Ch. 2 (Culture) Flashcards
Culture
the totality of learned, shared symbols, language, values, and norms that distinguish one group of people from another
Societies
groups of people who share common cultures
In-groups
groups of people with whom we identify with
Out-groups
groups we see as different from ourselves
Enculturation
the process of acquiring a culture
Culture is different from what?
ethnicity and nationality
Co-cultures
groups of people who share values, customs, and norms related to mutual interests or characteristics besides their national citizenship. Can reflect shared activities, beliefs, or characterisitcs
Symbol
anything that represents an idea. Cultures have different symbols (flags and national anthems)
Values
the standards a culture uses to judge how good, desirable, or beautiful something is
Norms
rules or expectations that guide people’s behavior in a culture (greeting norms and norms for politeness often vary across cultures)
Co-culture distinctive features:
symbols (pride flag) and actions (genuflecting: kneeling on ground to show respect)
Cultural universals (similarities)
Enforce fairness and punish cheaters, value loyalty and reciprocate favors, divide labor on the basis of sex, defer to legitimate authority, experience pride and shame, have beliefs about death and experience mourning, ad express emotions through facial expressions.
Individualistic cultures
believe their responsibility is to themselves
Collectivistic cultures
believe their responsibility is to their communities
Low-context cultures
taught to communicate directly and to “say what they mean”
High-context cultures
taught to convey meaning through subtle behaviors and contextual cues rather than through verbal directness
Low-power-distance cultures
believe that no one person or group should have excessive power
High-power-distance cultures
believe that certain groups have great power, and the average citizen has much less power
Masculine cultures
cherish traditionally masculine values (ambition, achievement, and the acquisition of goods) and believe in sex-differentiated roles
Feminine cultures
cherish traditionally nurturing behaviors, quality of life, and service to others, and they tend not to believe in sex-differentiated roles
Monochronic cultures
view time as a finite commodity (one task at a time, plan and organize)
Polychronic cultures
view time as more holistic and fluid and less structured (multi-task, spontaneous, rely on others as time cues)
Uncertainty-avoiding cultures
drawn to the familiar and are relatively unlikely to take risks
Uncertainty-accepting cultures
open to novel situations and are accepting of people and ideas that are different from their own
How can we improve our cultural communication skills?
Avoid ethnocentrism, expect ambiguity, appreciate differences, know about different communication codes, and be mindful!
Different communication codes
Different idioms (phrases/sayings), different jargon (specialized/technical language), and different gestures.
Systemic
policies and practices that are deeply embedded in an institution/system. They influence how messages are created, distributed, and interpreted. (Ex, institutional norms, power dynamics, and societal structures)
Intersectionality
characteristics of a person that acknowledges how their identity contributes to their discrimination or privilege.
