Does A Degree Of Ethnocentrism Contribute To The Positive Functioning Of American Culture?

351 Words1 Page
bulb-icon

Recommended: Ethnocentrism cultural relativism

1. Do you believe that Americans may be somewhat more ethnocentric than people in the other Western industrial nations? If so, why might this be the case? If not, why is this widely believed? Yes; the ethnocentrism can be seen negatively through discrimination of minorities such as Latinas and African Americans. Most Americans stereotype Europeans as petty and incompetent towards Americans. This may be pushed more during the Olympics, sometimes to the point of bullying the other opponents. 2. In what ways does a degree of ethnocentrism contribute to the positive functioning of American culture? How much is too much? What problems can result from excessive ethnocentrism? Positive ethnocentrism is shown when citizens support their country

Show More
Related

  • David Aldwinkle: Ethnocentrism And Cultural Relativism

    367 Words  | 1 Pages

    Ethnocentrism is the belief that one's ethnic group or culture is superior (Leeder, 2004). In order to gain citizenship David Aldwinkle was subject to investigation by inspectors to prove he was culturally Japanese. These investigations included interviewing his neighbors,

    Read More

  • Baseball as a Piece of American Culture

    628 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...ericans can be something, but it does not mean that all Americans are constituent of that same description. It is not fair to generalize when talking about a culture because even if it is not the intention, we can be prejudging a whole country by the actions of few. Anyhow, I do believe that Americans, in the most, show characteristics like their beliefs in a greater being and the praise of others, which make them unique and different. As in any other culture, some people do not care about religion or spirituality and do not even know who are the people that receive honors. In the same way that we cannot talk simplistic, we cannot refer either to a culture too specifically. Anywise, I have described what I think was the perception of the author when she went to a baseball game and had contact with American culture in American ground for the first time in her life.

    Read More

  • Culture Influence On American Culture

    1189 Words  | 3 Pages

    Folklores are stories that have been through many time periods. Folklore include Legends, Myths, and Fairy Tales. Legends are traditional tales handed down from earlier times and believed to have a historical basis. Myths are ancient stories dealing with supernatural beings, ancestors, or heroes. Fairy Tales are fantasy tales with legendary being and creators.

    Read More

  • Cultural Perception and Reality: A Sociologist's Perspective

    1004 Words  | 3 Pages

    Each culture has a certain level of ethnocentrism which can have positive and negative consequences. Ethnocentrism provides a feeling of unwillingness to change one’s culture or specific institution by placing them in a box. They can only see things through their specific lens and when something differs from what they know, they believe that it is a violation of the ways things should be. They become ignorant of the cultures that they may be right in the middle of by comparing them to the culture that they are familiar with and grading it on a scale. This causes a level of unwillingness to change institutions within a society because they are the standard. This makes it exceedingly difficult to relate to other people and the world as a whole because when someone is always trying to look at something while envisioning it as something else; they will never fully see the beauty of what they are observing. They limit their own experience for the sake of comfort and security, for the safety found within the familiar. Ethnocentrism is the safety blanket for many people yet the enervation that prevents them from fully experiencing the world and all of its different

    Read More

  • Differences in Health Care Illustrated in Anne Fadiman's The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down

    1674 Words  | 4 Pages

    In this book Anne Fadiman portrayed the ethnocentricity of the American culture, in which people of other cultures are judged based on the standard of American customs and tradition. This means that people are very skeptical about the things that they do not understand. A lot can be learned from the interactions that took place between the Western United States health care system and the more traditional Hmong culture. This book proved that in the end neither way of thinking was completely wrong or completely right. Compromise and understanding is the key to both cultures getting the outcome that they desire.

    Read More

  • Dalton Conley You May Ask Yourself Summary

    506 Words  | 2 Pages

    The term “ethnocentrism,” meaning the sense of taken-for-granted superiority in the context of cultural practices and attitudes, described the way Europeans looked at their “culture” as though they were superior to all others. Westerns even stated that non-Westerns had no culture and that they were inferior to the culture that was building in Europe.

    Read More

  • Nonmaterial Culture And Ethnocentrism

    801 Words  | 2 Pages

    Culture can differ from society to society, however the way culture impacts humans is pretty much all the same. People are affected by culture from birth to death. The way people speak, walk, eat, learn, and anything else a person does is dictated by the culture they live in. Foreign cultures can be a wonder to people who have never came in contact with a particular society. In many cases one may see a culture that does not coincide with the beliefs of their own as negative or alien, this is known as ethnocentrism. To make sure ethnocentrism is not an issue in sociological research, sociologist go by the idea of cultural relativism, which is known as “...the recognition that social groups and cultures must be studied and understood on their

    Read More

  • Americanization In The Perils Of Soft Power By Josef Joffe

    811 Words  | 2 Pages

    American culture has completely encompassed the world. Even the smallest symbols of America are seen throughout international countries. The United States has become the center of technological advancements, and inventions to, in theory, better the lives of its people. As these ideas spread all over the world. On the contrary the effects are majorly negative, as these effects only change people into to becoming more “american” whether than embracing the beautiful culture they were brought up in. “Americanization” is continually altering the lives of foreigners for the worst.

    Read More

  • Multiculturalism vs Assimilation

    1552 Words  | 4 Pages

    As part of our study of culture, my peers and I were asked to write a paper reflecting our own cultural background. I have always considered myself "all American". I shop, I eat fast food, I drive my own car, and watch too much television.

    Read More

  • Race, Ethnicity, and Hate Crimes

    999 Words  | 2 Pages

    Ethnocentrism can be defined as an individual’s belief that the ethnic group or cultural they identify with is superior to all others. “The ethnocentric person judges other groups and other cultures by the standards of his or her own group” (Schaefer 34).

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Diversity In Nursing

    1342 Words  | 3 Pages

    Ethnocentrism is when one culture judge’s another culture by the standard of their own (Health, 2001). Stereotypes, biases, and prejudices against other people are all in a sense a form of ethnocentrism (Astle, Barton, Johnson, & Mill, 2014). It is okay to be proud of your own culture, but you need to remember to do so in such a way, that you are not putting down any other culture (Arnold, 2016).

    Read More

  • Examining the American Culture

    2175 Words  | 5 Pages

    In order to understand this immense country that we call America, we need to study the culture. More specifically, we need to study the form of society in America. Is this society changing, or does it remain fixed throughout time? There are many aspects of our society, some of which are: traditions, values, and religion. The many realms of society contribute to a conglomerate culture, which cannot be described simply.

    Read More

  • Cultural Competence and Intercultural Communication

    1667 Words  | 4 Pages

    When one encounters a culture that has little in common with own, one may experience culture shock. This is a sense of confusion, anxiety, stress and loss one may experience. One of the barriers in effective intercultural communication is ethnocentrism. It stems from a conviction that one’s own cultural traditions and assumptions are superior to those of others. It leads to a tendency to look the world primarily from the perspective of one's own culture. It is one of the fastest ways to create a barrier that inhibits, rather than enhances communication (Jandt, 2012).

    Read More

  • Problems In Intercultural Communication

    1552 Words  | 4 Pages

    ... its proper expressions, structure and grammar. Moreover, each language is linked to a specific dialect which is associated with educational, economic, social and historical conditions. Moreover, cultural variations also exist in the rules for general discourse in oral communication. Similar to verbal communication, there are also variations in non-verbal communication between cultures. Gestures, facial expressions, sense of time and personal distance take different forms in different cultures. Furthermore, there is an infinite number of cultural diversities which are at the root of intercultural miscommunication. Variations in values , social relationships, religion, economy and politics consist of only a few of these diversities. These differences can be the source of ethnocentrism, if one becomes over patriotic in regards to one’s own culture. Ethnocentrism, is the concept which states that we tend to judge other cultures through our own. Ethnocentric behavior, can cause racism and chauvinism, as in the case of the Second World War. However, intercultural problems can be avoided if we all develop mindfulness, a sense of flexibility and seek information about the other culture.

    Read More

  • Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism

    500 Words  | 1 Pages

    Ethnocentrism, as stated above, means the belief that one’s own culture is above and beyond all other cultures. Although this is somewhat of a shallow definition, it still provides an adequate explanation of a very complex issue. We see ethnocentrism every single day, in all aspects of life. The United States of America is a prime example of ethnocentrism is action. The people of this country have a tendency to disregard other cultures, instead believing that American culture is the only way to go. This is not to say that this is how everyone thinks, although most people, at one time or another, have had thoughts along these lines.

    Read More

More about Does A Degree Of Ethnocentrism Contribute To The Positive Functioning Of American Culture?

Open Document