Culture, Media, and Gender Dimensions Flashcards

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering cultural dimensions, global media effects, social media behavior, and gender theory based on the lecture notes.

Individualism

A cultural dimension characterized by focus on the nuclear family, a low degree of dependence on the in-group, and a strong correlation with higher national wealth.

Collectivism

A cultural dimension characterized by reliance on extended families, trust in large social networks, and high dependence on the in-group for harmony and survival.

In-group

The specific social group to which an individual belongs and relies upon, defining their degree of social dependence.

Moral Circle

The group of people with whom an individual shares a culture, determining mutual expectations and degrees of accountability.

Exclusionism vs. Universalism

Dimensions from the World Values Survey where exclusionism confines tolerance and harmony strictly to the in-group, whereas universalism extends respect and tolerance to outgroup members.

Rice Theory

Also known as hydraulic theory, the concept that the complex collaboration and infrastructure required to farm and harvest rice fostered collectivist cultures in Asian nations.

Marshall McLuhan

A Canadian philosopher who proposed that media is the extension of man and introduced the concept of the global village.

Global Village

Marshall McLuhan's concept describing how electronic media connect humanity globally, which can either drive cultural homogenization or accentuate existing cultural differences.

Cultural Homogenization

The process by which distinct communities lose their unique cultural traits and become increasingly similar due to shared global media exposure.

Mass Media

Forms of one-to-many communication, such as press, radio, and television, capable of reaching large audiences with a uniform message.

PISA Test

A global educational assessment that measures 15- and 16-year-old high school students on mathematics and reading comprehension skills.

Parasocial Media

A term used by researchers to describe social media platforms when they function like traditional broadcast media through one-to-many sponsored feeds and ads rather than genuine interpersonal connections.

Digital Divide

The global disparity in access to internet technology as well as international imbalances in hidden digital labor, such as content moderation work.

Hyperlocalism

The reporting and consumption of ultra-local news online, made possible by the infinite spectrum of the internet compared to limited broadcast frequencies.

Masculinity vs. Femininity Dimension

Geert Hofstede's third cultural dimension, referred to as the taboo dimension, contrasting societal values of assertiveness, performance, and competition against cooperation, quality of life, and relationships.

Simone de Beauvoir

A French feminist philosopher who wrote The Second Sex (1949) and famously asserted that 'one is not born, but rather becomes a woman.'

Nature vs. Nurture Debate

The ongoing discussion over whether individual behavioral traits are biologically and genetically inherited (nature) or shaped by environmental and social conditioning (nurture).

Judith Butler

A gender studies philosopher who wrote Gender Trouble (1990) and established the theoretical foundation that gender is a performed identity.