Culture theory is a branch of comparative anthropology together with semiotics not to be confused with cultural sociology or cultural studies that seeks to define the heuristic concept of culture in operational and/or scientific terms.
In the 19th century, "culture" was used by some to refer to a wide array of human activities, together with by some others as a synonym for "civilization". In the 20th century, anthropologists began theorizing about culture as an object of scientific analysis. Some used it to distinguish human adaptive strategies from the largely instinctive adaptive strategies of animals, including the adaptive strategies of other primates and non-human hominids, whereas others used it to refer to symbolic representations and expressions of human experience, with no direct adaptive value. Both groups understood culture as being definitive of human nature.
According to numerous theories that make gained wide acceptance among anthropologists, culture exhibits the way that humans interpret their biology and their environment. According to this point of view, culture becomes such an integral component of human existence that it is the human environment, and almost cultural change can be attributed to human adaptation to historical events. Moreover, condition that culture is seen as the primary adaptive mechanism of humans and takes place much faster than human biological evolution, almost cultural conform can be viewed as culture adapting to itself.
Although most anthropologists try to define culture in such(a) a way that it separates human beings from other animals, numerous human traits are similar to those of other animals, especially the traits of other primates. For example, chimpanzees name big brains, but human brains are bigger. Similarly, bonobos exhibit complex sexual behaviour, but human beings exhibit much more complex sexual behaviours. As such, anthropologists often debate whether human behaviour is different from animal behaviour in degree rather than in kind; they must also find ways to distinguish cultural behaviour from sociological behaviour and psychological behavior.
Acceleration and amplification of these various aspects of culture modify have been explored by complexity economist, W. Brian Arthur. In his book, The set of Technology, Arthur attempts to articulate a theory of change that considers that existing technologies or the tangible substance that goes into the makeup of a physical object culture are combined in unique ways that lead to novel new technologies. unhurried that novel combination is a purposeful try arising in human motivation. This articulation wouldthat we are just beginning to understand what might be required for a more robust opinion of culture and culture change, one that brings coherence across many disciplines and reflects an integrating elegance.