What is the term used for the dominant or majority culture within a given society?

• A. Macro-Culture
• B. Micro-Culture
• C. Holism
• D. Schema

Answer: (A)

Macro-Culture is the term used for the dominant culture within a society. It refers to the broad set of shared values, norms, beliefs, practices, language, institutions, and ways of life that shape the system as a whole and are most reflected in laws, education, media, and everyday behavior. This is the perspective that most people in the society recognize as “the way things are,” and it tends to influence how institutions operate and how people interact across different groups.

In contrast, subcultures or smaller groups within the society—the micro-level cultures—have their own distinct customs and identities that differ in some ways from the dominant pattern but coexist within the same broader social framework. Holism is a method or approach that looks at systems as integrated wholes, rather than a label for a cultural level. Schema refers to mental structures or frameworks that help individuals organize knowledge and expectations.