Final answer:
The statement is true; people's thoughts and feelings are shaped by the culture in which they live. Culture influences individuals through both explicit and implicit learning mechanisms, contributing to one's cultural identity, and can be reflected upon and changed by individual and collective agency.
Step-by-step explanation:
True or False: Most people perceive their cognitions, thoughts, and feelings to be innate, but they are actually shaped by the culture in which they live. The statement is true as cognitions, thoughts, and feelings are significantly shaped by cultural influences. Culture comprises beliefs, customs, arts, and traditions of a society, influencing personality development and behaviors, and is considered an important environmental factor that shapes personality as proposed by Triandis & Suh (2002).
Culture is not just a material entity but is a concept learned and adopted through both explicit teaching and implicit learning within a society. This learning is continuous and contributes to what is known as cultural identity. People's beliefs and attitudes are affected not only by external cultural influences but also by one's ability to reflect on, understand, and potentially change these through agency.
Understanding the concept of cognitive dissonance - the discomfort experienced when our actions are not in harmony with our attitudes and beliefs - is crucial. This understanding allows us to be mindful of how culture can be acknowledged, challenged, and changed through individual and collective willpower, recognizing the ongoing tension between structural societal rules and personal agency.