The opposite of xenocentrism is ethnocentrism which is the tendency to overvalue one's own . Xenocentrismis the opposite of ethnocentrism, and refers to the belief that another culture is superior to ones own. Distinctions are made between different cultures based on language, behavior, customs, traditions, religion, etc. They served wine and toasted their honored guest. They help people know when to shake hands, where to sit, how to converse, and even when to laugh. 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. Rodney and Elise are U.S. students studying abroad in Italy. Sure enough, he finished last, to his mortification. Reading: Theoretical Perspectives of Race and Ethnicity, 111. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Reading: Class Structure in the United States, 92. Outcome: Race, Ethnicity, and Discrimination, 106. And it was nothing like that of her classmate Sanai. Explanation: Hope its help Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License; The tendency to look at the world primarily from the perspective of one's own traditional, deferred, or adoptive ethnic culture. Another example would be the deforestation of the Amazon Basin as indigenous cultures lose land to timber corporations. A traveler from Chicago might find the nightly silence of rural Montana unsettling, not peaceful. 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. 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. In reality, these travelers are guilty ofcultural imperialism, the deliberate imposition of ones own ostensibly advanced cultural values on another culture. A good example of ethnocentrism is referring to parts of Asia as the Far East. One might question, Far east of where?. Why It Matters: Gender, Sex, and Sexuality, 121. A good example of ethnocentrism is referring to parts of Asia as the Far East. One might question, Far east of where?. 3. For instance, a particular practice may seem immoral or unethical according to the beliefs of a different culture, but those same practices may be perfectly acceptable and normal with respect to its own culture. This leads to making incorrect assumptions about others' behavior based on your own norms, values, and beliefs. For example, Americans tend to say that people from England drive on the wrong side of the road, rather than on the other side. Reading: Mental Health and Disabilities, 175. Putting It Together: Marriage and Family, 146. Outcome: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, 128. Caitlin had trouble interpreting her hosts facial expressions, and didnt realize she should make the next toast. After two weeks in Spain, Caitlin had developed a bit more compassion and understanding for what those people had gone through. 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. Outcome: Theoretical Perspectives on Government and Power, 198. 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 one's own culture is better than all others, and should therefore serve as the standard frame of reference. For this reason, culture shock is often associated with traveling abroad, although it can happen in ones own country, state, or even hometown. Cultural relativismis the practice of assessing a culture by its own standards rather than viewing it through the lens of ones own culture. Caitlin was half asleep by the time supper was servedat 10 p.m.! Where he is from, unless they are romantically involved, men do not kiss one another. Practicing cultural relativism requires an open mind and a willingness to consider, and even adapt to, new values and norms. 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. Accessibility StatementFor more information contact us atinfo@libretexts.org. Europes colonial expansion, begun in the sixteenth century, was often accompanied by a severe cultural imperialism. The present world consists of a variety of unique cultures. The idea was formulated by Franz Boas; however, the term was later introduced by the social theorist, Alan Locke in 1924. People react to frustration in a new culture, Oberg found, by initially rejecting it and glorifying ones own culture. Why It Matters: Religion and Education, 147. Europes colonial expansion, begun in the sixteenth century, was often accompanied by a severe cultural imperialism. RT @VirgilWalkerOMA: "Many would contend that the struggle for social justice and the propagation of Christian nationalism share no similarities. Ethnocentrism can be so strong that when confronted with all of the differences of a new culture, one may experience disorientation and frustration. One example is the romanticization of the noble savage in the 18th-century primitivism movement in European art, philosophy and ethnography. The people who maintain an ethnocentric view in life will not typically bother much about other societies and cultures in the world, past or present. 7. 6789 Quail Hill Pkwy, Suite 211 Irvine CA 92603. This is an example of: Youll have more success on the Self-Check, if youve completed the three Readings in this section. People react to frustration in a new culture, Oberg found, by initially rejecting it and glorifying ones own culture. Reading: Theoretical Perspectives on Aging, 184. What issues or events might inform this? Caitlin had trouble interpreting her hosts facial expressions, and didnt realize she should make the next toast. There was new food to digest, new daily schedules to follow, and new rules of etiquette to learn. 2 words related to ethnocentrism: partisanship, partiality. Why It Matters: Deviance, Crime, and Social Control, 76. Outcome: Challenges Facing the Elderly, 189. Why do you believe this? They help people know when to shake hands, where to sit, how to converse, and even when to laugh. This comparison of one's culture to others has a significant impact on how we perceive the people around us and the organizations to which we belong. The way cuisines vary across cultures fascinates many people. They help people know when to shake hands, where to sit, how to converse, and even when to laugh. Europes colonial expansion, begun in the sixteenth century, was often accompanied by a severe cultural imperialism. and should therefore serve as the standard frame of reference. a. Cultural relativismis the practice of assessing a culture by its own standards rather than viewing it through the lens of ones own culture. 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. ethnocentrism; xenocentrism; Show Answer. Outcome: Theoretical Perspectives on Media and Technology, 240. a tendency to evaluate other people, activities, cultures, etc. People with the best intentions sometimes travel to a society to help its people, because they see them as uneducated or backwardessentially inferior. A good example of ethnocentrism is referring to parts of Asia as the Far East. One might question, Far east of where?. The belief that ones culture is inferior to another culture is called: 2. Reading: Theoretical Perspectives on Economics, 206. It proposes that all cultures have their own merits and demerits, and hence are of equal value such that there is no concept of cultural superiority. 5.5: Reading: Ethnocentrism and Xenocentricism is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts. Almost everyone is a little bit ethnocentric. When Rodneys host brother introduces himself and kisses Rodney on both cheeks, Rodney pulls back in surprise. People with the best intentions sometimes travel to a society to help its people, because they see them as uneducated or backwardessentially inferior. Putting It Together: Race and Ethnicity, 120. 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. But bit by bit, they became stressed by interacting with people from a different culture who spoke another language and used different regional expressions. Ethnocentrism, as sociologist William Graham Sumner (1906) described the term, involves a belief or attitude that ones own culture is better than all others. Exciting as it was, she felt isolated and disconnected. For instance, Ethan is an ethnocentrist; he considers others' beliefs and practices. Practicing cultural relativism requires an open mind and a willingness to consider, and even adapt to, new values and norms. Xenocentrism is the opposite of . Trying hard and working together, two nonmaterial values, were indeed much more important than winning. (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. Some visitors may find this practice admirable, while others may think its inappropriate. Why It Matters: Sociological Foundations, 10. In January 2011, a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America presented evidence indicating that the hormone oxytocin could regulate and manage instances of ethnocentrism. Putting It Together: Population, Urbanization, and the Environment, 224. Sign up to receive the latest and greatest articles from our site automatically each week (give or take)right to your inbox. All people are the same; its only their habits that are different. Confucius. Practicing cultural relativism requires an open mind and a willingness to consider, and even adapt to, new values and norms. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. People react to frustration in a new culture, Oberg found, by initially rejecting it and glorifying ones own culture. Reading: Introduction to Theoretical Perspectives, 15. Despite how much humans have in common, cultural differences are far more prevalent than cultural universals. This perception of one's culture in comparison to other's plays a great role in how we perceive the individuals around us and the groups that we are a part of. 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. When they are introduced to their host families, the families kiss them on both cheeks. Read the full article here. Trying hard and working together, two nonmaterial values, were indeed much more important than winning. In all these instances, you're considering yourself and your culture to be the best compared to all others. He knew hed never hold his own against these experts. Hence, no theory is strictly enforced during cultural studies, therefore allowing one to understand another culture without the need to approve or disapprove of it. The way cuisines vary across cultures fascinates many people. . Sometimes when people attempt to rectify feelings of ethnocentrism and develop cultural relativism, they swing too far to the other end of the spectrum. The main similarity is that they both are too much. Explain each perspective, give an example of each, and discuss any flaws that each perspective might have.
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