Legal. Caitlins shock was minor compared to that of her friends Dayar and Mahlika, a Turkish couple living in married student housing on campus. As nouns the difference between ethnocentrism and xenocentrism is that ethnocentrism is the tendency to look at the world primarily from the perspective of one's own traditional, deferred, or adoptive ethnic culture while xenocentrism is a preference for the products, styles, or ideas of a different culture. Caitlin was half asleep by the time supper was servedat 10 p.m.! Reading: Theoretical Perspectives on Deviance, 77. In some Middle Eastern cultures, it is common to stand close to others in conversation. Reading: Systems of Social Stratification, 87. Both these viewpoints or concepts present extremist views, i.e. Almost everyone is a little bit ethnocentric. These distinctions and subjective comparisons impart a cultural identity to each ethnicity. It helps to remember that culture is learned. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. People with a strong sense of ethnocentrism tend to dislike this sort of change, even where it has many advantages. Reading: Symbolic Interactionist Theory on Education, 163. Reading: Social and Psychological Changes of Aging, 186. But ethnocentrism can lead to disdain or dislike for other cultures and could cause misunderstanding and conflict. Sometimes when people attempt to rectify feelings of ethnocentrism and to practice cultural relativism, they swing too far to the other end of the spectrum. Trying hard and working together, two nonmaterial values, were indeed much more important than winning. Sign up to receive the latest and greatest articles from our site automatically each week (give or take)right to your inbox. For example, while all cultures have language, analysis of particular language structures and conversational etiquette reveal tremendous differences. This comparison of one's culture to others has a significant impact on how we perceive the people around us and the organizations to which we belong. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. The way cuisines vary across cultures fascinates many people. Cultural norms accompany even the smallest nonverbal signals (DuBois 1951). Perhaps the Chicago traveler was initially captivated with Montanas quiet beauty and the Chinese student was originally excited to see a U.S.-style classroom firsthand. During her summer vacation, Caitlin flew from Chicago to Madrid to visit Maria, the exchange student shed befriended the previous semester. Copyright Opinion Front & Buzzle.com, Inc. Almost everyone is a little bit ethnocentric. Likewise, most cultures recognize music in some form. Why do you believe this? Why do you believe this? This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. An American visiting Italy might long for a real pizza or complain about the unsafe driving habits of Italians compared to people in the United States. Reading: Theoretical Perspectives of Race and Ethnicity, 111. In some Middle Eastern cultures, it is common to stand close to others in conversation. During his time with the Inuit tribe, Barger learned to engage in cultural relativism. Someone from a country where dog meat is standard fare might find it off-putting to see a dog in a French restaurantnot on the menu, but as a pet and patrons companion. The present world consists of a variety of unique cultures. Originally from Indiana, Barger hesitated when invited to join a local snowshoe race. Reading: Ethnocentrism and Xenocentricism, 39. 3. What Caitlin hadnt realized was that people depend not only on spoken words but also on subtle cues like gestures and facial expressions, to communicate. It can take weeks or months to recover from culture shock, and it can take years to fully adjust to living in a new culture. There was new food to digest, new daily schedules to follow, and new rules of etiquette to learn. There was new food to digest, new daily schedules to follow, and new rules of etiquette to learn. Shed stepped out of her comfort zone. Often, people in the United States express disgust at other cultures cuisine and think that its gross to eat meat from a dog or guinea pig, for example, while they dont question their own habit of eating cows or pigs. Synonyms for ethnocentricity in Free Thesaurus. Likewise, most cultures recognize music in some form. Some examples of such universals include adorning ones body with ornaments, concepts of privacy, respect, and morality, etc. A good example of ethnocentrism is referring to parts of Asia as the Far East. One might question, Far east of where?. Rodney and Elise are U.S. students studying abroad in Italy. Outcome: Media and Technology in Society, 238. She missed her home and felt overwhelmed by the new customs, language, and surroundings. Xenocentrism Ethnocentrism is the tendency to look at the world primarily from the perspective of one's own culture. 3 Reasons Doing Nothing Can Actually be Productive, 3 Myths Far Too Many People Believe About the Past. However, indiscriminately embracing everything about a new culture is not always possible. Putting It Together: Marriage and Family, 146. In all these instances, you're considering yourself and your culture to be the best compared to all others. Ethnocentrism noun The tendency to look at the world primarily from the perspective of one's own traditional, deferred, or adoptive ethnic culture. Marias mother kissed Caitlin on both cheeks when she greeted her. Reading: Conflict Perspective on Media and Technology, 242. Such attitudes are an example ofethnocentrism, or evaluating and judging another culture based on how it compares to ones own cultural norms. Such attitudes are an example ofethnocentrism, or evaluating and judging another culture based on how it compares to ones own cultural norms. 3. Anthropologist Ken Barger (1971) discovered this when he conducted a participatory observation in an Inuit community in the Canadian Arctic. Since this judgement is often negative, some people also use the term to refer to the belief that one's culture is superior to, or more correct or normal than, all othersespecially regarding the distinctions that define each ethnicity's cultural identity, such as language, behavior, customs, and religion. During her summer vacation, Caitlin flew from Chicago to Madrid to visit Maria, the exchange student shed befriended the previous semester. Someone from a country where dog meat is standard fare might find it off-putting to see a dog in a French restaurantnot on the menu, but as a pet and patrons companion. An American visiting Italy might long for a real pizza or complain about the unsafe driving habits of Italians compared to people in the United States. But as they experience unanticipated differences from their own culture, their excitement gives way to discomfort and doubts about how to behave appropriately in the new situation. Why It Matters: Social Stratification and Inequality, 85. (Credit: Arian Zwegers/flickr) Sagada, Echo Valley, hanging coffins. Living with these constant adaptive challenges can make people feel incompetent and insecure. Part of ethnocentrism is the belief that one's own race, ethnic or cultural group is the most important or that some or all aspects of its culture are superior to those of other groups. During her summer vacation, Caitlin flew from Chicago to Madrid to visit Maria, the exchange student shed befriended the previous semester. [hidden-answer a=501221]. A high level of appreciation for ones own culture can be healthy; a shared sense of community pride, for example, connects people in a society. In sociology, we call thisculture shock. Due to the extremist nature of both theories, anthropologists employ a strategy that is a sort of middle ground between these two viewpoints. Outcome: The Environment and Society, 223. After two weeks in Spain, Caitlin had developed a bit more compassion and understanding for what those people had gone through. Cultural relativismis the practice of assessing a culture by its own standards rather than viewing it through the lens of ones own culture. Putting It Together: Work and the Economy, 213. Reading: Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination, 109. It proposes that all cultures have their own merits and demerits, and hence are of equal value such that there is no concept of cultural superiority. Sometimes when people attempt to rectify feelings of ethnocentrism and develop cultural relativism, they swing too far to the other end of the spectrum. Citing Paraphrases and Summaries (APA), 4. Other articles where ethnocentrism is discussed: race: The difference between racism and ethnocentrism: racism must be distinguished from ethnicity and ethnocentrism. Xenocentrism puts others before one's own nation, which means that the health and stability of one's own is thought of as less important. Exciting as it was, she felt isolated and disconnected. Sanai had been forced to flee war-torn Bosnia with her family when she was fifteen. Caitlin was half asleep by the time supper was servedat 10 p.m.! Reading: Conflict Theory on Education, 159. Both views present negative connotations. Outcome: Theoretical Perspectives on Culture and Society, 45. For example, while all cultures have language, analysis of particular language structures and conversational etiquette reveal tremendous differences. People with the best intentions sometimes travel to a society to help its people, because they see them as uneducated or backwardessentially inferior. Sociologists attempting to engage in cultural relativism, then, may struggle to reconcile aspects of their own culture with aspects of a culture that they are studying. Why It Matters: Religion and Education, 147. We relate to others through a shared set of cultural norms, and ordinarily, we take them for granted. William G. Summer, an American academic, introduced this term and defined it as the technical name for the view of things in which ones own group is the center of everything, and all others are scaled and rated with reference to it. The belief that ones culture is inferior to another culture is called: 2. She missed her home and felt overwhelmed by the new customs, language, and surroundings. For example, while all cultures have language, analysis of particular language structures and conversational etiquette reveal tremendous differences. Outcome: Collective Behavior and Social Movements, 228. A traveler from Chicago might find the nightly silence of rural Montana unsettling, not peaceful. It is a rule that is similar to "finder's keepers" because of the role that ethnocentrism plays in our personal approach.
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