Lecture 20: Cultural Internalization

Question 1

what is a mistake that councillors commonly make when working with young people who are struggling with having two cultures

Answer 1

they side with assimilation which is risky and difficult

Question 2

What is Deci and Ryan’s theory of internalization?

Answer 2

1. Children and willing and even active participants in the process
2. there are different processes by which internalization occurs (key is how much control or autonomy)
   a) Introjection
   b) Identification and integration
3. the social context influences which internalization process and regulatory style occurs
4. these different internalization processes affect on how you carry those regulations out, affects wellbeing and adjustment

Question 3

What are the two processes by which internalization occurs?

Answer 3

1. Introjection: taking in a value or regulatory process but not accepting it as one’s own
2. Identification and integration: fully assimilating a regulation with one’s core sense of self

Question 4

What was Downie’s Hypothesis?

Answer 4

She hypothesized that: the degree to which immigrants fully internalize their host and heritage cultures will importantly relate to their adjustment

Question 5

For what reasons are you pursuing cultural traditions, practices and values?

1. “because my parents insisted” would imply what kind of internalization?
2. “because I should/feel guilty”would imply what kind of internalization?
3. “because i value/care about it”would imply what kind of internalization?

Answer 5

1. External control: no real internalization
2. Introjection: partial internalization
3. Identified or Integrated

Question 6

Give an example of external reasons:

Answer 6

“my parents and relatives want me to”

Question 7

give an example of introjected reasons:

Answer 7

“I would feel shamed, guilty, or anxious if i did not”

Question 8

give an example of identified/integrated reasons:

Answer 8

“I really believe it is important, i endorse it freely and value it whole-heartedly”

Question 9

What were the effects of how the heritage and host cultures were internalized?

Answer 9

There were specific links between the internalization of each culture in those cultural settings:

internalization of host culture affected well-being in host culture contexts

internalization of heritage culture affected well-being in heritage culture contexts

However: internalization of heritage culture seemed to have effects that generalized to global well-being

Question 10

What was associated with the highest levels of wellbeing when it came to internalization of heritage and host cultures?

Answer 10

integrated/identified internalization but also being able to integrate the heritage culture and host culture (not feeling like a fake when switching from one to the other)

Question 11

What is Cultural Relativism?

Answer 11

an individual’s beliefs and activities should be understood by others in terms of that individual’s own culture

Question 12

what are Chrikov & Ryan’s 4 dimensions of culture?

which dimensions affect the ability to internalize culture?

Answer 12

individualistic vs collectivistic
priority given to individuals goals and preferences
vs
priority given to the needs norms and goals of croup collective

horizontal vs vertical
emphasis on equality and interchangeability among people vs
emphasis on hierarchical and subordinate social relations

vertical: cannot be fully internalized

Question 13

give two examples of cultural practices that probably can’t be fully internalized
Why?

Answer 13

1. Bride abduction in Kyrgyzstan
2. Kelinjin tribe initiation rights

because they are vertical cultural practices