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CULTUREHow do we define it?
How does it shape who we are, & what we feel, think, & do?
Class 1
How do we define “culture”?
External definitions
Concrete definitions
Behavioral definitions
Symbolic definitions
Internal definitions
2SWEP III, SBennett, CUA, 2011
Culture is…
Rooted in behavior…what we do, how we behave, how we respond
Includes our material artifacts…art, music, buildings, products, natural resources
Includes our thinking…social knowledge, beliefs, morals, laws, customs
Includes our patterns & symbols…language, public meanings, class
Includes our values…ideas, habits, traditions
3SWEP III, SBennett, CUA, 2011
Values & Thought Patterns
Beliefs
Behaviors
Culture is like an Iceberg
4SWEP III, SBennett, CUA, 2011
In other words…
“Culture includes multiple levels of traditions, values, & beliefs, as well as
social, biological, & natural acts.
These processes are driven by the meanings we give to or take from them.
These meanings are fortified or changed in relations between people,
as history unfolds.”
--E. Hutchison (2008)
5SWEP III, SBennett, CUA, 2011
It has been suggested that…
Individuals & groups view the world in different ways,
shaped by their cultural experiences
These different ways of understanding affect
communication
Such differences may lead to conflicts &
misunderstandings between groups
E. Hall (1976). Beyond Culture
6SWEP III, SBennett, CUA, 2011
For example, on a continuum…
Some people have “low context” vision…
Others have “high context” vision
history
posture
social setting
importance
words
tone
gestures
phrasingsocial status
LOW
CONTEXT
HIGH
CONTEXT8SWEP III, SBennett, CUA, 2011
The general differences along this continuum
Persons with high context
vision tend to be…
More relationally based
Circular in thinking
Focused on a wide range
of information
Less verbally explicit
Persons with low context
vision tend to be…
More individually based
Linear in thinking
Task oriented & narrowly
focused
Rule oriented & factual
9SWEP III, SBennett, CUA, 2011
Yet culture is a dynamic
process that also must be
viewed within a personal &
situational context
J. Laird has said that cultures are…
ImprovisationalWe fit experiences into meanings & create new meanings & new symbols
Fluid & emergentWe have multiple cultural selves that shift according to our setting
An intersection of many groupsWe belong to many groups, & there is diversity within our groups
Not measurableIt is not a thing or an object; it is a cluster of meanings from past, present, & future
PoliticalPeople do not have equal opportunities to have their stories told
11SWEP III, SBennett, CUA, 2011
As we move further into the 21st century…
Western societiesare in the midst of a shift from a “modern” to a “postmodern” view
of human interaction & culture
But in many parts of the world…
Traditional societies are in the midst of shifting from a
“premodern” to a “modern” view of human interaction & culture
What does this mean?
“Premodern traditional”
Premodern traditional societies are pre-industrial & built on subsistence agriculture.
Communal values, religious authority, stability, & order are valued.
Blood lines, tribes, & hierarchy determine social status.
Religious beliefs & traditions are valued more than scientific reason.
15SWEP III, SBennett, CUA, 2011
“Modern”
Modern societies are built on the belief that science & knowledge are objective, & we can know the cause & effect of behavior.
Human beings are viewed as developing through a predictable interaction between external sociocultural forces & internal psychological forces.
Progress, individualism, achievement, & capitalism are valued.
16SWEP III, SBennett, CUA, 2011
“Postmodern”Postmodern societies value diversity in the midst
of a multicultural, global world.
Status is based on difference, not power.
The development of “the self” is viewed as a
conscious, ongoing, unfolding process; we have
multiple selves, with many vocabularies.
Rationality is viewed as limited; objective, value-
free science is viewed as one-sided.
Unpredictability & chaos are recognized.
17SWEP III, SBennett, CUA, 2011
Postmodernism proposes that…
Reality is both subjective & objective.
Subjective reality is created by the internalization of our social norms.
Our understandings are a result of our social relationships, developed at a particular point in time.
18SWEP III, SBennett, CUA, 2011
Social processes (such as communication, conflict, & negotiation) can be used for social control.
The way we see the world affects our social policy & our choices.
19SWEP III, SBennett, CUA, 2011
What do you think?
Do you live in a traditional, modern, or postmodern culture?
How would you describe your culture?
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