Ethnocentrism, Cultural Relativism and Stereotypes

Stereotyping- Example

• All Indians want to immigrate to the U.S.A

• All Indians are either Engineers or Doctors

• Indians are obsessed with skin color - A light skinned Indian is considered superior and believed to be of noble origin. 

WHAT IS A STEREOTYPE?

• A stereotype is a thought that may be adopted about specific types of individuals or certain ways of doing things. These thoughts or beliefs may or may not accurately reflect reality.
• A fixed, commonly held notion or image of a person or group, based on an oversimplification of some observed or imagined trait of behavior or appearance.
• A stereotype arises as a result of ethnocentrism.

EFFECTS OF STEREOTYPING ON PERSONS/GROUPS

• Prejudice
• Stigma
• Discrimination
• Racism
• Conflicts

ADDRESSING STEREOTYPE

• Cultural relativism
• Cultural sensitivity
• Multicultural education
• Values reorientation

Ethnocentrism

Culture Shock

Ethnocentrism is the tendency to judge another culture by the standards of one’s own culture. Ethnocentrism usually entails the notion that one’s own culture is superior to everyone else’s.

• Culture shock is the surprise, disorientation, and fear people can experience when they encounter a new culture.

• Culture shock can be an excellent lesson in relative values and in understanding human differences. The reason culture shock occurs is that we are not prepared for these differences. Because of the way we are taught our culture, we are all ethnocentric.

Example

• Americans tend to value technological advancement, industrialization, and the accumulation of wealth. An American, applying his or her own standards to a culture that does not value those things, may view that culture as “primitive” or “uncivilized.” Such labels are not just statements but judgments: they imply that it is better to be urbanized and industrialized than it is to carry on another kind of lifestyle.

• People in other cultures, such as some European cultures, also see American culture through the lens of their own ethnocentrism. To members of other cultures, Americans may seem materialistic, brash, or arrogant, with little intellectual subtlety or spirituality. Many Americans would disagree with that assessment.

Characteristics of Ethnocentrism

An individual with an ethnocentric view-

• Identifies strongly with in - group ethnicity, culture etc
• Feels proud, vain, superior about in-group
• Views economic, political, social events from the point of their in-group

Cultural Relativism

The opposite of ethnocentrism is cultural relativism—the examination of a cultural trait within the context of that culture. Cultural relativists try to understand unfamiliar values and norms without judging them and without applying the standards of their own culture

Example

• In India, the concepts of dating, love, and marriage differ from those in the United States.
• Though love is important, parents choose their children’s spouses according to similarities in educational levels, religions, castes, and family backgrounds. The families trust that love will develop over time but believe that a wedding can take place without it.
• From an American ethnocentric perspective, arranging marriages appears to be a custom that limits individual freedom.
• On the other hand, a cultural relativist would acknowledge that arranged marriages serve an important function in India and other cultures.

When many different cultures live together in one society, misunderstandings, biases, and judgments are inevitable—but fair evaluations, relationships, and learning experiences are also possible. Cultures cannot remain entirely separate, no matter how different they are, and the resulting effects are varied and widespread.

Ethnocentrism, Cultural Relativism And Stereotyping