Cultural Beliefs Arnett

8/11/2019 Cultural Beliefs Arnett

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Cultural Beliefs: Chapter 4

Samuel R. Mathews, Ph.D.

Dept. of Psychology

University of West Florida


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Culture:

customary beliefs, social forms, and materialtraits of :

racial,

religious, or

other social group;

characteristics features of everyday existence;

set of shared values, goals, and practices thatcharacterizes an institution, group, or

organization


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Culture and Adolescence

Developmental periods/stages are constructedwithin a culturally specific context

Defines rules, responsibilities, benefits, and

structures appropriate to the period of timewe call adolescence

Adolescence, for many cultures reflects a

coming of age Provides specific rituals or rites of passage and

specific practices in preparation for adult

responsibilities and privileges


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Cultural Beliefs

Norms, values, standards, and expectations a culture

has generated for its participants

In general, adolescents are unique in that their own

values are moving toward those of adults in the

culture Intergenerational transmission of beliefs about roles

form coherence of society

Changes in beliefs due to historical and individual

events form basis for cultural evolution (e.g.

Bandura)


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Socialization: Bringing Individuals into the

Culture

Selfregulationmanaging ones behavior in a

culturally appropriate way

Rolepreparationlearning the prerequisites for

assuming one or more roles as defined by culturalbeliefs

Sources of meaningunderstanding the essence of

human existence (mortality, evil/good, etc)


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Socialization: Bringing Individuals into the

Culture

Socialization is grounded in: religious, political,

historical,familial, and individual dispositional

factors

Socialization is related to: age, sex/gender,

social class, race, etc

Learning ones appropriate place in ones

culture is based on intentional and incidental

learning.


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Cultural ValuesIndividualism/Collectivism

Independent selfbroad socialization:

Focus is on being schooled to a broad set of norms within which onecan choose;

focus is on individual choice and autonomous behavior;

individual success is valued over the collectives or groups

success/values;

Interdependent selfnarrow socialization:

Focus is on being schooled to conform to a single or narrow set of

norms

Individual variability is reduced and the collectives or groups values

are enhanced Group or collective success is valued over individual success


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Cultural ValuesIndividualism/Collectivism

Individualism more linked to economic success

Collectivist ideals linked to other forms of wellbeing

There are trade offs for each pole in the continuum between

individualism and collectivism

Within either culture there is a high degree of variability


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Cultural Values and Cultural Practices

Cultural Complexes (Practices)the

intersection between the values and practices

of a culture

Key practices related to values

Dating, courtship, marriage (USA/Palau)

Gendered practices in employment

Racial/ethnic practices in employment


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Multicultural Societies and Communities

Typical drift: minority cultures move toward majority

culture values and practices

Models of multicultural coexistence:

Assimilation: minority culture relinquishes its identity as it

is absorbed into the dominant culture Accommodation: minority culture adopts dominant

cultures practices in interaction with dominant culture but

retains its own identity when operating independently of

the dominant culture Pluralism:each culture maintains its own practices and

identities with cooperative and interdependent

interactions in settings such as workplaces and schools.


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Culture, Religion, and Adolescence

Religion and religious practices provide:

Guidelines for socialization through:

Self regulation

Role preparation

Sources of meaning

Structures for families activities

Participation in religious activities

Participation in rites of passage


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Religion and religious practices provide:

Protective factors for adolescents who have

families with structure and common values to

guide activities

Confounding factors: Family organization and predictability

Joint activities with family

Common values and practices

Positive peer affiliations


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Cognitive Development and Religious Themes The prediction is that as formal operations emerge, beliefs

and values move from concrete ways of acting to more

abstract concepts to impact source of meaning

Abstract and hypothetical thought can also pave the wayfor:

Questioning core beliefs

Identifying hypocritical actions by those in authority

Exploring alternative belief systems


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Culture, Moral Development, and

Adolescence

Focus in theories of development of moralreasoning is on the processes and criteria used

to make decisions

Kohlberg: Based on justice and principledbehavior

Preconventional Reasoning

Conventional Reasoning Postconventional Reasoning

Critiques tend to be focused on masculine bias and justice

focus instead of focusing on relationships


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Adolescence

Gilligan: Based on an ethic of care and

relationships

Self care

other care

Self-other care from need

Critiques tend to be based on a similar gender bias

Subsequent studies suggest that males andfemales vary in their use of justice and care

orientations and gender rather than sex seems

relevant.


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Adolescence

Shwedercultural perspective

Higher level moral reasoning can occur within the

context of a particular cultural norm;

Everyday experiences are more indicative than

hypothetical cases for assessing moral

development

Concepts of right and wrong are rooted with acultural milieu

Situational ethics are based on a particular religious or

traditional focus


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Adolescence

Worldview perspectives (Jensen)

Worldviews are lens through which we view the

world and make judgments

Jensens Codes

Ethic of autonomy

Ethic of community

Ethic of divinity WorldviewMoral ReasoningMoral

EvaluationMoral BehaviorModify

Worldview


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Culture and Political Thinking in

Adolescence

Key factors in development acrossadolescence (Adelsons work):

Cognitive development (immutable laws to a

social constructivist view) Movement away from authoritarian preference

(consideration of interaction of individual with

collective rights)

Ideological perspectives increase (focus on higher

abstract principles)


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Adolescence

Political beliefs and political/civic activism

Adolescent disenchantment with status quo;

seeming unequal treatment

being held responsible for acting like an adult without

adult privileges

Time of questioning (including religious, political,

cultural tenets)


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Adolescence

Outcomes of political engagement:

Apathy/disengagement

Community Service

Civil disobedience

Civil unrest

Violent rebellion

Whether or not action is taken, it is typically a time

for questioning (including religious, political, cultural

tenets)


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Discussion Questions for Culture

1. Think about your position on allowing

homosexual marriages the same rights and

status as heterosexual marriages.

2. What sources from culture informed your

position?

3. What sources from culture might have

informed those who hold the opposite view?

4. What are differences and similarities in the

sources of the two views and how might they

be resolved?

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Cultural Beliefs Arnett