Culture is a set of beliefs, values, customs, attitudes, and behaviors that people learn through social interaction. It is the cumulative deposit of a group’s learning, experience and behaviors that distinguishes them from other groups of people. It includes the system of symbols and meanings, traditions, norms, roles, hierarchies, religion, notions of time and space, concepts of the universe, and material objects and possessions that distinguish a culture from other cultures.
The term “culture” is often used to refer to the specific beliefs, customs, and values of a community, ethnic group, nation or society. In some contexts, the concept of culture is broadened to include subcultures and countercultures that are outside the accepted norms of a particular society or culture. The term is also frequently used to refer to the set of practices that make up a person’s personal identity, such as his or her religion, lifestyle, hobbies, etc.
An individual’s personality is influenced by the cultural environment in which he or she lives, including his or her family’s culture, peer group’s culture, work culture, and other influences. A person’s culture is also influenced by his or her religious beliefs, gender role expectations, and other values and norms. Culture is a very broad and complex phenomenon, making it difficult to define. Many academics and practitioners have developed slightly different definitions of culture, but most of them share a common core.
Provider organizations need to have an awareness of their client’s culture and how it may impact treatment outcomes. They need to incorporate this awareness into their policies and procedures related to client engagement, needs assessment, goal setting, case formulation, and the location of services. Providers should also ensure that all their employees have a working knowledge of how to integrate cultural competence into these aspects of their operations.
Individuals and families also have their own cultures that they enact and pass down through generations. Families often use a combination of explicit and implicit means to convey their culture, including the values, goals, norms, expectations, and other components described above. Moreover, the way a person or family acts (and even what they do and don’t do) is an important part of their culture.
A person’s culture may change over time, and this process is often accelerated in societies that have many interactions with other cultures. This is why it is so important for people from all cultures to be included in the decision-making processes that affect them. This is a fundamental principle of democracy. It is also a fundamental principle for mental health providers to have an awareness of the value and importance of their clients’ cultures in providing effective services. This awareness is also a prerequisite for developing just and equitable society.