality that enables the
transmission of cultural values. Principally, language is the fundamental root of all existing
cultural realities since it is through words that culture is understood. Linguistics departs from
the social learning theory precept that suggests that one's behavior is influenced by their
social environment (Goldstein and Naglieri 112). From the ancient means of communication
where early societies used symbols and art to express themselves to the gradual development
of shared languages, linguistics is a powerful medium that explains human cultures. For
instance, children acquire language and its cultural symbolism by imitating their parents and
peers, enabling them to learn their culture (Tamariz 11). Therefore, language is critical to
communication and thus a society's culture.
Rituals practiced in essential rites of passage such as birth, marriage, and death
exemplify cultural transmission. In essence, through their patterns, structure, order, and
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