Cultural beliefs are learned and passed on through members of a group.

• A. Beliefs, behaviors, practices, and attitudes that are learned, shared and passed on by members of a particular group
• B. Learned and passed on
• C. Inherited genetically
• D. Random

Answer: (A)

Culture arises from social learning and enculturation, as people pick up beliefs, behaviors, practices, and attitudes from those around them. These elements are taught, modeled, reinforced, and shared within families, peer groups, schools, and communities, then passed on to new generations. This explains why cultural beliefs are learned and transmitted by members of a group—the content and the sharing mechanism are social, not genetic or random.

The alternative ideas don’t fit because culture isn’t inherited genetically, nor is it random; and simply saying beliefs are learned and passed on doesn’t capture the full content and collective, patterned nature of cultural transmission.