What is the relationship between enviornment and culture ?

Relationship between Environment and Culutre.

1. There are three aspects of the environment the individuals live in :

(a) the geographical aspects

(b) the social aspects and

(c) the cultural aspect

2. Culture itself is a part of environment. Culture is that part of environment which has been created by human beings. It consists of the whole gamut of material and non-material objects that have been shaped and created, and that satisfy physiological, social, economic and psychological requirements.

3. Examples : The tools and techniques customs and traditions, economic, political and religious institutions are some suitable examples of cultural environment.

4. Mutual influence between cultural and natural environment : (a) Culture gives a new shape to natural environment but is also influenced by the latter.

(b) Culture relates itself to the efficienty and skill of human beings to exploit the natural environment according to thiir requirements.

(c) People have constructed roads in difficulte terrains like deserts and hills.

(d) Uncultivable (or non-fertilizer lands) have been converted into fertile and cultivable lands.

(e) Different types of instruments, tools and appliances have been invented in enormous volume and continue to be improved upon, whether these are means of transport and communication or comfort and decoration.

5. The natural environment determines the natural of culture. The architecture of houses and buildings differ from place to place across geograpical variation. The houses are built of wood of one place and of bricks at another and stones at yet another place.

Examples : (a) The Eskimos (of Tundra Region) make snowwhouses called ‘Igloo’. They use sledge (Cart without wheels) for transportation when snow is hard. (b) The bullock-cart used in plains cannot be used in desert where only camel are the most convenient means of transportation.

6. The human beings like other animals, adapt to the existing natural environment and in the process of adaptation create and develop culture for the maintenance of their life.

7. The cultural differences as are found in human society are chiefly due to geographical differences.

8. Material, and non-material cultures are inter-related parts of a larger cultural unit called social institution. For instance, family consists of house, furniture food habits on the one hand and marriage rules, a system of relationships and norms and values, on the other.