culture/lifestyle + emerging adulthood Flashcards
define culture
the behaviour, patterns, beliefs, and all other products of a specific group of people that are passed on from generation to generation
what is the relevance of culture?
people have a tendency to…
- behave in ways that favour their cultural group
- protect the values + beliefs associated with their cultural group
- feel negatively about other cultural groups
why study cultures?
because learning about other cultures demonstrates well-rounded, knowledge, curious, & perspective taking.
this helps make the world a better and safer place
what is ethnocentrism?
the tendency to favour one’s own group over other groups
- the study of culture is usually ethnocentric; focused on western culture/values
what are the relationships between culture and adolescence?
- culture influences how children/young adolescents are raised
–> impacts thought process: who am I? who am I associated with? what does my culture mean to me?
–> who we are is learned AND inherited - values/beliefs of culture a child/adolescent is raised with influences their own value/belief systems
–> it’s not always clear which parts of one’s culture is being internalized (ex. manners, views)
what are cross-cultural studies?
studies that involve the comparison of a culture with one or more other cultures
- provides info. about other cultures + role of culture in development
- degree to which development is similar/universal, or different/culture-specific
Note: we tend to ASSUME the differences and search for them… what about looking for the similarities?
what are parental developmental goals? why are these considered ‘shapers’?
- often feelings of obligation to be loyal to parents’ beliefs/views/values/culture (this can shape us)
- feelings of loyalty is a large part of relationships with family, friends + community
explain the fish diagram photo… what is happening?
photo: a school of fish are swimming to the left, and one lone fish at the end of the school turned around and is swimming to the right alone
explanations/different ideas of WHY the fish is swimming alone demonstrate differences in collectivist and individualist cultures
- collectivist: suggests the big group of fish didn’t like the other one, causing the group to ignore/shun the one (focus is on a relational perspective between the fish)
- individualist: suggest the one fish is exploring or broke away from the group to be more independent (focus is on the single fish)
note: not 100% of the respondents in both cultures responded with the majority… there IS overlap!
can you list some differences between collectivist and individualist cultures?
INDIVIDUALIST:
- mothers tend to speak louder, play music louder, and have more animated expressions (self-expressive, bold, not worried about others perceptions)
- children trained to be autonomous and personally influential
- parents see themselves as teachers
- value high energy affect
- games emphasize individual competition
COLLECTIVIST:
- mothers tend to spend more time soothing + maintaining contact with other adults
- value low arousal affect
- games emphasize cooperation and fitting in
- more likely to get along, consider others, and accept/adapt rather than change a situation
what is the main argument against studying collectivist and individualist cultures?
the opposition/dichotomy is TOO SIMPLE (there is so much variation within cultural studies)
are there similarities between collectivist and individualist cultures?
yes! characteristics are not mutually exclusive… similarities/differences can depend on age, group, and situational factors
one example is related to autonomy and relationism. Both cultures encourage children to have agency and relatedness. There ARE differences in parental strategies, but more closely related with where one LIVES rather than their culture.
what are the influences of class and culture in social mobility?
‘talk’ can influence development of identity formation and self-concept
Kusserow studied how class ‘sounds’ (looked at 3 different social classes in New York)
POOR
- hard defensive individualism (standing one’s ground, not letting others get to you, rougher talk to prepare children for social world)
- authoritarian sounding (teach respect for authority/family)
WORKING CLASS
- hard offensive individualism (talk about hopes, dreams, hard work, respect, progress)
- children often referred to as part of a category (ex. kids stop running in the house!)
UPPER MIDDLE CLASS
- soft individualism (talk about fulfilment, following passions, blooming, what makes you happy)
- children often individualized (ex. jack and Lisa stop running in the house!)
- worst psychological health … due to the vagueness in talk about child’s future + pressure of success
what are some facts about adolescent health today?
- adolescents/emerging adults in best shape of their lives
- adolescents today are more obese + less active (less physical labour jobs, fast food, increase in screen time/staying at home)
- worse mental health than other generations (increased awareness, inflation/financial difficulties, overwhelmed with access to information)
what are the takeaways from the video: “Unequal” ?
- the disparity in income impacts access to health services (GAP)
- underprivileged: more women and children, younger, welfare, minimum wage, greater deaths, academic difficulties, more hospital visits, worse working conditions, poorer mental health, limited resources
- social class = socially / systemically structured inequality
- cumulation of differences overtime between underprivileged and affluent = increases disparities & inequalities
what is indirect health selection?
the idea that background factors influence one’s social position and therefore, one’s health status
- education, income, health, social mobility is affected by class –> can impact physical + mental health
- cumulation of advantage or disadvantage
what is the role of media on adolescents?
media is an agent of socialization
- influences political views, views of culture, women, POC, LGBTQ+)
- media is often blamed for youth violence (songs, rappers, movies); still large debate whether it attracts already violent people or if it makes people violent
- can reinforce racial / gender stereotypes
what is the purpose of dating?
having fun, companionship, status, socialization, intimacy, sexual experimentation, and partner selection
- romantic partners are connected to emerging sexuality
what are the stages in the dating process?
1) engaging in mixed-sex group activities (early adolescence)
2) engaging in brief, casual, or double dating (middle adolescence)
3) involves exclusive, intense relationships of short-term to long-term (late adolescence)
what are romantic relationships
when/where adolescents can experiment with new behaviour and identities