A more modern example of cultural imperialism may include the work of international aid agencies who introduce agricultural methods and plant species from developed countries while overlooking indigenous varieties and agricultural approaches that are better suited to a particular region. 3. We relate to others through a shared set of cultural norms, and ordinarily, we take them for granted. Everyone is ethnocentric to an extent, and identifying with ones own country is natural. Ethnocentrism is a major factor in the divisions among members of different ethnicities, races, and religious groups. Explain each perspective, give an example of each, and discuss any flaws that each perspective might have. Reading: Introduction to Work and the Economy, 205. Reading: Functionalism on Media and Technology, 241. Almost everyone is a little bit ethnocentric. RT @VirgilWalkerOMA: "Many would contend that the struggle for social justice and the propagation of Christian nationalism share no similarities. A more modern example of cultural imperialism may include the work of international aid agencies who introduce agricultural methods and plant species from developed countries while overlooking indigenous varieties and agricultural approaches that are better suited to the particular region. For example, Americans tend to say that people from England drive on the wrong side of the road, rather than on the other side. Anthropologist Kalervo Oberg (1960) is credited with first coining the term culture shock. In his studies, Oberg found that most people found encountering a new culture to be exciting at first. (Photo courtesy of OledSidorenko/flickr), [reveal-answer q=436227]Show Answer[/reveal-answer], [reveal-answer q=248899]Show Answer[/reveal-answer]. Outcome: Social Stratification in the United States, 89. Putting It Together: Gender, Sex, and Sexuality, 137. In sociology, we call thisculture shock. Putting It Together: Government and Politics, 200. Caitlins shock was minor compared to that of her friends Dayar and Mahlika, a Turkish couple living in married student housing on campus. Modification, adaptation, and original content. There was new food to digest, new daily schedules to follow, and new rules of etiquette to learn. Rodney and Elise are U.S. students studying abroad in Italy. Xenocentrism: Concept in Sociology and Examples Where he is from, unless they are romantically involved, men do not kiss one another. A cross-cultural comparison of ethnocentrism and the intercultural Outcome: Theoretical Perspectives on Media and Technology, 240. . A good example of ethnocentrism is referring to parts of Asia as the Far East. One might question, Far east of where?. Cultural norms accompany even the smallest nonverbal signals (DuBois 1951). Outcome: Sexual Attitudes and Practices, 132. Ethnocentrism can be so strong that when confronted with all of the differences of a new culture, one may experience disorientation and frustration. Even the most culturally relativist people from egalitarian societiesones in which women have political rights and control over their own bodieswould question whether the widespread practice of female genital mutilation in countries such as Ethiopia and Sudan should be accepted as a part of cultural tradition. Most cultures have been found to identify laughter as a sign of humor, joy, or pleasure. Sanai had been forced to flee war-torn Bosnia with her family when she was fifteen. A preference for the products, styles, or ideas of a different culture. In January 2011, a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America presented evidence indicating that the hormone oxytocin could regulate and manage instances of ethnocentrism. 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. These views involve examining a culture and all its aspects and evaluating them. Eventually, as people learn more about a culture and adapt to its norms, they recover from culture shock. Both these viewpoints or concepts present extremist views, i.e. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. If your professor comes into an early morning class holding a mug of liquid, what do you assume she is drinking? These views involve examining a culture and all its aspects and evaluating them. Putting It Together: Socialization and Interaction, 72. Anthropologist Ken Barger (1971) discovered this when he conducted a participatory observation in an Inuit community in the Canadian Arctic. Synonyms for ethnocentricity in Free Thesaurus. For instance, Ethan is an ethnocentrist; he considers others' beliefs and practices. Reading: Lines of Descent and Family Stages, 141. 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. To the Inuit people, winning was enjoyable, but their culture valued survival skills essential to their environment: how hard someone tried could mean the difference between life and death.