Cultural traits are reflected in individual and collective behaviors.
A trait is a characteristic or a particularity . Cultural , meanwhile, is that linked to culture : the set of rituals, knowledge, artistic expressions and customs of a community.
The idea of cultural trait , in this framework, is usually used to refer to each of the minimal meaningful units that can be recognized in a given culture . These peculiarities translate into group and individual behaviors .
Characteristics of cultural traits
Cultural traits are transmitted from generation to generation and shape the identity of a people. In any case, over time they register changes and can even be lost.
The transmission of a culture, in short, is the transmission of its cultural traits, whether through language or through objects . Each person acquires culture via learning, imitation or appropriation.
Non-material and material elements
It is important to know that cultural traits can be non-material or material . Among the non-material traits we find the values , norms and beliefs that affect how someone acts in a certain situation.
Regarding the material cultural features, these are very diverse pieces, from constructions to tools , including ornaments and utensils. These elements represent a concrete expression of culture.
Cultural traits define the identity of a people.
Cultural traits in a system
The various cultural traits can be organized into a system . These systems, in turn, give rise to the establishment of social institutions , which focus on the essential needs of a society .
Respecting and protecting the cultural traits of a community means defending its identity and what makes it unique . At the opposite extreme, curtailing cultural traits threatens the existence of a group as such.
The possibility of communicating with people from all over the world and enjoying their books, sports, dances and movies, for example, opens the doors to knowing their cultural traits. In principle, the connection with "the outside" should be positive , since it invites us to know ourselves better in the face of the inevitable contrast with individuals from other countries. However, the fear of surrendering to the unknown can generate the opposite effect, leading us to discrimination and racism .
It is not uncommon to hear comments about the negative characteristics that supposedly represent other people: "those are stingy", "those are lazy", "those are dirty", etc. One of the reasons why these ideas are created and disseminated is the lack of understanding of other people's cultural traits. This happens because it is not as easy to understand them as it is to compare them with ours, but rather we must pay attention to other fundamental pillars of society.
Hofstede's gaze
At this point it is appropriate to mention the Theory of Cultural Dimensions , developed by Geert Hofstede , a social psychologist from the Netherlands who tries to explain the most obvious differences between cultures. This is one of the most important studies in this area and proposes the following dimensions :
* power distance index : the relationship that citizens have with their national authorities. An example of a high index is France;
* individualism versus collectivism : the tendency of a society to look out for its own interests or to care about the community;
* uncertainty avoidance : the limit to which citizens trust the rules and need them for their organization;
* masculinity versus femininity : the value that culture places on traits such as ambition and competitiveness or quality of life and interpersonal relationships;
* long or short term : this index studies the type of goals that a society imposes, which at both extremes can pursue immediate stability or opt for persistence.