Final answer:
Material culture traits are the tangible objects and items that define the culture of a group, such as art, technology, and daily use items like clothing and tools. They are an integral part of understanding a society's way of life and are closely related to nonmaterial culture, representing societal values and beliefs.
Step-by-step explanation:
Defining Material Culture Traits
Material culture traits refer to the physical objects, resources, and spaces that people use to define their culture. These include the art, housing, clothing, sports, dances, foods, and other tangible items that a group of people construct or create. This concept is a crucial part of anthropology and helps in understanding the way of life of a society.
An example of material culture is a toothbrush, which is a common item found in American homes. While it is a simple object, it reveals much about our cultural norms and values surrounding hygiene and health. Similarly, traditional material culture of Indigenous peoples provides insight into their philosophies, aesthetics, and societal values. Objects made and used in human contexts, like tools from early hominins or smartphones from the modern era, are all considered elements of material culture. These items are produced through specialized technologies, which are the knowledge and skills required to make such objects.
However, not all physical objects are considered material culture. For instance, trees, rocks, and microbes themselves are not unless they are modified and used by humans in group contexts. An apple tree becomes part of material culture when cultivated in an orchard by humans. Moreover, material culture is deeply connected with nonmaterial culture, as physical objects often embody cultural ideas and norms. For instance, a metro pass is a physical item that represents the nonmaterial cultural concept of capitalism.
Cultural materialism sees technology and economic factors as driving forces behind culture, influencing other areas such as family life, religion, and politics. Cultural practices, on the other hand, are the routine behaviors within a culture. Material and nonmaterial aspects of culture are interlinked, and their examination can reveal much about a society's values and beliefs.