StudyOSStudyOS CBSE Study Material, Class 5–12

Culture and Socialisation

NCERT Class 11 · Sociology Based on NCERT Class 11 Sociology textbook · Free CBSE study kit

Everything you need to ace this chapter, in one place.
Notes · Mind Map · Quiz · Assertion-Reason · Case Studies · Question Bank · Past Papers

Get Full Study Kit →
Studying with friends? Send them this chapter.

Chapter Notes

Overview
This chapter defines culture precisely as a sociologist sees it—not as refined taste or the arts, but as the entire way of life of a people, including knowledge, beliefs, norms, and material objects. It explores the cognitive, normative, and material dimensions of culture, the processes of cultural change, ethnocentrism versus cosmopolitanism, and the lifelong process of socialisation through agencies like family, peer groups, school, and mass media. The one big idea is that culture is a dynamic, learned, shared system of meaning that shapes identity and behaviour, and socialisation is how we become competent members of society.
Key Concepts (19)
Culture
The common understanding, learnt and developed through social interaction with others in society; the complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society (Tylor).
e.g. The way people in Bengal greet each other with 'Nomoshkar' and the specific gestures used for elders versus friends.
Socialisation
The process whereby the helpless infant gradually becomes a self-aware, knowledgeable person, skilled in the ways of the culture into which s/he is born.
e.g. A child learning to say 'thank you' when receiving a gift, internalising the norm of gratitude.
Primary Socialisation
The learning that happens in the family during early childhood.
e.g. A toddler learning to eat with hands or a spoon as per family practice.
Secondary Socialisation
The learning that happens in school and other institutions beyond the family, extending over the entire life of a person.
e.g. A student learning punctuality and discipline in school.
Cognitive Aspect of Culture
Refers to how we learn to process what we hear or see, so as to give it meaning.
e.g. Recognising the cartoon of a politician in a newspaper.
Normative Aspect of Culture
Refers to rules of conduct, including folkways, mores, customs, conventions, and laws.
e.g. Not opening other people’s letters; performing rituals at death.
Material Aspect of Culture
Includes any activity made possible by means of materials, tools, or machines.
e.g. Using rice-flour paste to design kolam on floors; using mobile phones for communication.
Ethnocentrism
The application of one’s own cultural values in evaluating the behaviour and beliefs of people from other cultures, assuming one's own culture is superior.
e.g. Macaulay’s Minute on Education (1835) stating the need to create a class 'Indian in blood and colour but English in tastes, in opinions, morals and intellect'.
Cosmopolitanism
An outlook that values other cultures for their difference, celebrates and accommodates different cultural propensities, and promotes cultural exchange and borrowings.
e.g. Hindi film music borrowing from western pop music as well as from Indian folk and semi-classical forms like bhangra and ghazal.
Sub-culture
A group within a larger culture marked by style, taste, and association, identifiable by speech, dress codes, and preference for particular music or interaction styles.
e.g. Youth in a neighbourhood forming a sports club with its own dress code and slang.
Culture Lag
A situation when the non-material dimensions (values, norms) are unable to match the advances of technology.
e.g. Rapid adoption of smartphones (material) while norms about privacy and screen time (non-material) lag behind.
Hidden Curriculum
The implicit lessons taught in school alongside the formal curriculum, conditioning children's learning about social roles and expectations.
e.g. In some schools, girls are expected to sweep the classroom while boys are not, teaching gendered norms.
Folkways
Informal norms that guide everyday behaviour, violation of which is not severely punished.
e.g. Greeting someone with a handshake or a namaste.
Mores
Norms that are considered essential to the welfare of society and are strictly enforced.
e.g. Prohibition of incest or theft.
Law
A formal sanction defined by government as a rule or principle that its citizens must follow; explicit and applicable to the whole society.
e.g. Stealing a gold necklace is a violation of the law of private property and can lead to jail.
Peer Group
Friendship groups of children of a similar age; 'peer' means 'equal'.
e.g. A group of 10-year-olds playing together in the neighbourhood.
Cultural Change
The way in which societies change their patterns of culture; impetus can be internal or external.
e.g. New methods of farming boosting agricultural production and transforming food consumption patterns.
Revolutionary Change
When a culture is transformed rapidly and its values and meaning systems undergo a radical change.
e.g. The French Revolution (1789) destroyed the estate system and inculcated values of liberty, equality, and fraternity.
Agencies of Socialisation
The institutions and groups through which socialisation occurs, including family, school, peer group, neighbourhood, occupational group, and mass media.
e.g. A child learning manners at home (family), discipline at school, and slang from friends (peer group).
How It Works
Process of Socialisation
  1. The human infant is born knowing nothing about society or social behaviour.
  2. Through interaction with family members (primary socialisation), the child learns basic norms, values, and language.
  3. As the child grows, s/he interacts with other agencies like school, peer groups, and mass media (secondary socialisation).
  4. The child internalises the norms, attitudes, values, and behavioural patterns of the groups s/he belongs to.
  5. Socialisation continues throughout life as the individual takes on new roles (e.g., parent, grandparent, employee).
💡 Socialisation is not passive absorption; even a newborn can assert her/his will (e.g., crying when hungry). It is a lifelong process, not limited to childhood.
Cultural Change through Internal and External Causes
  1. Internal cause: New methods of farming or agriculture boost production, transforming food consumption and quality of life.
  2. External cause: Conquest or colonisation affects deep-seated changes in cultural practices.
  3. Change can also occur through changes in the natural environment (e.g., forest dwellers losing access to forest resources).
  4. Change can be evolutionary (gradual) or revolutionary (rapid, radical transformation of values and meaning systems).
💡 Revolutionary change is not just fast—it fundamentally alters the value system, e.g., French Revolution replacing monarchy with liberty, equality, fraternity.
Ethnocentrism vs Cosmopolitanism
  1. When cultures come into contact, ethnocentrism arises: applying one's own cultural values to judge others, assuming superiority.
  2. Cosmopolitanism is the opposite: it values other cultures for their difference, does not evaluate them by one's own standards.
  3. A cosmopolitan outlook celebrates and accommodates different cultural propensities, promoting exchange and borrowings.
  4. Example: English language includes foreign words; Hindi film music borrows from western pop and Indian folk forms.
💡 Ethnocentrism is NOT the same as cultural pride—it involves judging others as inferior. Cosmopolitanism does not mean losing one's own identity; it enriches it through borrowing.
Dimensions of Culture Interrelation
  1. Culture has three dimensions: cognitive (how we make sense of information), normative (rules of conduct), and material (tools, technologies).
  2. Understanding material culture (e.g., art) is incomplete without knowledge from cognitive and normative areas.
  3. For integrated functioning, material and non-material dimensions must work together.
  4. When material/technological dimensions change rapidly, non-material aspects can lag behind, causing culture lag.
💡 Culture lag is a specific term—do not confuse it with cultural change in general. It refers to the mismatch when technology outpaces norms/values.
Exam Traps — Don't Make These Mistakes
⚠ Confusing 'culture' with 'civilisation' or 'refined taste'
✗ Culture means being educated in classical music, dance, and painting.
→ The sociological definition of culture is much broader—it is the entire way of life of a people, not just refined artistic taste. Tylor's definition includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom, and any capabilities acquired as a member of society.
✓ In sociology, culture refers to the complex whole of knowledge, beliefs, norms, values, and material objects shared by a group, not merely refined artistic taste.
⚠ Treating socialisation as one-way programming
✗ Socialisation is the process by which society programs the child to conform completely.
→ The chapter explicitly states that socialisation is not 'cultural programming'—the child is not passive. Even a newborn can assert her/his will (crying when hungry). Socialisation also develops individuality and the capacity for independent thought.
✓ Socialisation is a two-way process where the individual actively interacts with socialising agencies, developing self-identity and the capacity for independent thought and action.
⚠ Confusing 'norms' with 'laws'
✗ Norms and laws are the same thing—both are rules of behaviour.
→ Norms are implicit rules that can vary by family, group, or status (e.g., not staying out after sundown). Laws are explicit, formal sanctions defined by the state, applicable to the whole society, and violation attracts penalties. Norms can be discriminatory (e.g., dalits not allowed to drink from the same vessel), but laws are universal.
✓ Norms are implicit, informal rules that guide behaviour and vary by context; laws are explicit, formal rules defined by the state, applicable to all citizens, with penalties for violation.
⚠ Equating ethnocentrism with any cultural preference
✗ Ethnocentrism is when you prefer your own culture over others.
→ Ethnocentrism is not just preference—it is the application of one's own cultural values to judge others as inferior. It involves a sense of cultural superiority, as seen in Macaulay's Minute. Cosmopolitanism, by contrast, values difference without judgment.
✓ Ethnocentrism is the evaluation of other cultures based on one's own cultural standards, assuming one's own culture is superior. It is not merely preferring one's own culture.
⚠ Thinking culture lag is any slow cultural change
✗ Culture lag means culture changes slowly.
→ Culture lag specifically refers to the situation when material/technological dimensions change rapidly, but non-material aspects (values, norms) lag behind, causing a mismatch. It is not about the speed of change in general.
✓ Culture lag is the gap that occurs when material culture (technology) changes faster than non-material culture (values, norms), leading to a temporary maladjustment.
Compare & Contrast
Stage and agency of learning
Primary Socialisation
Secondary Socialisation
Primary socialisation occurs in early childhood within the family, while secondary socialisation takes place later in life through institutions like school, peer groups, and mass media.
Attitude towards other cultures
Ethnocentrism
Cosmopolitanism
Ethnocentrism judges other cultures by one's own standards and assumes superiority; cosmopolitanism values cultural difference, celebrates diversity, and promotes exchange without judgment.
Formality and enforceability
Norms
Laws
Norms are implicit, informal rules that vary by group and status, with sanctions that promote conformity; laws are explicit, formal rules defined by the state, applicable to all, with penalties for violation.
Tangibility
Material Culture
Non-Material Culture
Material culture includes tangible tools, technologies, and artifacts (e.g., mobile phones, kolam designs); non-material culture includes intangible cognitive and normative aspects (e.g., beliefs, values, norms).
Exam Focus
Marks pattern: 2 MCQs (1 mark each), 1 Short Answer (3 marks) on definition or dimensions, 1 Long Answer (5 marks) on socialisation agencies or ethnocentrism/cosmopolitanism, and occasionally a passage-based question (5 marks) from the text.
Most asked: Definition of culture (Tylor, Malinowski, Geertz) · Dimensions of culture (cognitive, normative, material) · Ethnocentrism vs Cosmopolitanism · Agencies of socialisation (family, peer group, school, mass media) · Primary vs Secondary socialisation · Culture lag · Sub-culture and identity
Don't skip: Long answer question on agencies of socialisation with examples (5 marks); Compare and contrast ethnocentrism and cosmopolitanism (3-5 marks); Explain the three dimensions of culture with examples (5 marks); Discuss the process of socialisation and its agencies (5 marks)
One-Line Revision (read aloud before the exam)
  1. Culture is the complex whole including knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom, and any capabilities acquired by man as a member of society (Tylor).
  2. Socialisation is the lifelong process by which a helpless infant becomes a self-aware, knowledgeable person skilled in the ways of culture.
  3. Primary socialisation occurs in the family; secondary socialisation occurs in school and other institutions.
  4. The three dimensions of culture are cognitive (meaning-making), normative (rules of conduct), and material (tools and technologies).
  5. Ethnocentrism is judging other cultures by one's own standards, assuming superiority; cosmopolitanism values cultural difference.
  6. Macaulay's Minute on Education (1835) is a classic example of ethnocentrism.
  7. Culture lag occurs when material culture changes faster than non-material culture (values, norms).
  8. Agencies of socialisation include family, peer group, school, mass media, neighbourhood, and occupational group.
  9. Peer groups are friendship groups of similar age; 'peer' means 'equal'.
  10. The hidden curriculum in schools teaches implicit social norms alongside formal subjects.
  11. Sub-cultures are identifiable by style, taste, speech, and dress codes within a larger culture.
  12. Socialisation is not passive programming; it develops individuality and the capacity for independent thought.
  13. Laws are explicit, formal rules defined by the state; norms are implicit and vary by group.
  14. Cultural change can be internal (e.g., new farming methods) or external (e.g., colonisation).
  15. Revolutionary change rapidly transforms values and meaning systems, e.g., the French Revolution.

MCQs — 10 Questions with Answers

Q1. Which of the following best describes culture from a sociological perspective?

  • A. Knowledge of fine arts, classical music, and refined taste in food
  • B. A complex whole of shared knowledge, beliefs, values, customs, and symbols learned through social interaction ✓
  • C. The way wealthy and educated classes live and behave
  • D. Individual preferences and personal lifestyle choices

Answer: B — Sociology defines culture as a shared way of life of all members of society, not individual refined taste or class-based behavior, and it includes symbols, beliefs, and customs learned collectively.

Q2. Edward Tylor's definition of culture emphasizes all of the following EXCEPT:

  • A. Knowledge and beliefs
  • B. Morals and law
  • C. Individual aesthetic preferences ✓
  • D. Customs and capabilities

Answer: C — Tylor's definition focuses on shared elements of society (knowledge, belief, morals, law, custom), not on individual aesthetic preferences which sociology specifically distinguishes from culture.

Q3. According to Bronislaw Malinowski, which element did he add to Tylor's definition of culture?

  • A. Symbols and language
  • B. Inherited artifacts and material goods ✓
  • C. Religious beliefs
  • D. Moral values

Answer: B — Malinowski specifically emphasized material culture (inherited artifacts, goods, technical processes) alongside non-material elements, expanding Tylor's earlier definition.

Q4. What does Clifford Geertz mean by culture being 'webs of significance'?

  • A. Complex networks of economic exchange
  • B. Patterns of meaning that humans create and must interpret like words in a book ✓
  • C. Historical connections between different civilizations
  • D. Technology and tools that connect societies

Answer: B — Geertz argues that culture consists of meanings humans create and transmit; we must interpret human actions interpretatively to understand their social significance, not just causally explain them.

Q5. During the 2004 tsunami in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, tribal communities like the Onges and Jarawas survived while modern fisherfolk did not. This example demonstrates that:

  • A. Tribal cultures are superior to modern cultures because they have better technology
  • B. Modern science and technology make cultures superior to traditional cultures
  • C. Cultures should be judged by their adequacy to cope with environmental strains, not ranked as superior or inferior ✓
  • D. Primitive communities are better at predicting natural disasters than modern communities

Answer: C — The textbook explicitly states cultures cannot be ranked superior/inferior but judged adequate/inadequate based on ability to cope with natural and social strains; tribal experiential knowledge was adequate for this environment.

Q6. Primary socialisation and secondary socialisation differ in that primary socialisation occurs in the _____, while secondary socialisation occurs in _____.

  • A. childhood; adulthood
  • B. family; school and other institutions ✓
  • C. school; workplace
  • D. villages; cities

Answer: B — Primary socialisation is family-based learning during formative years, while secondary socialisation happens in schools, workplaces, and other organized institutions that systematically convey cultural knowledge.

Q7. Which statement about culture is correct? (A) Culture is static and finished. (B) Culture is dynamic and constantly changing. (C) Culture is individual preference. (D) Culture distinguishes only the educated from the uneducated.

  • A. Only statement A is correct
  • B. Only statement B is correct ✓
  • C. Statements C and D are correct
  • D. All statements are equally valid

Answer: B — Culture is explicitly described as dynamic — elements are constantly added, deleted, expanded, and rearranged; it is shared (not individual) and applies to all society members (not just educated classes).

Q8. The capacity to create and interpret shared meaning through signs and symbols distinguishes humans from other animals. In the auto-driver example from Bangalore, what does the jerked head movement represent?

  • A. A random physical gesture with no meaning
  • B. A shared cultural symbol that means 'yes, I will come' in that local context ✓
  • C. An individual expression that varies by person
  • D. A universal human gesture understood everywhere

Answer: B — The head jerk is a culturally shared symbol specific to Bangalore/South Indian culture that communicates 'yes' — it demonstrates how meaning is created and understood through social interaction within a culture.

Q9. Different natural environments lead to diverse cultures because: (I) People adapt different strategies to cope with natural conditions. (II) Material culture must match the environment. (III) Environment determines all aspects of culture completely. (IV) Cultures emerge as ways of life suited to their settings.

  • A. I and IV are correct; III is incorrect
  • B. I, II, and IV are correct; III is too deterministic ✓
  • C. Only I and III are correct
  • D. All four statements are equally correct

Answer: B — Statements I, II, and IV correctly describe how environment influences culture through adaptation and material/non-material responses, but III overstates determinism — environment influences but doesn't completely determine culture.

Q10. If a person learns table manners and conversational etiquette from their family during childhood, they are undergoing _____ socialisation, which prepares them for _____. Identify the correct completion: (A) secondary; primary roles only. (B) primary; future roles and responsibilities in society. (C) tertiary; economic roles. (D) institutional; political participation only.

  • A. secondary; primary roles only
  • B. primary; future roles and responsibilities in society ✓
  • C. tertiary; economic roles
  • D. institutional; political participation only

Answer: B — Family-based childhood learning is primary socialisation that provides foundational knowledge for conducting oneself in society and prepares individuals for their future roles and responsibilities across all life domains.

Flashcards

What is culture in sociological terms?

Culture is a complex whole of shared knowledge, beliefs, values, customs, artifacts, and symbols that members of a society learn through social interaction and use to navigate and make meaning of their world.

How is the sociological definition of culture different from everyday understanding?

Everyday understanding confines culture to the arts or refined taste of certain classes, while sociology defines it as the shared way of life of all members of a society, regardless of class or individual preference.

What did Edward Tylor mean by culture in 1871?

Tylor defined culture as a complex whole that includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by humans as members of society.

How did Bronislaw Malinowski expand on culture definition?

Malinowski added inherited artifacts and goods, technical processes, and emphasized material culture alongside non-material elements like ideas, habits, and values.

What is Clifford Geertz's key idea about culture?

Geertz argued that culture consists of webs of significance that humans create, and we must interpret human actions like words in a book to find their social meaning.

Define primary socialisation.

Primary socialisation is the learning that occurs in the family during childhood, where individuals first acquire culture, values, and prepare for their roles in society.

What is secondary socialisation?

Secondary socialisation is the learning that occurs in schools, workplaces, and other institutions after the family, which further shapes how individuals understand and participate in society.

Why are cultures described as dynamic?

Cultures are dynamic because elements are constantly being added, deleted, expanded, shrunk, and rearranged as they respond to changing natural and social conditions.

How did natural environment affect tribal communities during the 2004 tsunami?

Tribal communities like the Onges and Jarawas used their experiential knowledge of natural signs to recognize danger and moved to higher ground, avoiding the devastation that hit modern communities.

Can cultures be ranked as superior or inferior?

No — cultures cannot be ranked superior or inferior, but rather judged as adequate or inadequate based on their ability to cope with strains imposed by their natural and social environments.

Important Board Questions

Define culture. How is the sociological understanding of culture different from everyday understanding of the term? [2 marks]

Provide Tylor's or textbook definition emphasizing shared knowledge, beliefs, customs, symbols. Contrast with common-sense view: culture in sociology = way of life of ALL members; everyday = refined taste, arts, or specific classes.

Explain with examples how different natural environments lead to the emergence of diverse cultures. Use the 2004 tsunami incident to support your answer. [5 marks]

Explain that humans adapt different coping strategies to natural settings (mountains, deserts, islands, rivers); diverse strategies → diverse ways of life. Use tsunami example: tribal communities (Onges, Jarawas) used experiential knowledge to survive; modern fisherfolk lacked this cultural adaptation; shows adequacy is context-dependent, not superiority-based.

Distinguish between primary and secondary socialisation. Explain how both are essential for transmitting culture and preparing individuals for their roles in society. Provide at least two real examples from Indian social context. [6 marks]

Define primary (family-based, childhood) and secondary (school/institutions, systematic). Explain that culture includes tools, techniques, symbols, values, and norms learned through interaction. Use Indian examples: primary — learning namaste greeting, food customs, joint family roles from parents; secondary — learning school discipline, Hindi/English, formal citizenship roles, workplace etiquette. Show how both shape individual participation in society.

Assertion-Reason Questions for Culture and Socialisation

Q1. Assertion (A):

Culture is a dynamic functioning unit that never remains as a finished product.

Reason (R):

Elements of culture are constantly being added, deleted, expanded, shrunk and rearranged through social interaction.

Answer: A — Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A — Both statements are true and the reason correctly explains why culture is dynamic—because of constant modification of its elements. The reason provides the causal mechanism for the assertion's claim.

Q2. Assertion (A):

The Onges and Jarawas survived the 2004 tsunami better than modern populations despite lacking advanced technology.

Reason (R):

Tribal cultures are inherently superior to modern cultures in all respects.

Answer: C — A is true but R is false — The assertion is factually accurate but the reason is false. The chapter explicitly rejects ranking cultures as superior/inferior and instead explains the difference through contextual adequacy—different coping strategies for different environments. Superiority is not the correct explanation.

Q3. Assertion (A):

Primary socialisation occurs in the family while secondary socialisation occurs in schools and other institutions.

Reason (R):

All learning that happens outside the family is equally important for developing a person's social role.

Answer: B — Both A and R are true, but R is NOT the correct explanation of A — Both statements are true but the reason does not explain the assertion. The reason discusses importance while the assertion discusses the location/timing of socialisation. The distinction is about sequence and setting, not about comparative importance.

Unlock more Assertion-Reason questions in Premium — unlock →

Case-Based Questions (CBQ) for Culture and Socialisation

Case Study:

In 2020, a study was conducted in three Indian villages: one in the Himalayas (Himachal Pradesh), one in the Deccan plateau (Karnataka), and one in the Gangetic plains (Uttar Pradesh). Researchers observed food preparation methods, dwelling structures, and religious practices across these villages. The Himalayan village used stone and wood construction, consumed millet and local greens, and worshipped mountain deities. The plateau village used mud construction, cultivated millet and pulses, and had festivals linked to crop cycles. The plains village used brick construction, grew wheat and rice, and worshipped river goddesses. All three communities had developed different agricultural calendars, clothing styles, and ritual practices.

Q1. According to the chapter, what explains the cultural differences observed across these three villages?

  • A. One culture is genetically superior to the others
  • B. Different natural environments (mountains, plateau, plains) have shaped different coping strategies and diverse ways of life ✓
  • C. All three villages should have identical cultures but have failed to do so
  • D. Cultural differences are caused by government policies rather than environment

Answer: B

Q2. Which element present in all three villages illustrates that culture adds meaning to objective reality?

  • A. The choice of construction materials, which is determined only by physical availability
  • B. The religious practices and deity worship that assign social and spiritual significance to natural features like mountains and rivers ✓
  • C. The agricultural methods, which are pure application of scientific knowledge
  • D. The clothing styles, which serve only functional purposes of temperature regulation

Answer: B

Q3. If a researcher from the plains village moved to the Himalayan village, what would happen to her cultural knowledge according to the chapter?

  • A. Her cultural knowledge would remain completely unchanged
  • B. She would have to reject her plains culture entirely and replace it with mountain culture
  • C. Her cultural knowledge would expand and rearrange itself as she learned new shared meanings and practices appropriate to the mountain environment ✓
  • D. She would be unable to learn new cultural practices because primary socialisation is irreversible

Answer: C

Q4. The festival patterns linked to crop cycles in the plateau village best exemplify which concept from the chapter?

  • A. How humans create common understanding and learn through social interaction
  • B. How humans learn tools and techniques as well as non-material signs and symbols
  • C. How different natural settings lead to emergence of diverse ways of life with culturally meaningful practices ✓
  • D. How culture is refined taste in classical arts

Answer: C

Unlock more case studies in Premium — unlock →

Next chapterDoing Sociology: Research Methods →
Found this useful? Share it with your class group.

You've seen the free preview. Open the full interactive study kit — mind map, instant-graded quiz, progress tracking — free, no sign-in required.

Open Full Study Kit — Free →

Premium unlocks the full Question Bank, Daily Practice Papers, Chapter Quiz and Full Mock Papers for every chapter.