Examples of Material Culture and Non-Material Culture

Examples of Material Culture and Non-Material Culture

Read 10 simple examples of material culture and non-material culture. Understand the difference by seeing real life examples. Understand how culture shapes our values, traditions and ultimately, our everyday lives.

Introduction

Culture is one of the most powerful forces in shaping human life. It determines what people wear, it influences food choices. It encompasses the pride and shame a person feels in something. It even governs the way we communicate.

For the study of humans and society in the disciplines of sociology and anthropology, culture has two main sets of objects of study; material culture and non-material culture.

Material culture consists of all tangible objects that people create and use in a culture or society.

Non-material culture consists of beliefs, traditions, language, values and practices that are intangible, but shape the way that individuals live their lives.

Understanding the differences between these two forms of culture helps to clarify the immense nature of human society. This article will introduce both forms of culture and provide some real-world examples of material culture and non-material culture.

What is Material Culture?

Material culture refers to the physical objects, resources, and spaces that people use to define their culture. These are the visible, tangible elements that serve as referential markers of collective identity. Examples of material culture include:

Clothing and fashion styles

Tools and technology

Houses, monuments, and buildings

Art, crafts, and jewelry

Food and utensils

Material culture is significant because it surrounds us preserving history. Historical features such as ancient temples, artifacts, or clothing give us information about how people lived.

What is Non-Material Culture?

Non-material culture refers to the non-physical aspects of culture that cannot be touched but strongly shape society. Examples of non-material

culture include:

Language and communication styles

Traditions, rituals, and customs

Moral values and ethics

Beliefs, religion, and spirituality

Social norms and rules

Non-material culture is the invisible glue that parents together. Non-material culture is the reason why people think, act, and relate to each other.

Why Are Both Important?

Material culture provides us with tangible evidence of human creativity and progress.

Non-material culture explains the meaning and motivation behind those materials.

For example: A wedding ring (material culture) is simply a piece of metal unless you have the belief in love, commitment, and marriage (non-material culture) that renders it meaningful.

Now let’s look at ten examples of both material and non-material culture from around the world.

5 Examples of Material Culture

1. Traditional Clothing

Clothing styles are one of the most obvious representations of culture.

For example, a kimono is more than clothing in Japan, it is a statement about tradition, beauty, and respect.

For example, wearing a shalwar kameez or sarees in Pakistan and India are choices reflective of cultural identity and modesty.

Traditional clothing often connects people to their history and ancestry.

2. Food and Cuisine

Food is one of the most obvious aspects of material culture.

For example, pasta and pizza are representations of Italy’s food culture.

For example, Turkey’s kebabs and the Middle East’s hummus give honors to cultural foods tied to heritage and hospitality.

Food defines a culture’s geography, climate, and even spiritual habits.

3. Structures and Monuments

Buildings are another rich part of material culture.

Example: The Great Wall of China is defined as defense and unification.

Example: The Taj Mahal in India is defined as love, and Mughal architecture.

Architecture captures the artistic nature of a society, as well as a society's beliefs and power structures.

4. Technology and Tools.

Technology is material culture, and can range from ancient stone tools to modern smartphones.

Example: The printing press is usually defined as the most important invention in European history; it forever changed education and communication.

Example: Today, smartphones are part of our global culture and shape our interactions with others.

Technology also reflects how human needs and culture change over time.

5. Art, Instruments of Music, and Crafts

Things created to reflect beauty, or carry out rituals are material culture.

Example: African masks are artistic but also define culture and spiritual significance.

Example: The Indian sitar or Chinese guzheng (as an instrument) reflect longstanding traditions of music.

Art is a reflection of the culture that shapes it and the society around it.

Five Examples of Non-Material Culture

6. Language

Language is one of the most obvious examples of non-material culture.

It's not a physical object, but it is the primary way that we communicate with one another.

For example: the English language is a global language that connects people across the world.

For example: Indigenous languages emphasize identity and traditions.

Without language, even objects of material culture like books or signs don't mean anything.

7. Religion and Faith

Religion has a huge influence on human life and societies through faith and faith practices.

For example: Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism over time have millions, even billions of adherents.

For example: beliefs about karma, heaven, and reincarnation influence how people generally think about morality.

Religion helps to create meaning from objects of material culture, like using a cross, a crescent, or statues.

8. Values and Morality

Values help humans write their own definitions of right from wrong.

For example: in Western cultures, individual freedom is a strong value.

For example: in Eastern cultures, family honor and respect for elders is a core value.

Even though they can't be seen, values influence decisions and the social order through and through.

9. Traditions and Rituals

Traditions enable culture to be passed on through generations.

Example: Wedding ceremonies are diverse around the world, from Western weddings with white dresses to South Asian ceremonies utilizing henna.

Example: In China, New Year celebrations with shaking dragon dances are indicative of the culture's body and spirit.

Rituals are invisible ideas that "come to life" through contemporary, visible practice.

10. Social Norms and Etiquette

Social norms are the unwritten rules for appropriate behavior individuals in societies are expected to follow.

Example: Bowing is a perfectly acceptable way to show respect in Japan.

Example: Handshakes are an acceptable form of greeting in many Western cultures.

Social norms prevent conflict and allow individuals to co-exist harmoniously in society.

Comparing Material and Non-Material Culture

Aspect Material Culture Non-Material Culture

Definition Material culture refers to the physical objects, artifacts, or tools. Non-Material culture refers to the intangible beliefs or traditions, values, and ideologies.

Examples Examples of material culture are clothing, foods eaten, architecture, etc. Example of non-material culture are things like the language individuals use to understand their world, religion to guide individuals on living well, and the rights and wrongs of morality.

Tangibilit Material culture can be touched or seen. Non-material culture cannot be touched or seen, only practiced or believed.

Function The function of material culture provide historical preservation and creativity and creation. Non-material culture creates and forms behaviors of individuals and meaning and significance to objects.

The Relationship Between Material and Non-Material Culture

Material and non-material culture are mutually defining concepts. Each could not exist without the other.

For instance:

A mosque (material) is indicative of faith in Islam (non-material).

A national flag (material) is indicative of pride, unity, and patriotism (non-material).

Wedding jewelry (material) is indicative of love, loyalty, and familial bonds (non-material).

It is this interplay between the physical and the spiritual that identifies culture.

Conclusion

Culture is not just based on what we see; it also has to do with what we believe, or what we value. Material culture provides us with tangible representations of our identity, and non-material culture provides us with the invisible beliefs, traditions, and values that shape our lives.

From clothing and food to spoken language and religion, both forms of culture work together to give us meaning and connectedness. By recognizing instances of material and non-material culture, we begin to understand the vast variety of human societies.

Whether you are an academic, researcher, or just an interested reader, understanding of this distinction helps you to see culture, not simply as objects or ideas, but as a living force that shapes humanity.