Chapter 12
Cultural Influences: Generalization
and Cross-Cultural Perspectives
Copyright Atomic Dog Publishing, 2003
Chapter Spotlights
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Cultural generalizations
Cross-cultural perspectives
Culture in the U.S.
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Cultural Generalizations
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Culture is pervasive
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It’s in most every corner of people’s lives
High-context style—is where the
communication has most of the information in
either the physical way it’s presented or the
person receiving it already knows the meaning
Low-context style—the knowledge of the ins
and outs of the society is not as widespread
Culture is functional
Copyright Atomic Dog Publishing, 2003
Generalizations (continued)
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Culture is
learned/shared
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Enculturation: learning
about one’s own
culture and/or
assimilating into it
Acculturation: learning
about the ways of a
culture which is
foreign and/or
assimilating into it
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Socialization
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The process through which we strive to acquire
the characteristic ways of behaving, the values,
norms, and attitudes of the social unit of which
we are part
Influences on socialization
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Family
Religion
Education
Mass media
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Culture Is Dynamic
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It undergoes constant change
Major factors contributing to change are:
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Technology
Cultural diffusion: occurs when people in one
culture become exposed to people and/or ways
of another culture (e.g., the “western”
influence, or “eastern” influence)
Natural, political, and conflict events
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Climatic changes, earthquakes, wars, etc.
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Culture Is Environmentally
Dependent
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Refers to the influence of geography and
natural resources on culture
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Weather patterns (temperature, precipitation,
length of days, hours of sunlight, etc.)
Topography (living in a mountainous area as
opposed to ocean-side area or the plains)
The abundance of oil, availability of timber,
minerals, water, etc.
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Rejection of Culture
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It is most common in
periods of political,
social, economic or
technological change
Four rejection paths:
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Hedonism
Etherealization
Search for community
Activism
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Cross-Cultural Perspectives
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Is there a global culture?
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It is a myth!
Economic integration (EU, NAFTA) versus
political disintegration (the former Soviet
Union, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia)
Comparing and contrasting cultures is a
multifaceted venture
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The Consumer’s Culture View
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Ethnocentrism: the tendency to view one’s own
culture as better or even superior to others
Consumer ethnocentrism: tendency to desire to
buy goods or services only from native land (a
measure: The CETSCALE)
Cultural animosity: having a strong aversion (or
hatred, in some cases) to people of another
particular country
Cultural relativism: judging or viewing any
behavior, value, or norm within its own social or
cultural setting
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Cultural Comparison—A Key
Values Approach
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Individualism versus collectivism cultures
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Individualism: putting one’s own advancement
and welfare ahead of everybody else’s
Collectivism: putting the good of others, the
groups we belong to, and the society at large
above our own
How would you classify the U.S. culture?
Copyright Atomic Dog Publishing, 2003
Masculinity Versus Femininity
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Masculine societies—male roles are considered
superior to those of the female
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High value placed on monetary gain, material
possessions, competition, being successful, being
assertive, and aggressive
Feminine societies—female roles are considered
as superior
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High value placed on nurturing, family, quality of life,
social responsibility, and environmental quality
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High Versus Low Power Distance
Cultures
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Power distance relates to the level of social
inequality and how willing members of a society
are to accept authority at all levels
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Very high power distance cultures: difference in power
between the most and least powerful individuals or
groups is great; authority is readily accepted
Low power distance cultures: informal relationships,
more equality, and shared authority
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High Versus Low Uncertainty
Avoidance Cultures
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Cultural acceptance levels of ambiguity are
indications of willingness to avoid
uncertainty
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High uncertainty avoidance (a “certainty”
culture)—routinized behavior patterns, many
rules and regulations, low tolerance of new
ideas and ways to do things
Low uncertainty avoidance (an “uncertainly”
culture)—”go with the flow”
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Abstract Versus Associative
Thinking Cultures
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Abstract thinking—cultures where members
are logical thinkers interested in the
principle of cause and effect,
Associative thinking—cultures where
connections or associations with people,
celebrities, and events impact on the
importance of things,
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The Confucian Dynamic Impact
on Cultures
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Confucian Dynamic scale includes the
following values at its positive end: persistence,
hard work, thrift, shame, and regard for
relationships that indicate a future-oriented
dynamic mentality (on the opposite end are
values indicating a static mentality)
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Culture in the United States
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Traditional American
values and
consumption (see
Exhibit 12-3)
Emergent American
values and
consumption (see
Exhibits 12-5 & 12-6)
Copyright Atomic Dog Publishing, 2003