3.2 Culture and identity Flashcards
begining to define cultural identity 4 points
1its difficult do define which aspects were most important in defining your identity
2 everyone in the world has a unique personal identity, which is shaped by factors as their age, nationality and cultural background
3 this means there is a countless number of cultural identities on the planet
4 some factors are more important than others in determining cultural identity
Does culture determine our ethical values
3 points
Culture certainly shapes our ideas of right or wrong
2 it is questionable whether it alone determines our ethical values
3 Cross-historical research has discovered evidence of cannibalism in roughly one third of cultures from all parts of the world. Yet, in todays world, cannibalism would be unlikely to meet with moral approval, in whatever culture it occurred, therefore not all values are culture-dependent
Does culture determines how we view the world 3 points
It is simplistic to suggest that culture determines how we view the world
2 scholars have argued instead that it is language that play a fundamental (and creative) role in shaping our construct of reality
3 other individual factors, such as personal mindset, are also significant in influencing our world view. For some the glass is half empty, for others it is half full
Do cultural traits define you as a person
3 points
1 Cultural factors are undeniable important in helping to shape you as a person but so too are your biological inheritance and and life experiences.
2 it seems increasingly likely that personality develops as a result of the interplay between inherited gens and life events.
3 biological theorists continue to argue however, that creativity (or genius) is essentially inherited
Do cultural traits make you different from any other person in society?3 points
1 It is probably true that your particular combination of cultural traits is personal to you
2 But individual differences in the personality traits, such as introversion, extroversion, emotional stability and openness to experience, also make you different from any other person.
3 both biological and social/cultural factors shape who we are and there is no consensus about which are the more important
in a short phrase, what would you say personal identity is made up of?
It is made up of a variety of different elements, and these elements will vary from person to person
what is culture shock?
it is the disorientation a person might feel when he or she experiences an unfamiliar way of life
2 this, for example, can happen to migrants or students who spend a period of time abroad in a new country
3 reverse culture shock is what they may experience when they return to their own culture
What does it mean to be plural and singular, in terms of identity?2 points
1 To be plural means that each of us has multiple identities, which reflect the many allegiances (loyalty or commitment to a superior or to a group or cause) we feel towards social groups
2 to be singular expresses the fact that since each of us constructs or sense of self in terms of a distinct combination of social relationships, we are radically individual
Tribes and indiviuality
You probably belong to a wide variety of “tribes”, as one sociologist has called them. Fitness fanatic, lawyer, parent…
2 you are the centre of a whole web of social affiliations, and those constitute who you are
3 since no one shares exactly the same combination of affiliations, they also constitute your individuality
Why are intercultural encounters important
1-People cannot be defined only in terms of the culture or cultures they belong
2 Individual characteristics, such as personality, aspirations, talent and personal experiences, are just as important in making us the person we are
3 Thus, any memorable contact with people from a community different to your own (intercultural encounter) has the potential to transform you, at least to some extent.
Culture Shock
The disorientation a person might feel when they
experience an unfamiliar way of life.
Reverse culture shock
refers to what individuals who spend a period of time abroad experience when they return to their original culture.
What does it mean to be plural and singular in terms of identity
To be plural means that each of us has multiple identities, which reflect the many allegiances we feel towards different social groups. To be singular expresses the fact that since each of us constructs our sense of self in terms of a distinct combination of social relationships, we are
radically individual.
Composite identity
You probably belong to a wide variety of ‘tribes’, as one sociologist has called them. For example, you might be a gym-going fitness fanatic at the
weekend, a secretary during the working week and a parent the rest of the time. You are at the centre of a whole web of social affiliations. These constitute who you are. And since no one shares exactly the same
combination of affiliations, they also constitute your individuality
What makes the person we are and the influence of ‘intercultural encounters’
people cannot be defined only in terms of the culture or cultures to which they belong. Individual characteristics, such as personality, aspirations, talent and personal experiences, are just as important in making us the person we are. Thus, any memorable contact with
people from a community different to your own has the potential to transform you, at least to some extent. Such experiences are known as ‘intercultural encounters’.
