What is Culture?
How would you describe the culture of the United States? Would you talk about the way we dress? The
foods that originated here? The English language? The way we salute the American flag? What about our
individualistic values and emphasis on competition?
Culture can be defined as the language, norms, values, beliefs, and more that, together, form a people's
way of life. It is a combination of elements that affect how people think, how they act, and what they
own. American culture, for instance, includes everything just mentioned. It also includes our history,
architecture, accepted behavior, and so much more.
Culture is an essential part of being human. No one is completely without it; in fact, an individual can be
part of many cultures and subcultures. For example, someone who lives in the U.S. could be part of the
national culture in addition to the distinct culture of the South, a religious community, a heritage group,
and more.
Race- Another part of the definition was 'who share biologically transmitted traits.' Really,
for race, this means skin color. Skin color also usually has other stereotypical traits that go
with it, such as hair color, certain facial features (like the size of your nose or the color of
your eyes), height, and so on. But for most cultures, skin color seems to be the most
important trait when it comes to race.
Another part of the definition was 'who share biologically transmitted traits.' Really, for race, this
means skin color. Skin color also usually has other stereotypical traits that go with it, such as hair
color, certain facial features (like the size of your nose or the color of your eyes), height, and so on.
But for most cultures, skin color seems to be the most important trait when it comes to race.
What are the major things that make you feel as though you belong in a certain group? Among other
things, you probably speak the same language, celebrate the same traditions, and share a common
history with others in the group. These elements comprise the culture to which you belong. When
that is considered in the context of your nationality and race, it could be a strong indicator of your
ethnicity.
Broadly speaking, a person's ethnicity is their heritage and ancestral roots. Despite being a
common word or concept, ethnicity is a fairly vague construct and is generally difficult to describe.
This is due in part to differing contexts. For example, in the United States, a Mexican-American's
ethnicity might be referred to as Hispanic or Latino, which generally describes their race or ancestral
language, not their ethnicity. In another country, that same person's ethnicity might be described as
Mexican, referring to their culture and heritage.
What is Social Class?
A social class is a large group of people who occupy a similar position in an economic system.
There are several different dimensions of social class, including:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Income
Wealth
Power
Occupation
Education
6. Race
7. Ethnicity
Acculturation
While defining social classes in the U.S. is difficult, most sociologists recognize four main categories:
upper class, middle class, working class, and the lower class. Let's examine these concepts further.
The base word of acculturation is 'culture'. What is culture? Simply stated, culture means a way of
living and a way of life. Culture means that there are certain ways and reasons in which individuals
and group of people speak, conduct themselves, celebrate holidays, and express their belief
systems. As you can imagine, there is a tremendous diversity of cultures around the world.
Some of these cultures include American, Hispanic, Asian, and European cultures. When discussing
cultures, we can break down the larger geographic areas into smaller regions. For example, if you
were asked to discuss the American culture, you might explain that there is a difference between
those living on the West Coast versus those living on the East Coast. Perhaps a difference might be
in the food that people eat, the clothes that people wear, or the customs and activities that they
participate in.
Perhaps you are asked to discuss the Hispanic or South American culture. In doing so, there are
many subcultures such as Mexican, Brazilian, Chilean, Honduran, and so on. There are as many
cultures in the world as there are countries, states, and regions!
Understanding the term 'culture' can lead us to more fully understand the terms associated with the
theory of acculturation. So what does acculturation mean? When individuals or groups of people
transition from living a lifestyle of their own culture to moving into a lifestyle of another culture, they
must acculturate, or come to adapt the new culture's behaviors, values, customs, and language. The
word 'acculturation' is the act of that transition.
Ethnic identity refers to the ethnic group with which an individual most closely associates.
Identifying one's ethnic identity is not as simple as checking a box according to one's skin color. On
the contrary, ethnic identity is a complex and multifaceted part of the development of an individual.
A test is not considered biased simply because some students score higher than others. A test is
considered biased when the scores of one group are significantly different and have higher
predictive validity, which is the extent to which a score on an assessment predicts future
performance, than another group.
Most test biases are considered cultural bias. Cultural bias is the extent to which a test offends
or penalizes some students based on their ethnicity, gender or socioeconomic status.
Types of Test Bias
Researchers have identified multiple types of test bias that affect the accuracy and usability of
the test results.
Construct Bias
First is construct bias. Construct bias occurs when the construct measured yields significantly
different results for test-takers from the original culture for which the test was developed and
test-takers from a new culture. A construct refers to an internal trait that cannot be directly
observed but must be inferred from consistent behavior observed in people. Self-esteem,
intelligence and motivation are all examples of a construct.
Basing an intelligence test on items from American culture would create bias against test-takers
from another culture.