Dantes General Anthropology Practice Exam

The concept that encapsulates all the knowledge, beliefs, customs, and values shared by a society is defined as culture. Culture is a broad term that includes the ideas, norms, languages, rituals, and practices that are characteristic of a particular group or society. It shapes how individuals within that society perceive the world, interact with each other, and maintain their social structure.

Tradition refers specifically to practices or beliefs that are handed down through generations within a culture but may not encompass the entire scope of knowledge and values present in a society. Ethnicity pertains to a group of people who identify with each other based on shared cultural traits, ancestry, or history, but it is more about group identity rather than the broad spectrum of knowledge and values across society. Class refers to a system of social stratification based on economic status and does not represent the comprehensive understanding of all societal knowledge and values.

Therefore, culture is the most encompassing term that includes all aspects of a society's shared knowledge and values.