© Marvy! Advertising Photography © Gavin Heller/Getty Images culture shock The feelings of disorientation, uncertainty, and even fear that people experience when they encounter unfamiliar cultural practices. Chapter 3 / Culture • 61 sessions, when they get in-country, they often have a difficult time adjusting because so many of the little things that they took for granted, things they barely noticed before, no longer apply. Anyone who feels disoriented, uncertain, out of place, or even fearful when they encounter unfamiliar cultural practices the comparatively provocative dress styles and open displays of affection that are common in the United States and other Western cultures. Interestingly, after students who study abroad return home, they may experience a kind of reverse culture shock. Their time away has changed them, often in ways they were unaware of, and they find that they cannot so easily slip back into the old routines that those who remained at home expect of them. Culture shock reveals to us both the power and the taken-for-granted nature of culture. The rules we follow are so ingrained that we barely notice that we were following them until they are no longer there to provide the structure and order we assume as a given. All of us, to some extent, take for granted the cultural practices of our society. As a result, it can be surprising and even disturbing to realize that other cultures do not follow our way of life. The fact is, customs that seem strange to us are considered normal and proper in other cultures, which may view our own mores and folkways as odd. ATTITUDES TOWARD CULTURAL VARIATION Ethnocentrism Living in the modern world, especially as a result of the revolutions in transportation and communication, makes it far more likely that we will encounter people from a whole range of cultural backgrounds than we were in the past. As a result, we are also more likely to struggle with what we think about the beliefs, values, and practices of others. When we hear people talking about “our” culture versus “their” culture, we are often confronted with statements that reflect the attitude that “our” culture is best. Terms such as underdeveloped, backward, and primitive may be used to refer to other societies. What “we” believe is a religion; what “they” believe is superstition and mythology. It is tempting to evaluate the practices of other cultures on the basis of our own perspectives. Sociologist William Graham Sumner (1906) coined the term ethnocentrism to refer to the tendency to assume that one’s own culture and way of life represent what’s normal or are superior to all others. The ethnocentric person sees his or her own group as the center or defining point of culture and views all other cultures as deviations from what is “normal.” Thus, Westerners who see cattle as a may be experiencing culture shock. For example, a resident of the United States who visits certain areas in Cambodia and wants meat for dinner may be stunned to learn that a local specialty is rat meat. Similarly, someone from a strict Islamic culture may be shocked upon first seeing ethnocentrism The tendency to assume that one’s own culture and way of life represent what’s normal or are superior to all others.
Witt_Soc2016_ch03
To see the actual publication please follow the link above