Sociological Perspectives on Cultural Differences

Understanding cultural variation helps strengthen relationship-building and social awareness skills in diverse environments.
James Watson (1997) found that McDonald's had to adjust operations in East Asia during the 1980s; for instance, in Hong Kong, the American practice of smiling at customers was initially met with suspicion until staff adopted a more professional and efficient demeanor.

Cultural Universals: Patterns or traits globally common to all human societies, often revolving around basic survival or shared human experiences.
George Murdock (1949) identified universals such as systems of kinship (family units), language, personal names, and humor.
While the existence of rituals like weddings and funeral rites is universal, the specific enactment of these customs varies by culture.

Ethnocentrism: Termed by sociologist William Graham Sumner (1906), this is the attitude of judging another culture based on the standards of one's own, often believing one's culture is superior.
Examples include Westerners referring to parts of Asia as the "Far East" or perceiving British driving habits as being on the "wrong" side of the road.
Cultural Imperialism: The deliberate imposition of one's cultural values on another society, such as Europe's colonial expansion in the 16th century or British traders introducing opium to China.

Culture Shock: Disorientation experienced when encountering a new culture. Anthropologist Ken Barger (1971) observed this while living with an Inuit community in the Canadian Arctic, where he realized the community valued survival effort over individual victory.
Cultural Relativism: The practice of assessing a culture by its own standards rather than through the lens of one’s own culture.
Xenocentrism: The belief that another culture is superior to one's own, often occurring as a reaction against ethnocentrism.

Think About It: Have you ever experienced culture shock when you have gone to another country, state, or community? If the system is radically different, you might have to negotiate a new meaning system and reflect on your own cultural practices.
Relationship Building: Imagine you are sent on a three-month work trip to Indonesia. What steps would you take to learn cultural norms and use that information to build relationships? How might you ensure you are aware of your own potential ethnocentrism or xenocentrism, and work to mitigate these biases?