belief in the superiority of one's own ethnic group. Some travelers pride themselves on their willingness to try unfamiliar foods, like celebrated food writer Anthony Bourdain, while others return home expressing gratitude for their native cultures fare. Caitlin had trouble interpreting her hosts facial expressions, and didnt realize she should make the next toast. Such characters are called cultural universals. Outcome: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, 128. We hope you enjoy this website. Such attitudes are an example ofethnocentrism, or evaluating and judging another culture based on how it compares to ones own cultural norms. Similarities and Differences Both these viewpoints or concepts present extremist views, i.e. Figure 1. An exchange student from China might be annoyed by the constant interruptions in class as other students ask questionsa practice that is considered rude in China. Ethnocentrism noun The tendency to look at the world primarily from the perspective of one's own traditional, deferred, or adoptive ethnic culture. It can take weeks or months to recover from culture shock, and it can take years to fully adjust to living in a new culture. Sometimes when people attempt to rectify feelings of ethnocentrism and to practice cultural relativism, they swing too far to the other end of the spectrum. 3 Reasons Doing Nothing Can Actually be Productive, 3 Myths Far Too Many People Believe About the Past. Rodney and Elise are U.S. students studying abroad in Italy. For example, Americans tend to say that people from England drive on the wrong side of the road, rather than on the other side. Reading: The Cultural Significance of Health, 170. They served wine and toasted their honored guest. A traveler from Chicago might find the nightly silence of rural Montana unsettling, not peaceful. Reading: Theoretical Perspectives on Gender, 130. It creates an attitude of independence. Cultural relativismis the practice of assessing a culture by its own standards rather than viewing it through the lens of ones own culture. Reading: Theoretical Perspectives of Race and Ethnicity, 111. North Americans keep more distance and maintain a larger personal space. Even something as simple as eating and drinking varies greatly from culture to culture. The way cuisines vary across cultures fascinates many people. Despite how much humans have in common, cultural differences are far more prevalent than cultural universals. Ethnocentrism vs Xenocentrism - What's the difference? 3. Reading: Theoretical Perspectives on Economics, 206. Marias family sat at the table for hours, speaking loudly, gesturing, and arguing about politics, a taboo dinner subject in Caitlins house. However, indiscriminately embracing everything about a new culture is not always possible. Putting It Together: Marriage and Family, 146. Reading: Theoretical Perspectives on Urbanization, 220. 3. Xenocentrismis the opposite of ethnocentrism, and refers to the belief that another culture is superior to ones own. People react to frustration in a new culture, Oberg found, by initially rejecting it and glorifying ones own culture. Most cultures have been found to identify laughter as a sign of humor, joy, or pleasure. Outcome: Theoretical Perspectives on Media and Technology, 240. The Indegenous people of Sagada, in the Philippines, have for thousands of years placed the bodies of deceased people into coffins hung on the cliffs near their villages. Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License; The tendency to look at the world primarily from the perspective of one's own traditional, deferred, or adoptive ethnic culture. In some Middle Eastern cultures, it is common to stand close to others in conversation. Shed learned a lot about Spain, but shed also discovered a lot about herself and her own culture. Reading: Ethnocentrism and Xenocentricism - Introductory Sociology He knew hed never hold his own against these experts. Ethnocentrism can be so strong that when confronted with all of the differences of a new culture, one may experience disorientation and frustration. It can take weeks or months to recover from culture shock, and it can take years to fully adjust to living in a new culture. Almost everyone is a little bit ethnocentric. This is so, because it is almost impossible to be unbiased while comparing cultures. On the one hand, ethnocentrism can lead to negative judgments of the behaviors of groups or societies. Reading: Conflict Theory on Education, 159. What Caitlin hadnt realized was that people depend not only on spoken words but also on subtle cues like gestures and facial expressions, to communicate. Anthropologist Ken Barger (1971) discovered this when he conducted a participatory observation in an Inuit community in the Canadian Arctic. That night, Caitlin crawled into a strange bed, wishing she hadnt come. (Photo courtesy of OledSidorenko/flickr). Ethnocentrism, as sociologist William Graham Sumner (1906) described the term, involves a belief or attitude that ones own culture is better than all others. She understood that adjusting to a new culture takes time. All people are the same; its only their habits that are different. Confucius. Caitlins shock was minor compared to that of her friends Dayar and Mahlika, a Turkish couple living in married student housing on campus. Outcome: The Sociological Imagination, 11. The people who maintain an ethnocentric view in life will not typically bother much about other societies and cultures in the world, past or present. Outcome: Theoretical Perspectives on Education, 157. Sociologists attempting to engage in cultural relativism, then, may struggle to reconcile aspects of their own culture with aspects of a culture that they are studying. Sociologists attempting to engage in cultural relativism, then, may struggle to reconcile aspects of their own culture with aspects of a culture that they are studying. Cultural norms accompany even the smallest nonverbal signals (DuBois 1951). . Outcome: Theoretical Perspectives on Culture and Society, 45. Europes colonial expansion, begun in the sixteenth century, was often accompanied by a severe cultural imperialism. Another example would be the deforestation of the Amazon Basin as indigenous cultures lose land to timber corporations. Accessibility StatementFor more information contact us [email protected]. Europes colonial expansion, begun in the sixteenth century, was often accompanied by a severe cultural imperialism. We relate to others through a shared set of cultural norms, and ordinarily, we take them for granted. Reading: Types and Stages of Social Movements, 229. A traveler from Chicago might find the nightly silence of rural Montana unsettling, not peaceful. It's the belief that one's ethnic group is superior to another. This is an example of: [reveal-answer q=501221]Show Glossary[/reveal-answer] Perhaps the Chicago traveler was initially captivated with Montanas quiet beauty and the Chinese student was originally excited to see a U.S.-style classroom firsthand. Cultural relativism is a view that a culture must be judged according to its own cultural standards. Outcome: Race and Ethnicity in the United States, 119. By the end of Caitlins trip, shed made new lifelong friends. Ethnicity, which relates to culturally . Reading: Symbolic Interactionist Theory, 20. She understood that adjusting to a new culture takes time. Reading: Feminist Theory on Education, 160. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Anthropologist Kalervo Oberg (1960) is credited with first coining the term culture shock. In his studies, Oberg found that most people found encountering a new culture to be exciting at first. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. The tendency to look at the world primarily from the perspective of one's own traditional, deferred, or adoptive ethnic culture. In reality, these travelers are guilty ofcultural imperialism, the deliberate imposition of ones own cultural values on another culture. Read the full article here. Why It Matters: Government and Politics, 196. Someone from a country where dog meat is standard fare might find it off-putting to see a dog in a French restaurantnot on the menu, but as a pet and patrons companion. An American visiting Italy might long for a real pizza or complain about the unsafe driving habits of Italians compared to people in the United States. Wed love your input. And an appreciation for another culture shouldnt preclude individuals from studying it with a critical eye. (PDF) Ethnocentrism - ResearchGate These distinctions and subjective comparisons impart a cultural identity to each ethnicity. And an appreciation for another culture shouldnt preclude individuals from studying it with a critical eye. For example, Americans tend to say that people from England drive on the wrong side of the road, rather than on the other side. Culture shock may appear because people arent always expecting cultural differences. Culture shock may appear because people arent always expecting cultural differences. Perhaps the Chicago traveler was initially captivated by Montanas quiet beauty and the Chinese student was originally excited to see a U.S.-style classroom firsthand. Even the most culturally relativist people from egalitarian societiesones in which women have political rights and control over their own bodieswould question whether the widespread practice of female genital mutilation in countries such as Ethiopia and Sudan should be accepted as a part of cultural tradition. Similarities and Difference Between Cultural Relativism and Ethnocentrism Putting It Together: Sociological Foundations, 34. Perhaps the greatest challenge for sociologists studying different cultures is the matter of keeping a perspective. Reading: Lines of Descent and Family Stages, 141. She missed her home and felt overwhelmed by the new customs, language, and surroundings. A preference for the products, styles, or ideas of a different culture. We've created informative articles that you can come back to again and again when you have questions or want to learn more! In the United States, for instance, it is often assumed that European products such as wine and cheese are superior to those produced locally. Sociologists attempting to engage in cultural relativism, then, may struggle to reconcile aspects of their own culture with aspects of a culture they are studying. Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism | Introduction to Sociology Reading: Structural-Functional Theory, 18. An exchange student from China might be annoyed by the constant interruptions in class as other students ask questionsa practice that is considered rude in China. Why It Matters: Religion and Education, 147. Legal. Ethnocentric people think the ways they do things is the way things should be done, and every other culture's way of doing things is unsavory or undesirable. Xenocentrism is the opposite of ethnocentrism, . Even the most culturally relativist people from egalitarian societiesones in which women have political rights and control over their own bodieswould question whether the widespread practice of female genital mutilation in countries such as Ethiopia and Sudan should be accepted as a part of cultural tradition. Despite how much humans have in common, cultural differences are far more prevalent than cultural universals. Caitlins shock was minor compared to that of her friends Dayar and Mahlika, a Turkish couple living in married student housing on campus. In the United States, the mug is most likely filled with coffee, not Earl Grey tea, a favorite in England, or Yak Butter tea, a staple in Tibet. It helps to remember that culture is learned. A cross-cultural comparison of ethnocentrism and the intercultural The belief that ones culture is inferior to another culture is called: 2. Sure enough, he finished last, to his mortification. Pride in ones own culture doesnt have to lead to imposing its values on others. Youll have more success on the Self-Check, if youve completed the three Readings in this section. Putting It Together: Social Stratification and Inequality, 105. Xenocentrism is the preference for the cultural practices of other cultures and societies which can entail how they live, what they eat, rather than of one's own way of life. There was new food to digest, new daily schedules to follow, and new rules of etiquette to learn. Reading: Introduction to Race and Ethnicity, 107. Ethnocentrism, as sociologist William Graham Sumner (1906) described the term, involves a belief or attitude that one's own culture is better than all others, and should therefore serve as the standard frame of reference. Anthropologist Kalervo Oberg (1960) is credited with first coining the term culture shock. In his studies, Oberg found that most people found encountering a new culture to be exciting at first. Practicing cultural relativism requires an open mind and a willingness to consider, and even adapt to, new values and norms. Over the course of his stay, Barger participated in caribou hunts, learned how to take shelter in winter storms, and sometimes went days with little or no food to share among tribal members. Reading: Theoretical Perspectives on Sex, 133. But the tribal members congratulated him, saying, You really tried! In Bargers own culture, he had learned to value victory. ethnocentrism; xenocentrism; Show Answer. Someone from a country where dog meat is standard fare might find it off-putting to see a dog in a French restaurantnot on the menu, but as a pet and fellow patrons companion. Perhaps the greatest challenge for sociologists studying different cultures is the matter of keeping a perspective. Originally from Indiana, Barger hesitated when invited to join a local snowshoe race. Reading: Defining the Sociological Imagination, 13. Outcome: Theoretical Perspectives on Stratification, 101. This is an example of: Youll have more success on the Self-Check, if youve completed the three Readings in this section. Part of ethnocentrism is the belief that one's own race, ethnic or cultural group is the most important or that some or all aspects of its culture are superior to those of other groups. She missed her home and felt overwhelmed by the new customs, language, and surroundings. Shed stepped out of her comfort zone. Experiencing new cultures offers an opportunity to practice cultural relativism. After two weeks in Spain, Caitlin had developed a bit more compassion and understanding for what those people had gone through. This leads to making incorrect assumptions about others' behavior based on your own norms, values, and beliefs. and not in comparison to another culture culture shock: an experience of personal . Reading: The Graying of the United States, 181. Cultural norms accompany even the smallest nonverbal signals (DuBois 1951). In the airport, she heard rapid, musical Spanish being spoken all around her. Synonyms for ethnocentricity in Free Thesaurus. If your professor comes into an early morning class holding a mug of liquid, what do you assume she is drinking? Some people will simply call it cultural ignorance. Ethnocentrism and Xenocentrism - 1. 1. Ethnocentrism usually - Studocu Practicing cultural relativism requires an open mind and a willingness to consider, and even adapt to, new values and norms. When they are introduced to their host families, the families kiss them on both cheeks. 17 Advantages and Disadvantages of Ethnocentrism - ConnectUS The main similarity is that they both are too much. People with the best intentions sometimes travel to a society to help its people, because they see them as uneducated or backwardessentially inferior. Xenocentrism: Valuing Other Cultures More Than Your Own - ThoughtCo 3. Despite how much humans have in common, cultural differences are far more prevalent than cultural universals. Ethnocentrism in its extreme form gives rise to racism and supremacist (e.g., the holocaust), while cultural relativism allows the propagation of certain practices that violate basic human rights (e.g., the practice of female genital mutilation). Perhaps the greatest challenge for sociologists studying different cultures is the matter of keeping a perspective. Why do you believe this? Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism Despite how much humans have in common, cultural differences are far more prevalent than cultural universals. Reading: Theoretical Perspectives on Global Stratification, 103. The present world consists of a variety of unique cultures. During his time with the Inuit tribe, Barger learned to engage in cultural relativism. Shed learned a lot about Spain, but shed also discovered a lot about herself and her own culture. Caitlin had trouble interpreting her hosts facial expressions, and didnt realize she should make the next toast. Likewise, most cultures recognize music in some form. Putting It Together: Government and Politics, 200. Music and laughter are examples of: [reveal-answer q=72875]Show Answer[/reveal-answer], http://cnx.org/contents/02040312-72c8-441e-a685-20e9333f3e1d/Introduction_to_Sociology_2e, http://cnx.org/contents/[email protected]. Based on this subjective perception of other cultures, two types of views emerge when one compares two or more cultures. The basis for evaluation differs according to the view employed. It can also lead to discrimination against people who are different. Reading: The McDonaldization of Society, 71. Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism - Culture and Psychology - Maricopa Outcome: Social Stratification in the United States, 89. As nouns the difference between ethnocentrism and xenocentrism.
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