People and Culture: Week 7 - 12 quiz Flashcards
What are the Universals of Physical Attractiveness
Clear complexion
- People are attracted to good looking people as good-looking people are generally healthy.
- Skin health is most direct visual sign of health
- Therefore, skin products are popular – they assist with attractiveness
Bilateral Symmetry
- Bilateral symmetry another visual marker of health
- Development in ideal conditions → left and right develop the same
- Causes of asymmetrical development:
- Genetic mutations
- Pathogens
- Stressors in the womb
Symmetry is an overall good indicator of strong health and genes I to a certain degree
Average Features
- Averagely proportioned faces considered more attractive
- Less likely to be linked to genetic abnormalities
- More likely to be symmetrical
They say therefore people are attracted to mixed race people – they have more average looks
Mixed race faces display average of all faces seen
What are some body shape facts/ideas?
on average body shapes are perceived as attractive
- People on the curvier/overweight side was once said to be universally found more attractive
- Fashion world these days now idolize skinny models
- Ideal body shape varies over the world/cultures
Male body
- More pressure to be more muscular and fit
- This shows confidence, strength
Play girl centerfolds’ study
- Increase in BMI, Decrease in body fate and increase in muscle over time
Desire for greater muscularity among young men (2007)US > 90%, Ukraine 69%, Ghana 49%
Regardless of gender, significant impact of media on drive for weight and muscularity
Physical attractiveness
- Heavier weight preferred in much of Africa (not gender-specific)
- Among African-Americans
- Heavier ideal body weights
- Less social pressure to be thin
- Take home message: The “ideal body” is VERY much a product of time and culture.
- Research shows the population finds lighter skin people more attractive the darker skin
- This is innate but more culturally/socially conditioned although its isn’t universal – This is problematic.
- As for advertisements showing light skin people which exposes many people who then internalise and shape their idea on what attractiveness is
- Overall attractiveness is very culturally influenced
Basic Relational Models
All relationships are based on one or more of the four basic elements of sociality - What are they?
Communal sharing
- Pool your resources and share equally
Authority ranking
- Ranking system – the higher the more special/authority
Equality matching
- Based on balance and reciprocity
Informally keeping track of who pays for what – when its my turn to shout etc..
Examples:
- Rotating credit association in Africa, Asia, Caribbean
- Carpools
- Taking turns shouting drinks
Market pricing
- Based on proportionality and ratios
- Benefits exchanged on a single dimension, usually money
- Exchange usually occurs at one point in time and different kinds of goods can be exchanged.
- Example: buying and selling in a marketplace
Nuclear family meaning
A nuclear family, elementary family or conjugal family is a family group consisting of parents and their children (one or more), typically living in one home residence. It is in contrast to a single-parent family, the larger extended family, or a family with more than two parents. Nuclear families typically center on a heterosexual married couple which may have any number of children. There are differences in definition among observers. Some definitions allow only biological children that are full-blood siblings and consider adopted or half and step siblings a part of the immediate family, but others allow for a stepparent and any mix of dependent children including stepchildren and adopted children. Some sociologists and anthropologists consider the nuclear family as the most basic form of social organization,[citation needed] while others consider the extended family structure to be the most common family structure in most cultures and at most times.
What are some universal, and culture-specific relational models differences.
Universal
All relationships should follow one or more of these
four basic models.
All four models operate in relationships in all known
cultures.
Culturally variable
Market pricing more common in individualistic cultures
Equality matching emphasized more in traditional
subsistence societies
What are the Mechanisms of Attraction?
The Propinquity Effect
Propinquity effect: People are more likely to become
friends with people they see frequently.
Very powerful
Operates through the mere exposure effect
Mere exposure effect:
The more we are exposed to a
stimulus, the more we become attracted to it.
Culturally universal effect
Generalizes to nonhumans (e.g., chickens)
The Similarity-Attraction Effect (SAE)
In West, people often drawn to similar others
“Birds of a feather flock together”
Attitudes
Personality
Demographics
Preferred activities
Similarity-Attraction Effect (SAE)
Long thought to be a universal…
Largely limited to West
Not shown by chickens
The Similarity-Attraction Effect
Euro-Canadian and Japanese research NOTES:
Euro-Canadian and Japanese students recruited
Briefly met same-gender participant, went to different rooms
Personality survey (e.g., cooperative, independent, hardworking)
Demographics survey (e.g., major, religion, relationship
status)
Shown other’s response*: 20% or 80% similar
Rated liking for other person
How much do you like this person?
How much would you respect this person?
How frequently would you interact with this person?
SAE present in many other cultures, but strongest in
West/USA
High relational mobility* → Stronger SAE
Higher self esteem → Stronger SAE
What is relational mobility and and the difference between high and low relational mobility?
Meaning of relational mobility - How much freedom do people have to move between
relationships
High relational mobility:
cultural contexts in which
people have flexible ties and many opportunities to
form new connections
Relationships tend to be chosen
People motivated to strengthen relationship, because
other options easily available
More common in Latin America, North America,
Europe
Low relational mobility:
cultural contexts in which
people have few opportunities to form new
relationships, are bound by obligations to existing ones
Relationships more dependent on circumstances (e.g.,
family’s existing network)
Liking is less important- you’re in a relationship
regardless
More common in East and Southeast Asia, North and
West Africa, Middle East
High relational mobility
More friends
More emphasis on
attractiveness
Low relational mobility
More cautious with friends
More obligations associated
with friendships
Tyranny of the Beautiful - NOTES:
In 1972 Canadian federal election, attractive candidates
received 3x the votes of unattractive candidates
MBA grads in USA (1973-1982) ranked on 5-pt attractiveness
scale. Each one-unit increase:
+$2600/year starting salary for men
+$2150/year starting salary for women
Attractive defendants less likely to be convicted, lower bail set
.
.
.
Most research on the “tyranny of the beautiful” has been
conducted in contexts with high relational mobility.
This effect may not emerge in places with low relational mobility.
Example study: Anderson et al. (2008)
Students in USA and Ghana
More-attractive Americans reported greater satisfaction with their
lives and friendships than less-attractive Americans.
But more-attractive Ghanaians reported less satisfaction with
their lives and friendships than less-attractive Ghanaians.
What is Residential Mobility and the difference between high and low Residential Mobility?
Meaning: Frequent change of residence (Changing where you live)
HIGH Residential Mobility
- More fair-weather sports
fans - Prefer large national
chains
-View personality as
central to identity - Better employment
opportunities
LOW Residential Mobility
- More loyal sports fans
Prefer local regional
store - View group memberships
as central to identity - Tend to remain poorer
over generations
Relational mobility also related to how often one moves
US-Americans who’ve never moved:
Personality and group memberships known by others in
community
Identity tied to personality and group memberships
US-Americans who’ve moved a lot:
Personality known by others in community, memberships less
so
– Identity tied to personality
What are the 3 levels of Kohlberg’s Stage Theory of Morality
Level 1: Preconventional
Determined by physical/hedonistic (engaged in the pursuit of pleasure; sensually self-indulgent) consequences of action
Avoiding doing things/behaving within means as you know there will be consequences if you miss behave
- Obeying authority
- Avoiding punishment
I see it as Internal regulation of behaviour to avoid being punished
Level 2: Conventional
Determined by external standards, concern for social order
- The need for social approval
- I see it as how you go about things, so people see you as a good person
- Overall, this requires external approval
- Choosing actions based on rewards
- Maintaining social order
- Generally, have a wider perspective on things
- Aware of society as a whole
Level 3: Postconventional
Determined by internalized, abstract principles about justice and individual rights
These seems to be about equity and equality side of society. For example, this would include minority groups within society
- Just because most people agree on something doesn’t make it right.
- Human rights
- Social justice
- Protesting
- Encourage to do the right thing even when people don’t think it is
What are the Big 3” Moral Ethics from Shweder
Ethics of Autonomy:
Protection of justice and individual rights
- Was someone harmed?
- Was someone denied their rights?
- Did someone act unfairly?
Ethics of Community
Roles and obligations within community or social hierarchy
- Did someone show a lack of loyalty?
- Did someone betray their group?
- Did someone fulfill the duties of their role?
Ethic of Divinity
Maintain sanctity and “natural order”
- Did someone violate standards of purity?
- Was someone unable to control their desires?
- Did someone violate divine laws?
Moral obligations are:
Objective obligations:
Things people should do even if no official rule exists
Legitimately regulated:
Things people should be prevented from doing, and that should lead to punishment if done
Culture Wars - What is it and what is it based on
Opinions on moral issues can be very different even within the same country, resulting in “culture wars” between groups.
These are often based on:
- Socioeconomic status
- Political affiliation
- Religious affiliation
- Geographic region?
Orthodoxy & Progressivism meanings
Orthodox:
Belief in a transcendent authority that existed long before humans, operates independently of people, and is all-powerful and all-knowing
Progressive:
Importance of human agency in formulating moral code; belief that moral code must change with social circumstances
