Final answer:
Culture is the sum total of beliefs, behaviors, and practices that humans create to adapt to the environment around them. It encompasses both material and nonmaterial aspects.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sociologists today define culture as:
The sum total of beliefs, behaviors, and practices that humans create to adapt to the environment around them. Culture encompasses both material aspects, such as technology and artifacts, and nonmaterial aspects, such as values and social norms.
For example, in American culture, the belief in individualism and the norm of personal space affect how individuals interact with one another.
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