Our definition of culture is intentionally broad. Culture refers to the pattern of values, beliefs, symbols (including language), norms, and behaviors that have been transmitted to and are shared by an identifiable group of individuals. During enculturation (becoming part of a culture), you are “programmed” or taught how to perceive the world, to think, to communicate and to behave. The teaching is done both formally and informally as you learn the lifestyle of the family and community. This process happens so gradually and automatically that, unless something happens to make us question our behavior, we rarely are aware of the effects of culture on our behavior.
Each of us belongs to several different subcultures simultaneously. It is important to understand and think about your culture because it affects everything you do, particularly your communication behavior. The behaviors and attitudes that we adopt from our culture are learned, not innate, but they are lasting.