In everyday conversation, the word culture is often used vaguely and is frequently confined to the arts. It typically alludes to the way of life of certain classes or specific countries, serving as a marker that distinguishes individuals or groups based on refinement.

In contrast, social science defines culture as a way of life in which all members of society participate. Sociologists and anthropologists view it not as something that distinguishes individuals, but as a shared social context. Edward Tylor defined it as a "complex whole" that includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom, and other capabilities acquired by people as members of society.

While everyday usage limits culture to specific aspects like the arts, the sociological definition encompasses the total way of life of a people. It is understood as learned behaviour and a social legacy that an individual acquires from their group, including inherited artifacts, goods, technical processes, ideas, habits, and values.

Furthermore, social science views culture as a common understanding that is learnt and developed through social interaction. It acts as a mechanism for the normative regulation of behaviour and provides standardised orientations to recurrent problems. Unlike the static everyday notion, culture in sociology is seen as a dynamic unit that is constantly evolving.