Download ppt - Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach Chapter 4 Cultural Beliefs Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach by Jeffrey Jensen

Adolescence and Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Emerging Adulthood: A

Cultural ApproachCultural Approach

Chapter 4Chapter 4

Cultural BeliefsCultural Beliefs

Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. Copyright © 2004 by Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

Chapter OverviewChapter Overview


Processes and outcomes of socializationProcesses and outcomes of socialization Defining cultural beliefsDefining cultural beliefs Understanding the custom complexUnderstanding the custom complex Cultural beliefs in multicultural societiesCultural beliefs in multicultural societies Religious beliefs and cognitive Religious beliefs and cognitive

developmentdevelopment Moral development theories and Moral development theories and

critiquescritiques Political beliefs and socializationPolitical beliefs and socialization

Rooted inRooted in Symbolic Inheritance Symbolic Inheritance -- -- beliefs, “ideas and understandings, beliefs, “ideas and understandings, both implicit and explicit, about both implicit and explicit, about persons, society, nature and divinity”persons, society, nature and divinity”

Norms and moral standards that Norms and moral standards that arise from these beliefs, ideas and arise from these beliefs, ideas and understandingsunderstandings

Cultural Beliefs are…Cultural Beliefs are…


(Shweder et al, 1998, p. 868)(Shweder et al, 1998, p. 868)

Cultural Belief and RolesCultural Belief and Roles


Gender RolesGender Roles Age-related RolesAge-related Roles

Social Status RolesSocial Status Roles

Explain these pictures as examples of possible Explain these pictures as examples of possible cultural roles...cultural roles...

Quick Quick Question: Cultural RolesQuestion: Cultural Roles

Why do adolescents become Why do adolescents become increasingly aware of their increasingly aware of their cultural roles and what is cultural roles and what is expected of them?expected of them?


FLY-IN ANSWER!

•Increasing cognitive capacities in adolescence (i.e., abstract thinking & self-reflection)

•The transition to adulthood is approaching along with the need to adapt to adult role requirements

Socialization is…Socialization is…The process by which people acquire the The process by which people acquire the behaviors and beliefs of their culturebehaviors and beliefs of their culture


Socialization OutcomesSocialization Outcomes

1.1. Self-regulationSelf-regulation – ability to comply with social norms – ability to comply with social norms

2.2. Role preparation Role preparation – for roles in work, gender, – for roles in work, gender, institutions such as marriage, parenthoodinstitutions such as marriage, parenthood

3. Cultivation of 3. Cultivation of sources of meaning sources of meaning – “– “what’s what’s important?” “What’s to be lived forimportant?” “What’s to be lived for?”?”

Why is adolescence Why is adolescence such an important such an important life period in relation life period in relation to the three to the three socialization socialization outcomes? Discuss outcomes? Discuss and explain.and explain.

Discussion StopDiscussion Stop


Cultural ValuesCultural ValuesIndividualismIndividualism CollectivismCollectivism

IndependenceIndependenceSelf-expressionSelf-expressionBroad socializationBroad socialization““Western”Western”

ObedienceObedienceConformityConformityNarrow socializationNarrow socialization““Eastern”Eastern”


Independent Independent SelfSelf

Interdependent Interdependent SelfSelf

Keep in Mind-Cultures’ belief systems are not “pure types” -There are individual differences in any culture-Diversity also exists within individuals

Keep in Mind…

Individualism-collectivism and Broad-Narrow are NOT meant to imply moral evaluations!

Socialization: Broad & NarrowSocialization: Broad & Narrow Cultures define the Cultures define the rangerange and and focusfocus

of acceptable personal variationof acceptable personal variation

Cultures differ in the Cultures differ in the degreedegree of of restrictiveness they imposerestrictiveness they impose

NarrowNarrow socialization is to socialization is to collectivismcollectivism as as BroadBroad socialization is to socialization is to individualismindividualism


Socialization: SourcesSocialization: Sources


School Workplace

Peers/Friends Community

Media

Legal System

Cultural Belief

SystemFamily

Influence of family

diminishes in adolescence

Influence of friends, media, school,

community, legal system increases

Socialization Example: “The Law”Socialization Example: “The Law”(Burbank, 1988)(Burbank, 1988)

Adolescent socialization amongst Australian Aborigines Adolescent socialization amongst Australian Aborigines involves ritual teaching of a set of cultural beliefs known as involves ritual teaching of a set of cultural beliefs known as “The Law”:“The Law”:

- Moral precepts for conducting interpersonal Moral precepts for conducting interpersonal relationships, e.g., marriagerelationships, e.g., marriage

- Explanation for how the world beganExplanation for how the world began- Instructions for rites of passageInstructions for rites of passage

““The Law” is a set of guidelines about relations between The Law” is a set of guidelines about relations between individuals, society, and divine forcesindividuals, society, and divine forces

““The Law” is premised upon collectivistic beliefsThe Law” is premised upon collectivistic beliefs

Globalization has dramatically affected the relationship Globalization has dramatically affected the relationship between adolescents and “The Law”between adolescents and “The Law”


Socialization Example: “Middletown”Socialization Example: “Middletown”


0

20

40

60

80

1928 1978

Loyalty to church

Strict obedience

Independence

Tolerance

Study 1 – (Lynd and Lynd, 1929) Life in a typical American communityStudy 2 – (Caplow et al, 1978) Same community, 50 years later

What can you say about trends in broad and narrow What can you say about trends in broad and narrow socialization in Middletown?socialization in Middletown?

Discuss the examples of Discuss the examples of “The Law” and “The Law” and “Middletown” in terms “Middletown” in terms of broad and narrow of broad and narrow socialization and factors socialization and factors that influence changes?that influence changes?

Discussion StopDiscussion Stop


Defining Custom ComplexDefining Custom Complex


“… customary practice and…the beliefs, values, sanctions, rules, motives and satisfactions associated with it” (Whiting & Child, 1953, p. 27)

1953

1998 Scholars place the custom complex at the center of cultural psychology, which examines human development from a perspective combining psychology and anthropology

Simply Put: Typical practice in a culture and the cultural beliefs that provide the basis for the practice

““Is it Ontogenic?”Is it Ontogenic?”


Is dating something that is “ontogenic?” That is, do adolescents naturally begin dating when they reach a certain age?

Discuss in terms of the analysis of dating as custom complex.

As a class, generate other practices and decide whether they relate to a custom complex or if they are ontogenic in nature

Think about it…Think about it…Living in America – Majority and Living in America – Majority and

Minority CulturesMinority Cultures

Research has shown that cultural Research has shown that cultural beliefs of American minority beliefs of American minority cultures tend to be less cultures tend to be less individualistic and more individualistic and more collectivistic than the beliefs of the collectivistic than the beliefs of the American majority culture.American majority culture.

What happens when the socialization What happens when the socialization young people experience is not young people experience is not consistent across sources?consistent across sources?


Discussion StopDiscussion Stop Consider Feldman’s study Consider Feldman’s study

of adolescents living in the of adolescents living in the USA and Australia who have USA and Australia who have emigrated from China. How emigrated from China. How might the length of time might the length of time lived in the new culture lived in the new culture (i.e., first or second (i.e., first or second generation) influence generation) influence cultural beliefs?cultural beliefs?


How do the results in the following slide compare?

Cultural Differences: Cultural Differences: Valuing Family as Residential UnitValuing Family as Residential Unit


The longer time in USA or

Australia, the less the family is valued as the residential unit

Religious Beliefs are Cultural BeliefsReligious Beliefs are Cultural Beliefs Virtually all cultures have religious Virtually all cultures have religious

beliefs of some kindbeliefs of some kind

The content of cultures’ religious The content of cultures’ religious beliefs is diversebeliefs is diverse

Typically contain prescriptions for Typically contain prescriptions for socialization – roles, self-regulation, socialization – roles, self-regulation, sources of meaningsources of meaning

Typically specify a code for behaviorTypically specify a code for behavior


Religious Beliefs & Religious Beliefs & Cognitive DevelopmentCognitive Development

Poetic-conventional faith

Individuating-reflective faith

Fowler’s Stage(1981, 1991)

Late adolescence/ emerging adulthood

Early adolescence


Age

Awareness of symbolism

Question beliefs, incorporate personal experiences, Develop individualized faith

Caveat – Fowler’s theory is based on American majority Caveat – Fowler’s theory is based on American majority culture and individualistic valuesculture and individualistic values

Discussion StopDiscussion Stop Is it possible to apply Is it possible to apply

Fowler’s theory of changes Fowler’s theory of changes in religious beliefs in in religious beliefs in adolescence to the beliefs adolescence to the beliefs and practices of Muslim and practices of Muslim adolescents with respect to adolescents with respect to Ramadan?Ramadan?

Read Pages 117-118 of Read Pages 117-118 of your text for backgroundyour text for background


Discussion DetourDiscussion Detour Industrialized countries Industrialized countries

tend to be more tend to be more secularsecular (based on non-religious (based on non-religious beliefs).beliefs).

Why do you think Why do you think Americans generally are Americans generally are more religious than people more religious than people in other industrialized in other industrialized countries?countries?


Moral Development (Piaget)Moral Development (Piaget)Piaget observed children play games and Piaget observed children play games and

practiced and discussed rules. practiced and discussed rules.

Two Stages Based on cognitive development:Two Stages Based on cognitive development:

Heteronomous Morality (ages 4-7)Heteronomous Morality (ages 4-7)

““You can’t change the rules! The rules were made by You can’t change the rules! The rules were made by my Mother!”my Mother!”

Autonomous Morality (reached at age 10-12)Autonomous Morality (reached at age 10-12)

““I dropped the glass by accident, that wasn’t as bad as I dropped the glass by accident, that wasn’t as bad as when Julie tore up her book because she was mad.”when Julie tore up her book because she was mad.”


Moral Reasoning (Kohlberg)Moral Reasoning (Kohlberg) Kohlberg presented his participants with Kohlberg presented his participants with

hypotheticalhypothetical moral dilemmasmoral dilemmas, asked them , asked them to make a judgment and explain their to make a judgment and explain their reasons for their decision.reasons for their decision.

Whether a person judged the actions of Whether a person judged the actions of the main character in the dilemma as the main character in the dilemma as right or wrong was not important. Rather, right or wrong was not important. Rather, his* his* reasoningreasoning for the judgment was key for the judgment was key to determining stage of moral reasoning.to determining stage of moral reasoning.


*Note: Kohlberg’s research began with a study of 72 boys *Note: Kohlberg’s research began with a study of 72 boys aged 10, 13, and 16.aged 10, 13, and 16.

Moral Reasoning Stages (Kohlberg)Moral Reasoning Stages (Kohlberg)Level & StagesLevel & Stages DescriptionDescription ExampleExample

PreconventionalPreconventional Includes Stages Includes Stages 1 and 21 and 2

Based on Based on perceptions of perceptions of likelihood of likelihood of external reward or external reward or punishmentpunishment

Stage 1Stage 1 “He shouldn’t steal because “He shouldn’t steal because he’ll go to jail.”he’ll go to jail.”

Stage 2Stage 2 “He should steal because he “He should steal because he needs the money.”needs the money.”

ConventionalConventionalIncludes Stages Includes Stages 3 and 43 and 4

Right is what agrees Right is what agrees with rules with rules established by established by tradition and tradition and authorityauthority

Stage 3Stage 3 “He shouldn’t steal because “He shouldn’t steal because good sons don’t do that.”good sons don’t do that.”

Stage 4Stage 4 “He shouldn’t steal because if “He shouldn’t steal because if everyone steals there will be chaos.”everyone steals there will be chaos.”

PostconventionalPostconventionalIncludes Stages Includes Stages 5 and 65 and 6

What is right is What is right is derived from derived from universal principlesuniversal principles

Stage 5Stage 5 “He should steal because laws “He should steal because laws need to be changed to reflect peoples’ need to be changed to reflect peoples’ basic rights.”basic rights.”

Stage 6Stage 6 “He shouldn’t steal because “He shouldn’t steal because the universal principle of ownership the universal principle of ownership must be primary over an individual’s must be primary over an individual’s needs.”needs.”


Gender Critique (Gilligan)Gender Critique (Gilligan)

Male (Autonomy) vs. Female (Relationship)Male (Autonomy) vs. Female (Relationship)

Morality of Justice vs. Morality of CareMorality of Justice vs. Morality of Care


Constructing IdeasConstructing Ideas


Consider Shweder’s Cultural Critique of Kohlberg’s theory of moral development pointing out a bias toward Western Individualism.

If you were a researcher studying moral development, how would you design a research project that would address this critique. Look at the examples of research in your textbook for ideas (e.g., Walker and colleagues 1999 study of moral reasoning and real-life dilemmas).

Worldviews ApproachWorldviews Approach


Jensen (1997, 2000, 2003); Shweder et al, (1997)

Set of cultural beliefs

Explanations for why an action is right or wrong

Judgments as to whether an action is right or wrong

Prescribed byMoral judgments;

reinforce world view

Worldviews Approach: Worldviews Approach: 33 “Ethics” “Ethics”


Research shows! Emerging adults in the USA rely especially on the Ethic of Autonomy

AutonomyAutonomy CommunityCommunity DivinityDivinity

Individual is Individual is primary moral primary moral authority having authority having right to do as right to do as they wish as they wish as long as their long as their behavior does behavior does no harm to no harm to othersothers

Responsibilities Responsibilities of roles in of roles in family, family, community are community are basis for moral basis for moral judgmentsjudgments

Individual is a Individual is a spiritual entity spiritual entity subject to the subject to the prescriptions of prescriptions of a divine a divine authorityauthority

Political Beliefs (Adelson)Political Beliefs (Adelson)


Adelson’s (1971, 1991) Hypothetical Dilemma:

“Imagine that a thousand men and women, dissatisfied with the way things are going in this country, decide to purchase and move to an island in the Pacific where they must devise laws and modes of government.”

Considering the results discussed in Chapter 4, discuss how this dilemma may be resolved by:

-Middle school students (ages 12-14) in America-Emerging adults in China-Adolescents aged 16-18 in Great Britain-Use your own examples to highlight issues in the research