World Cultures-Unit 1 "Intro to Culture"

Terms from WC-1

Culture

1\.) A pattern of shared basic assumptions

2\.) invented, discovered, or developed by a given group

3\.) as it learns to cope with its problems of external adaptation and internal integration

4\.) that has worked well enough to be widely accepted

5\.) is taught to new members of the group as the

6\.) correct way to think & feel in relation to those problems.

low degree of power distance

People work to make society as equal as possible & demand justification for inequalities of power.

High degree of power distance

People accept their rank in society regardless of unfairness

Individualism

A loosely-knit social framework in which individuals are expected to take care of only themselves (& family)

collectivism

A tightly-knit social framework in which individuals can expect their in-group to look after them in exchange for unquestioning loyalty.

Masculine

A preference in society for achievement, heroism, assertiveness and material rewards for success.

Femininity

A preference in society for cooperation, modesty, caring for the weak and quality of life.

long term orientation

A societal preference for a pragmatic approach to the future--do what works to prepare a changing future.

short term orientation

A societal preference to maintain time-honored traditions and norms while viewing societal change with suspicion.

high uncertainty avoidance

cultures that maintain rigid codes of belief and behavior, and are intolerant of unorthodox behaviour and ideas.

low uncertainty avoidance

cultures characterized by rejecting absolute truths and do not feel nearly as threatened by behavior and opinions different from their own.

indulgence

A society that allows relatively free gratification of basic and human drives related to enjoying life and having fun.

restraint

A society that suppresses gratification of needs and regulates it by means of strict social norms.

sensing

The neurological process by which we become aware of our environment.

field dependence

The degree to which perception of an object is influenced by the background or environment in which it appears.

Perceiving

A three step process of selection, organization, and interpretation of sensory information.

selection

The first step in the perception process- conscious manner in which our senses are attuned to what we focus on.

Organization

The second step in the perception process-our capacity to group objects into a unified whole.

Interpretation

The third step in perception process-our ability to attach meaning to sensory information.

high context

Cultures in which less has to be said or written because meaning is conveyed by the shared context.

low context

Cultures where communication is direct, explicit, and verbal.

"face"

The Chinese concept of community respect and noble reputation.

honor culture

Culture where personal insults are met with violent reactions (usually affiliated with people from southern states)

dignity culture

Culture where personal insults are ignored or (if bigger) depend on governing authorities to solve. (usually affiliated with people from northern states)

Confronting (culture)

Where a person opposes a different culture because their own culture is (obviously) the correct one and the other (foreign)culture is the wrong one.

Complaining (about culture)

When a person gripes about a different culture but only to another person within that culture (as way of bonding and setting up cultural barriers)

Conforming (to a different culture)

The ability of a person to view a different culture from the perspective or with the same cultural framework as someone who is a native to that culture.

edge effect

the condition in which, at ecosystem boundaries, there is greater species diversity and biological density than there is in the heart of ecological communities. In culture it happens where diverse people gather at the margins of society and refuse to conform to the established patterns and can learn from each other.

Remote Associates Test

This involves finding a word that is related to three given words.

"limited spiritual horizons"

lacking the ability to see God at work in ways that our culture does not recognize. (We think God works through "us" not "them" using methods that "we" are familiar with, not what "they" do)