Final Exam Review

UNIT 1 — CULTURE

⭐ You should be able to define or explain:

Culture — What does it mean? Where does it come from?

  • Definition: A shared system of beliefs, values, behaviors, norms, and traditions learned and passed down within a group.

  • Where it comes from:

    • Family upbringing

    • Community and social groups

    • Language

    • Religion

    • Geography

    • Historical experiences

    • Education and institutions

  • Key idea: Culture is learned, shared, dynamic, and transmitted across generations.

5 Characteristics of All Cultures (from lecture)

  • Holistic

  • Learned

  • shared

  • meaningful

  • symbolic

The Culture “Onion”

  • A model showing layers of culture:

    • Outer layer: Behaviors, customs, food, clothing, greetings.

    • Middle layer: Values, norms, expectations.

    • Core layer: Deep beliefs, worldview, assumptions about life.

  • Purpose: Helps explain why cultural misunderstandings occur — surface behaviors come from deeper, invisible beliefs.

Individualism / Collectivism

  • Individualism:

    • Focus on personal goals, independence, self-expression.

    • Common in mainstream American culture.

  • Collectivism:

    • Focus on group harmony, interdependence, shared responsibility.

    • Strong in Deaf culture.

Time / Event Orientation

  • Time-oriented cultures:

    • Value schedules, punctuality, deadlines.

    • “Time is money.”

  • Event-oriented cultures:

    • Value completing events fully, even if time shifts.

    • Relationships > schedules.

People / Task Orientation

  • People-oriented:

    • Relationships, rapport, and connection come first.

  • Task-oriented:

    • Efficiency, productivity, and goals come first.

Holistic / Dichotomistic

  • Holistic:

    • Big-picture thinking; context matters.

    • Multiple truths can coexist.

  • Dichotomistic:

    • Black‑and‑white thinking; categories, rules, right/wrong.

Polychronic / Monochronic

  • Monochronic:

    • One task at a time; schedules are rigid.

  • Polychronic:

    • Many tasks at once; flexible time; interruptions are normal.

Xenophobia

  • Fear or distrust of people from different cultures.

  • Can lead to exclusion, discrimination, or avoidance.

Ethnocentrism

  • Belief that one’s own culture is superior.

  • Leads to judging other cultures by your own standards.

Reciprocity

  • Mutual exchange of information, help, or support.

  • In Deaf culture: sharing information is expected and valued.

“Straight Talk”

  • Direct, clear communication without ambiguity.

  • In Deaf culture: valued because visual communication requires clarity.

⭐ You should be able to discuss:

Important beliefs, values, and behaviors in American culture

  • Individualism

  • Independence

  • Competition

  • Efficiency and productivity

  • Direct communication

  • Time orientation (punctuality)

  • Personal achievement

  • Privacy and personal space

How these fit into the Culture Onion

  • Outer layer: Handshakes, eye contact, punctuality, personal space.

  • Middle layer: Value independence, self-reliance, achievement.

  • Core layer: Belief in personal freedom, equality, self-determination.

Important beliefs, values, and behaviors in Deaf culture

  • Collectivism

  • Visual orientation

  • Straight talk

  • Information sharing

  • Community responsibility

  • Pride in ASL

  • Value of Deaf schools and Deaf spaces

  • Strong identity tied to language and community

How these fit into the Culture Onion

  • Outer layer: Eye contact, waving to get attention, visual alerts, signing.

  • Middle layer: Value ASL, community, shared experiences.

  • Core layer: Belief that Deafness is a cultural identity, not a disability.

Importance of Residential Schools

  • Provide full access to language (ASL).

  • Create lifelong friendships and networks.

  • Serve as cultural hubs for Deaf identity.

  • Historically the birthplace of ASL.

  • Many Deaf leaders emerged from these schools.

How Deaf culture differs from your own & how this affects interaction

  • Deaf culture = collectivist, visual, direct.

  • Hearing culture = individualist, auditory, indirect.

  • Implications for interaction:

    • Maintain eye contact.

    • Be clear and direct.

    • Share information openly.

    • Respect visual norms (lighting, line of sight).

UNIT 2 — IDENTITY & ENCULTURATION

⭐ You should be able to define or explain:

Cultural vs. Medical Models of Deafness

  • Medical model: Deafness = disability to be fixed; focus on hearing loss.

  • Cultural model: Deafness = cultural/linguistic identity; focus on ASL and community.

The 90% Rule

  • 90% of Deaf children are born to hearing parents.

  • 90% of hearing parents do not know ASL.

  • 90% of Deaf adults marry other Deaf adults.

  • Highlights cultural mismatch and language deprivation risks.

Enculturation

  • The process of learning one’s culture.

  • For Deaf people: often delayed until meeting other Deaf peers or attending Deaf schools.

Dinner Table Syndrome

  • Deaf individuals left out of family conversations at meals.

  • Leads to isolation, lack of incidental learning, and identity challenges.

Oppression — Systemic, Institutional, Internalized

  • Systemic: Built into society’s structures (education, healthcare, laws).

  • Institutional: Policies or practices that disadvantage a group.

  • Internalized: When marginalized people believe negative messages about themselves.

Privilege

  • Unearned advantages given to certain groups (e.g., hearing privilege).

Paternalism

  • Making decisions for Deaf people “for their own good.”

  • Often done by hearing professionals.

Colonialism

  • Imposing one group’s language/culture on another.

  • Example: Forcing oralism on Deaf children.

Audism

  • Discrimination based on ability to hear or speak.

  • Belief that hearing people are superior.

Linguisticism

  • Discrimination based on language.

  • Example: Devaluing ASL as “not a real language.”

⭐ You should be able to discuss:

Experience of hearing parents learning their child is deaf

  • Often shocked or unprepared.

  • Receive medicalized information first.

  • Often not told about Deaf culture or ASL.

  • Pressure toward cochlear implants or oral-only approaches.

Cochlear implants and identity

  • Can support access to sound but do not “cure” deafness.

  • May complicate identity development.

  • Deaf community perspectives vary.

Positions on cochlear implants

  • Pro-CI: Access to sound, speech development, mainstreaming.

  • Critical of CI: Risk of language deprivation, cultural loss, unrealistic expectations.

  • Middle-ground: CI + ASL bilingual approach.

Difference between prejudice, discrimination, oppression

  • Prejudice: Attitude or belief.

  • Discrimination: Action based on prejudice.

  • Oppression: Systemic, long-term discrimination embedded in society.

Oppression as systemic (Deaf examples)

  • Oralism in schools

  • Lack of ASL access

  • Hearing-controlled institutions

  • Limited interpreting services

  • Employment discrimination

Examples of oppression, paternalism, privilege

  • Oppression: Oral-only education; banning ASL.

  • Paternalism: Doctors deciding communication methods for Deaf children.

  • Privilege: Hearing people assuming their communication style is “normal.”

UNIT 3 — HISTORY

⭐ Identify & explain importance of:

Abbé de l’Epée

  • French priest; founded first free school for the Deaf in Paris.

  • Developed early manual communication system.

Jean Massieu

  • Deaf student of l’Epée; became a teacher; influenced ASL roots.

Laurent Clerc

  • Deaf teacher from France; co-founded American School for the Deaf with Gallaudet.

  • “The Apostle of the Deaf in America.”

Alice & Mason Cogswell

  • Alice: Deaf girl who inspired Gallaudet to study Deaf education.

  • Mason: Her father; funded Gallaudet’s trip to Europe.

Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet

  • Brought Deaf education to the U.S.; partnered with Clerc.

Edward Miner Gallaudet

  • Son of Thomas; first president of Gallaudet University.

Alexander Graham Bell

  • Promoted oralism; opposed sign language; supported eugenics ideas about preventing Deaf marriages.

Eugenics

  • Movement to “improve” human genetics; targeted Deaf people by discouraging Deaf marriages and sign language.

⭐ You should be able to discuss:

Roots of ASL & Deaf community

  • ASL = blend of French Sign Language (LSF) + local home signs + Martha’s Vineyard Sign Language.

  • Deaf schools were the center of community formation.

Basic history of Deaf education in America

  • 1817: American School for the Deaf founded.

  • Early schools used sign language.

  • 1880 Milan Congress banned sign language → rise of oralism.

  • 1960s: ASL recognized as a real language.

Milan Congress (1880)

  • International conference that voted to ban sign language in education.

  • Devastating impact on Deaf teachers and students.

Deaf President Now (1988)

  • Protest at Gallaudet University demanding a Deaf president.

  • Resulted in appointment of Dr. I. King Jordan.

  • Symbol of Deaf empowerment and civil rights.

Legislative changes

  • IDEA (1975) — access to education.

  • Rehabilitation Act (1973) — interpreting access.

  • ADA (1990) — civil rights protections.

MCE (Manually Coded English)

  • Artificial systems representing English on the hands.

  • Not a natural language.

  • Slows communication; not visually efficient.

  • Contributes to language delays.

⭐ Dates to Know

  • 1817: American School for the Deaf

  • 1864: Gallaudet University established

  • 1880: Milan Congress

  • 1988: Deaf President Now

  • 1990: ADA signed into law

UNIT 4 — ART & LITERATURE

⭐ Identify & explain:

ABC Stories

  • ASL storytelling using the alphabet in sequence.

  • Demonstrates creativity, linguistic skill, and cultural expression.

Oral Culture

  • Deaf culture historically passed down through face-to-face storytelling, not written texts.

Ella Mae Lentz

  • Influential Deaf poet, storyteller, and activist.

Marlee Matlin

  • First Deaf actor to win an Academy Award; advocate for Deaf representation.

Nyle DiMarco

  • Deaf model, actor, activist; promotes ASL access and Deaf visibility.

⭐ You should be able to discuss:

Types of Deaf literature

  • ASL poetry

  • ABC stories

  • Number stories

  • Classifier stories

  • Personal narratives

  • Folklore

  • Deaf humor

Importance of storytelling

  • Preserves culture and history.

  • Transmits values and identity.

  • Builds community.

Characteristics of ASL poetry

  • Visual rhythm

  • Classifiers

  • Movement, space, facial expression

  • Iconicity

  • Use of 3D space

UNIT 5 — DEAF COMMUNITY

⭐ Define or explain:

Cultural behaviors with pragmatic roots

  • Behaviors that arise from visual communication needs:

    • Waving to get attention

    • Light flashing

    • Maintaining eye contact

    • Clear sightlines

Rules of social interaction

  • Explicit: Clearly stated rules (e.g., how to ask for an interpreter).

  • Tacit: Unspoken but understood (e.g., sharing information).

  • Emblematic: Culture-specific signals (e.g., Deaf applause).

⭐ Examples in Deaf & other cultures

  • Explicit: “Don’t walk between signers.”

  • Tacit: Sharing personal news openly.

  • Emblematic: Visual applause vs. clapping.

⭐ You should be able to discuss:

Deaf world & religion

  • Many Deaf people feel excluded from hearing churches.

  • Limited access to interpreters.

  • Visual worship styles often lacking.

Why many Deaf people aren’t religious

  • Language barriers

  • Past experiences of exclusion

  • Theological messages that frame Deafness as “broken”

Church options

  • Large cities: Deaf churches, interpreted services, Deaf ministries.

  • Small towns: Often no interpreters; limited access.

Perspectives on Jesus healing the deaf man (Mark 7)

  • Some see it as spiritual healing, not commentary on Deaf identity.

  • Others feel it reinforces harmful “fixing” narratives.

  • Context matters: healing ≠ erasing culture.

Imago Dei & harmful theology

  • “Image of God” sometimes misused to imply:

    • Deaf people are incomplete

    • Hearing = ideal

  • Can cause shame or internalized oppression.

Your role in empowering Deaf people

  • Support ASL access.

  • Avoid paternalism.

  • Amplify Deaf voices.

  • Respect Deaf autonomy.

  • Challenge audism in systems and institutions.

If you want, I can turn this into flashcards, a practice quiz, or a condensed one‑page exam sheet tailored to how you study best.

 

Sources:

  • Materials in Canvas module

  • Holcomb chapter--Rules of Social Interaction