Cultural Identity,

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Lecture 4
Cultural Identity, Ethnocentrism Cultural
Relativity
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Race Ethnicity

• Anthropologists tell us there are only three true
  races of people in the world.
• Caucasoid
• Negroid
• Mongoloid
• However, there are thousands of ethnic groups.
• These groups have a particular identity.
• Share similar features in language, clothing,
  food, music, etc. AND
• Share similar physical features, such as in hair,
  face, and body types.

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Cultural Identity

• The ethnic group(s) to which we belong help us to
  be aware of who we are and of our connections
  with others. The make up our cultural identity.
• Members of every culture have a sense of social
  identification.
• Who they are and why.
• Our cultural identity also affects our
  inter-personal relationships and expectations.

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Cultural Identity (cont)

• From a sense of social identity (who we are),
  one receives a sense of personal identity (who
  I am).
• This is particularly true for cultures that are
  collectivist (group oriented) in nature as
  opposed to individualistic in nature.
• The cultural groups we belong to help give
  continuity and a sense of belonging to our lives.
• But, at the same time these cultural groups
  help to divide people in a negative way.

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Ethnocentrism

• While it is important to know our own cultural
  identity and what makes us the person we are, we
  must constantly remember that our own culture is
  not the only culture in the world.
• Ethnocentrism Seeing our own culture as the
  center of everything and evaluating everything
  according to our own groups values.

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Ethnocentrism (cont)

• Leads to viewing
• Our groups way Other groups ways
• Superior
  Inferior
• Normal Abnormal
• Right
  Wrong
• Real
  Unreal

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Ethnocentrism (cont)

• While natural to judge according to our own
  cultural standards, this also hinders our
  understanding of other cultures and their
  patterns of communication.
• A high level of ethnocentrism leads to
  misperception of members of other groups.
• Can cause us to make inaccurate interpretations
  about their actions.

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Culture Relativism

• Opposite of Ethnocentrism
• Idea that all cultures are of equal value, and
  the values and behavior of the people of a
  certain culture can only be judged using that
  culture as a basis for judgement.

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Ethnocentrism -Cultural RelativismContinuum
Moderate Cultural Relativism
Low Ethnocen- trism Low Cultural Relativism
High Cultural Relativism
Moderate Ethnocen- trism
Low Ethnocen- trism
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High Ethnocentrism

• Shows an indifference and insensitivity to
  foreigners.
• Characterized by use of foreigner talk when
  speaking to someone whose native language is
  different than ones own.
• Speaks louder and slower than usual
• Exaggerates pronunciation
• Simplifies the language (removes articles and
  uses simple verb tenses)

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Moderate Ethnocentrism

• Attempts to avoid or minimize contact with
  members of an out-group.
• Reinforces distance between their group and other
  groups, and lessens the chance of interaction.
• Characterized by intentional use of
  in-group dialect.

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Low Ethnocentrism Low Cultural Relativism

• A state of feeling in competition with another
  group for the same resources.
• Characterized by use of pejorative expressions
  and nicknames for certain groups also ethnic
  jokes.

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Moderate Cultural Relativism

• Reflects a sensitivity to cultural differences.
• Characterized by speech that reflects a desire to
  decrease the communicative distance between ones
  group and members of the other group.

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High Cultural Relativism

• Shows desire to minimize distance between oneself
  and members of the out-group.
• Requires an attitude of equality.
• When interpreting the behavior of the members of
  the out-group, does so by using the values of
  their culture.