similarities of ethnocentrism and xenocentrism

Europes colonial expansion, begun in the sixteenth century, was often accompanied by a severe cultural imperialism. Despite how much humans have in common, cultural differences are far more prevalent than cultural universals. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Caitlins shock was minor compared to that of her friends Dayar and Mahlika, a Turkish couple living in married student housing on campus. Ethnocentrism in social science and anthropologyas well as in colloquial English discoursemeans to apply one's own culture or ethnicity as a frame of reference to judge other cultures, practices, behaviors, beliefs, and people, instead of using the standards of the particular culture involved. A good example of ethnocentrism is referring to parts of Asia as the Far East. One might question, Far east of where?. Xenocentrism puts others before one's own nation, which means that the health and stability of one's own is thought of as less important. These two viewpoints are essentially distinct but do share a few similarities between them. A traveler from Chicago might find the nightly silence of rural Montana unsettling, not peaceful. belief in the superiority of one's own ethnic group. It can take weeks or months to recover from culture shock, and it can take years to fully adjust to living in a new culture. But bit by bit, they became stressed by interacting with people from a different culture who spoke another language and used different regional expressions. It is impossible for anyone to keep all cultural biases at bay; the best we can do is strive to be aware of them. Most cultures have been found to identify laughter as a sign of humor, joy, or pleasure. Sometimes when people attempt to rectify feelings of ethnocentrism and develop cultural relativism, they swing too far to the other end of the spectrum. Practicing cultural relativism requires an open mind and a willingness to consider, and even adapt to, new values and norms. Everyone is ethnocentric to an extent, and identifying with ones own country is natural. Cultural relativismis the practice of assessing a culture by its own standards rather than viewing it through the lens of ones own culture. A high level of appreciation for ones own culture can be healthy; a shared sense of community pride, for example, connects people in a society. A good example of ethnocentrism is referring to parts of Asia as the Far East. One might question, Far east of where?. Where he is from, unless they are romantically involved, men do not kiss one another. Xenocentrism is the opposite of ethnocentrism, . Reading: Recent Economic Conditions in the United States, 211. Despite how much humans have in common, cultural differences are far more prevalent than cultural universals. Everyone is ethnocentric to an extent, and identifying with ones own country is natural. Where he is from, unless they are romantically involved, men do not kiss one another. while ethnocentrism leans towards intolerance, cultural relativism leans towards incredibly high tolerance of cultural features. (The Greek root word xeno, pronounced ZEE-no, means stranger or foreign guest.) An exchange student who goes home after a semester abroad or a sociologist who returns from the field may find it difficult to associate with the values of their own culture after having experienced what they deem a more upright or nobler way of living. If your professor comes into an early morning class holding a mug of liquid, what do you assume she is drinking? Ethnocentrism can be a contributing factor to prejudice, racism, and xenophobia. The way cuisines vary across cultures fascinates many people. Some visitors may find this practice admirable, while others may think its inappropriate. Ethnocentrism, as sociologist William Graham Sumner (1906) described the term, involves a belief or attitude that ones own culture is better than all others,and should therefore serve as the standard frame of reference. The way individuals perceive other cultural practices can be broadly segregated into two types - cultural relativism and ethnocentrism. Ethnocentrism is the tendency to look at the world primarily from the perspective of one's own culture. Sign up to receive the latest and greatest articles from our site automatically each week (give or take)right to your inbox. Almost everyone is a little bit ethnocentric. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Reading: The Graying of the United States, 181. Reading: Health in the United States, 174. Some travelers pride themselves on their willingness to try unfamiliar foods, like celebrated food writer Anthony Bourdain, while others return home expressing gratitude for their native cultures fare. By the end of Caitlins trip, shed made new lifelong friends. Ethnocentric individuals believe that their own ethnicity is centrally important and all other cultures and ethnicity must be judged according to the standards of their own culture. Both views present negative connotations. Reading: Theoretical Perspectives on Sex, 133. Some people will simply call it cultural ignorance. Xenocentrism is the opposite of . Cultural norms accompany even the smallest nonverbal signals (DuBois 1951). She missed her home and felt overwhelmed by the new customs, language, and surroundings. Why It Matters: Work and the Economy, 202. It is a rule that is similar to "finder's keepers" because of the role that ethnocentrism plays in our personal approach. Experiencing new cultures offers an opportunity to practice cultural relativism. Culture shock may appear because people arent always expecting cultural differences. And it was nothing like that of her classmate Sanai. Reading: Symbolic Interactionism and Deviance, 82. Reading: Theories of Self-Development, 61. 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. For this reason, culture shock is often associated with traveling abroad, although it can happen in ones own country, state, or even hometown. But ethnocentrism can lead to disdain or dislike for other cultures and could cause misunderstanding and conflict. Reading: Theoretical Perspectives of Race and Ethnicity, 111. Shed studied Spanish in school for yearswhy hadnt it prepared her for this? However, indiscriminately embracing everything about a new culture is not always possible. And an appreciation for another culture shouldnt preclude individuals from studying it with a critical eye. Shed stepped out of her comfort zone. Outcome: The Social Construction of Health, 169. For this reason, culture shock is often associated with traveling abroad, although it can happen in ones own country, state, or even hometown. Ethnocentrism is usually defined as a kind of ethnic or cultural group egocentrism, which involves a belief in the superiority of one's own group, including its values and practices, and often. (Credit: Arian Zwegers/flickr) Sagada, Echo Valley, hanging coffins. Some travelers pride themselves on their willingness to try unfamiliar foods, like celebrated food writer Anthony Bourdain, while others return home expressing gratitude for their native cultures fare. Shed learned a lot about Spain, but shed also discovered a lot about herself and her own culture. It helps to remember that culture is learned. One example is the romanticization of the noble savage in the 18th-century primitivism movement in European art, philosophy and ethnography. The Indegenous people of Sagada, in the Philippines, have for thousands of years placed the bodies of deceased people into coffins hung on the cliffs near their villages. She understood that adjusting to a new culture takes time. Sanai had been forced to flee war-torn Bosnia with her family when she was fifteen. Reading: Introduction to Theoretical Perspectives, 15. Outcome: The Sociological Imagination, 11. Rodney and Elise are U.S. students studying abroad in Italy. Likewise, most cultures recognize music in some form. Outcome: Sexual Attitudes and Practices, 132. That night, Caitlin crawled into a strange bed, wishing she hadnt come. Over the course of his stay, Barger participated in caribou hunts, learned how to take shelter in winter storms, and sometimes went days with little or no food to share among tribal members. Eventually, as people learn more about a culture, they recover from culture shock. These distinctions and subjective comparisons impart a cultural identity to each ethnicity. But the tribal members congratulated him, saying, You really tried! In Bargers own culture, he had learned to value victory. During her summer vacation, Caitlin flew from Chicago to Madrid to visit Maria, the exchange student shed befriended the previous semester. Sometimes when people attempt to rectify feelings of ethnocentrism and develop cultural relativism, they swing too far to the other end of the spectrum. Despite how much humans have in common, cultural differences are far more prevalent than cultural universals. People react to frustration in a new culture, Oberg found, by initially rejecting it and glorifying ones own culture. Ethnocentric people think the ways they do things is the way things should be done, and every other culture's way of doing things is unsavory or undesirable. There was new food to digest, new daily schedules to follow, and new rules of etiquette to learn. the practice of assessing a culture by its own standards, and not in comparison to another culture culture shock: an experience of personal disorientation when confronted with an unfamiliar way of life ethnocentrism: the practice of evaluating another culture according to the standards of one's own culture xenocentrism: Outcome: Globalization and the Economy, 209. What Caitlin hadnt realized was that people depend not only on spoken words but also on subtle cues like gestures and facial expressions, to communicate. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. She missed her home and felt overwhelmed by the new customs, language, and surroundings. Cultural relativismis the practice of assessing a culture by its own standards rather than viewing it through the lens of ones own culture. Why It Matters: Sociological Foundations, 10. Her imposing father kept his distance. Based on this subjective perception of other cultures, two types of views emerge when one compares two or more cultures. Marias mother kissed Caitlin on both cheeks when she greeted her. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License; additional terms may apply.See Wiktionary Terms of Use for details. She understood that adjusting to a new culture takes time. This is an example of: Youll have more success on the Self-Check, if youve completed the three Readings in this section. When Rodneys host brother introduces himself and kisses Rodney on both cheeks, Rodney pulls back in surprise. Ethnocentrism, as sociologist William Graham Sumner (1906) described the term, involves a belief or attitude that ones own culture is better than all others. Caitlins shock was minor compared to that of her friends Dayar and Mahlika, a Turkish couple living in married student housing on campus. Exciting as it was, she felt isolated and disconnected. This is so, because it is almost impossible to be unbiased while comparing cultures. A good example of ethnocentrism is referring to parts of Asia as the Far East. One might question, Far east of where?. Reading: Charter Schools and Homeschooling, 165. Reading: Racial, Ethnic, and Minority Groups, 108. Most cultures have been found to identify laughter as a sign of humor, joy, or pleasure. a. A preference for the products, styles, or ideas of a different culture. We also acknowledge previous National Science Foundation support under grant numbers 1246120, 1525057, and 1413739. Legal. Exceptionalism Caitlin was half asleep by the time supper was servedat 10 p.m.! Living with this constant stress can make people feel incompetent and insecure. [hidden-answer a=501221]. Reading: Ethnocentrism and Xenocentricism, 39. It helps to remember that culture is learned. Why It Matters: Deviance, Crime, and Social Control, 76. They are cultural relativism and ethnocentrism. Reading: Theoretical Perspectives on Marriage and Family, 145. Caitlin had trouble interpreting her hosts facial expressions, and didnt realize she should make the next toast. 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. This concept was developed to attempt to overcome ethnocentric bias when conducting anthropological studies. After two weeks in Spain, Caitlin had developed a bit more compassion and understanding for what those people had gone through. Why It Matters: Socialization and Interaction, 55. Outcome: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, 128. . Copyright Opinion Front & Buzzle.com, Inc. In the United States, its most likely filled with coffee, not Earl Grey tea, a favorite in England, or Yak Butter tea, a staple in Tibet. He knew hed never hold his own against these experts. Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related. North Americans keep more distance and maintain a large personal space. Even something as simple as eating and drinking varies greatly from culture to culture. (Photo courtesy of OledSidorenko/flickr). A high level of appreciation for ones own culture can be healthy; a shared sense of community pride, for example, connects people in a society. It is impossible for anyone to keep all cultural biases at bay; the best we can do is strive to be aware of them. 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. Putting It Together: Socialization and Interaction, 72. Reading: Theoretical Perspectives on Aging, 184. Shed learned a lot about Spain, but shed also discovered a lot about herself and her own culture. This is an example of: [reveal-answer q=501221]Show Glossary[/reveal-answer] A culture consists of a group of people that possess specific traditions, language, belief system, customs, hierarchy, food, music, and literature. An exchange student from China might be annoyed by the constant interruptions in class as other students ask questionsa practice that is considered rude in China. Reading: Structural-Functional Theory, 18. Originally from Indiana, Barger hesitated when invited to join a local snowshoe race. Putting It Together: Social Stratification and Inequality, 105. 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. Sometimes when people attempt to rectify feelings of ethnocentrism and develop cultural relativism, they swing too far to the other end of the spectrum. Synonyms for ethnocentricity in Free Thesaurus. This is related to ethnocentrism because cultural interactions are increasing as the world gets smaller due to factors such as technology and cooperation between nations. Putting It Together: Race and Ethnicity, 120. During her summer vacation, Caitlin flew from Chicago to Madrid to visit Maria, the exchange student shed befriended the previous semester. Reading: Feminist Theory on Education, 160. It's the belief that one's ethnic group is superior to another. Reading: Demography and Population Growth, 219. A traveler from Chicago might find the nightly silence of rural Montana unsettling, not peaceful. They help people know when to shake hands, where to sit, how to converse, and even when to laugh. But as they experience unanticipated differences from their own culture, their excitement gives way to discomfort and doubts about how to behave appropriately in the new situation. When they are introduced to their host families, the families kiss them on both cheeks. and not in comparison to another culture culture shock: an experience of personal . Reading: Roles and the Presentation of Self, 52. William G. Summer, an American academic, introduced this term and defined it as the technical name for the view of things in which ones own group is the center of everything, and all others are scaled and rated with reference to it. However, indiscriminately embracing everything about a new culture is not always possible. Caitlins shock was minor compared to that of her friends Dayar and Mahlika, a Turkish couple living in married student housing on campus. An American visiting Italy might long for a real pizza or complain about the unsafe driving habits of Italians compared to people in the United States. An American visiting Italy might long for a real pizza or complain about the unsafe driving habits of Italians compared to people in the United States. Reading: Social Change and Modernization, 233. Reading: Theoretical Perspectives on Gender, 130. Cultural relativism is a view that a culture must be judged according to its own cultural standards. Explain each perspective, give an example of each, and discuss any flaws that each perspective might have. 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. It creates an attitude of independence. Antonyms for ethnocentricity. A good example of ethnocentrism is referring to parts of Asia as the Far East. One might question, Far east of where?. European colonizers often viewed the people in the lands they colonized as uncultured savages who were in need of European governance, dress, religion, and other cultural practices. They served wine and toasted their honored guest. Outcome: Race and Ethnicity in the United States, 119. He knew hed never hold his own against these experts. Practicing cultural relativism requires an open mind and a willingness to consider, and even adapt to, new values and norms. Rodney and Elise are U.S. students studying abroad in Italy. For example, while all cultures have language, analysis of particular language structures and conversational etiquette reveal tremendous differences. Putting It Together: Social Movements, Media, and Technology. We relate to others through a shared set of cultural norms, and ordinarily, we take them for granted. The bias may be due to ones own cultural beliefs or due to the individuals understanding and perception of human rights and ethics. And it was nothing like that of her classmate Sanai. Such attitudes are an example ofethnocentrism, or evaluating and judging another culture based on how it compares to ones own cultural norms. #ChristianNationalism #nationalism. The belief that ones culture is inferior to another culture is called: 2. Xenocentrism is a culturally-based tendency to value other cultures more highly than one's own, which can materialize in a variety of different ways. Eventually, as people learn more about a culture and adapt to its norms, they recover from culture shock. Reading: Universal Access to Education, 156. A traveler from Chicago might find the nightly silence of rural Montana unsettling, not peaceful. Some travelers pride themselves on their willingness to try unfamiliar foods, like celebrated food writer Anthony Bourdain, while others return home expressing gratitude for their native cultures fare. Reading: Introduction to Work and the Economy, 205. What issues or events might inform this? Cite this page as follows: "Compare and contrast ethnocentrism and cultural relativism. Reading: Defining Social Stratification, 86. Reading: Healthcare in the United States, 176. Reading: Systems of Social Stratification, 87. Putting It Together: Marriage and Family, 146. Anthropologist Ken Barger (1971) discovered this when he conducted a participatory observation in an Inuit community in the Canadian Arctic. After two weeks in Spain, Caitlin had developed a bit more compassion and understanding for what those people had gone through. North Americans keep more distance and maintain a large personal space. Even something as simple as eating and drinking varies greatly from culture to culture. But the tribal members congratulated him, saying, You really tried! In Bargers own culture, he had learned to value victory. Over the course of his stay, Barger participated in caribou hunts, learned how to take shelter in winter storms, and sometimes went days with little or no food to share among tribal members. Marias mother kissed Caitlin on both cheeks when she greeted her. Exciting as it was, she felt isolated and disconnected. Likewise, most cultures recognize music in some form. There was new food to digest, new daily schedules to follow, and new rules of etiquette to learn. Perhaps the Chicago traveler was initially captivated by Montanas quiet beauty and the Chinese student was originally excited to see a U.S.-style classroom firsthand. Over the course of his stay, Barger participated in caribou hunts, learned how to take shelter in winter storms, and sometimes went days with little or no food to share among tribal members. Reading: Theoretical Perspectives on Deviance, 77. Xenocentrism is the opposite of ethnocentrism, which means to value one's own culture more than the other's culture. During his time with the Inuit tribe, Barger learned to engage in cultural relativism. However, indiscriminately embracing everything about a new culture is not always possible. In sociology, we call thisculture shock. Reading: Theoretical Perspectives on Religion, 150. 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. The way cuisines vary across cultures fascinates many people. That night, Caitlin crawled into a strange bed, wishing she hadnt come. Reading: Conflict Theory on Education, 159. Xenocentrismis the opposite of ethnocentrism, and refers to the belief that another culture is superior to ones own. Why It Matters: Health, Aging, and the Elderly, 168. The way individuals perceive other cultural practices can be broadly segregated into two types cultural relativism and ethnocentrism. 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. Reading: Lines of Descent and Family Stages, 141. 1. We relate to others through a shared set of cultural norms, and ordinarily, we take them for granted. This is an example of: [reveal-answer q=501221]Show Glossary[/reveal-answer] [hidden-answer a=501221]. She understood that adjusting to a new culture takes time. Citing Paraphrases and Summaries (APA), 4. Xenocentrism is the preference for the cultural practices of other cultures and societies, such as how they live and what they eat, rather than of one's own social way of life.

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