NASP Cultural Competence - Defining Culture

Click here to download a Word file of this document.

Culture: An integrated pattern of human behavior that includes thoughts, communications, languages, practices, beliefs, values, customs, courtesies, rituals, manners of interacting and roles, relationships and expected behaviors of a racial, ethnic, religious or social group; and the ability to transmit the above to succeeding generations.

Source: National Center for Cultural Competence of Georgetown University

http://gucchd.georgetown.edu/nccc/

Culture: A specific set of social, educational, religious and professional behaviors, practices and values that individuals learn and adhere to while participating in or out of groups they usually interact with.

Source: Diversity Rx Website. Supported by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), Resources for Cross Cultural Health Care (RCCHC), Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation

http://www.diversityrx.org/HTML/ESGLOS.htm

An Anthropological Perspective of Culture

Topical: Culture consists of everything on a list of topics, or categories, such as social organization, religion, or economy

Historical: Culture is social heritage, or tradition, that is passed on to future generations

Behavioral: Culture is shared, learned human behavior, a way of life

Normative: Culture is ideals, values, or rules for living

Functional: Culture is the way humans solve problems of adapting to the environment or living together

Mental: Culture is a complex of ideas, or learned habits that inhibit impulses and distinguish people from animals

Structural: Culture consists of patterned and interrelated ideas, symbols, or behaviors

Symbolic: Culture is based on arbitrarily assigned meanings that are shared by a society

Source: John H. Bodley, From Cultural Anthropology: Tribes, States, and the Global System, 1994

All web links correct and functioning as of September 2009.

NASP Home NASP Resources Cultural Competence Defining Culture
We're still experiencing technical difficulties with our system which affect login, the NASP Store, and Renewals. We are working to restore complete access as soon as possible. We apologize for the inconvenience.
	NASP Cultural Competence - Defining Culture Click here to download a Word file of this document. Culture: An integrated pattern of human behavior that includes thoughts, communications, languages, practices, beliefs, values, customs, courtesies, rituals, manners of interacting and roles, relationships and expected behaviors of a racial, ethnic, religious or social group; and the ability to transmit the above to succeeding generations. Source: National Center for Cultural Competence of Georgetown University http://gucchd.georgetown.edu/nccc/ Culture: A specific set of social, educational, religious and professional behaviors, practices and values that individuals learn and adhere to while participating in or out of groups they usually interact with. Source: Diversity Rx Website. Supported by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), Resources for Cross Cultural Health Care (RCCHC), Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation http://www.diversityrx.org/HTML/ESGLOS.htm An Anthropological Perspective of Culture Topical: Culture consists of everything on a list of topics, or categories, such as social organization, religion, or economy Historical: Culture is social heritage, or tradition, that is passed on to future generations Behavioral: Culture is shared, learned human behavior, a way of life Normative: Culture is ideals, values, or rules for living Functional: Culture is the way humans solve problems of adapting to the environment or living together Mental: Culture is a complex of ideas, or learned habits that inhibit impulses and distinguish people from animals Structural: Culture consists of patterned and interrelated ideas, symbols, or behaviors Symbolic: Culture is based on arbitrarily assigned meanings that are shared by a society Source: John H. Bodley, From Cultural Anthropology: Tribes, States, and the Global System, 1994 *All web links correct and functioning as of September 2009.*