What is Family Culture?

The family is the first social group to which we belong in our lives. It is in it where we configure our own identity and a particular vision of the world. Our family members usually represent the firm foundation thanks to which it is possible to grow, develop and face life with a feeling of security. The links that are formed within the family system are the reference model which will subsequently guide our future relationships, so everything we experience in it is relevant to our well-being.

Within the home we begin to understand who we are and what is expected of us. Although our way of relating to our family may evolve, the foundations remain the same throughout our lives. Families are always subject to constant change, as they deal with external influences, moments of crisis and stages that drive their reorganization.

As the expression says: “each one belongs to his father and his mother.” Beyond being a popular saying, the reality is that although we all trace our own life path, we always carry something of our family within us. Our parents, brothers, grandparents, uncles… teach us a series of values ​​that shape our way of understanding life.

The set of beliefs, habits, customs, roles and codes that we inherit from our family make up what is known as family culture

In this article we will talk in detail about family culture and everything it implies.

Family functions

The truth is that human beings organize themselves into families because this system is highly beneficial. The family as a system fulfills key functions for the development and survival of individuals. Among them, the following stand out:

What is family culture?

Of all the functions associated with the family, the transmission of values ​​is the most related to the so-called family culture.

Family culture refers to the set of codes, commands, customs, beliefs and purposes that define the unit of people that make up a family system. The family is organized as a kind of miniature society, where a series of rules govern life together.

On the other hand, family culture It is an inheritance that is passed down from generation to generation, although it may undergo some modifications as a result of influences from outside. However, even if there are some changes, the system always seeks to preserve a state of balance or homeostasis.

The culture of a family determines its lifestyle, habits, vocabulary, responsibility, hygiene, tastes and interests… and a long etcetera. For better or worse, family influences the person we become and the life we ​​build. Thus, the probability of success and health is closely related to the climate in which we have been raised since childhood.

Thus, if we have been raised in an overprotective family environment, perhaps we will show a tendency to live in fear of taking risks and facing the unknown.

How is family culture expressed?

Family culture can be expressed in many different ways. Mainly, it becomes evident through the following manifestations.

1. Beliefs and ideology

Our family It is the environment where we internalize a series of beliefs about ourselves, relationships, and the world in general Many times unconsciously, we integrate certain schemes that make us perceive reality from a particular point of view. Although upon reaching maturity we can review these beliefs, many ideas that we hold we assume as our own when they have really been the result of an external influence.

2. Codes and standards

The family also teaches us a series of rules that tell us what is correct and what is not. Through them, behavior is channeled according to the members’ vision. These norms are assumed as irrefutable truths at an early age However, over time children may begin to question and modify them.

3. Customs and traditions

The family is also the environment where a series of customs and traditions are transmitted. It is at home where we are taught basic habits that govern daily life, as well as religious practices and customs linked to folklore. These symbolic teachings are related to the feeling of belonging, to identification with a particular community.

4. Values

The family It is also key in the transmission of values Values ​​are something like the compass that guides us on the path of life, they are those essential things to which we give importance and a central position in our existence.

The values ​​that we internalize are, generally, those that our family members show us. Among them can be love, respect, effort, empathy, justice… The weight that each value has in families can vary enormously. In some homes tremendous importance is given to aspects such as love, while in others there is a marked culture of effort and responsibility.

Values ​​are much more important than they may seem a priori. The type of values ​​we have greatly influences the way we feel, think and act in different scenarios of life.

5. Goals

All families have goals that guide the way they function There are families in which, for example, everything ends up being diverted to the goal of success and appearance. On the other hand, in others it is considered a central purpose to achieve harmony and well-being on a daily basis.

In this article we have talked about family culture. Family culture refers to the set of beliefs, values, customs, goals, codes… that govern the life of a particular family.

The family is the first social group to which we belong in our lives. As such, its importance is enormous. It is in it where we form a particular vision of the world and of ourselves. It is in our home that we are taught how the world works and how things should be. According to this, our attitude towards life will be one way or another.

The family exists as an organizational system due to all the important functions it fulfills. Our family not only offers us physical and material support. It is also key when it comes to preparing us for life in society, providing us with teachings, helping us build our own identity, having limits and norms or simply maintaining the perpetuation of the species. Of all its functions, the transmission of values ​​is the one that has the most relationship with what we call family culture.

Family culture usually manifests itself in many different ways. Through beliefs, our family members make us internalize a series of ideas about the world and life. Also through certain rules and codes they tell us what is good and what is bad according to their criteria. Added to this, the family is key to transmitting certain cultural practices associated with the folklore of the place between generations. Furthermore, it is at home where we integrate some fundamental values ​​as a compass for life itself. Finally, the family teaches us which goals are priorities and which ones take a backseat.