Chapter 4

Ethnocentricity

Assuming one's own culture to be superior to other cultures

Sociocultural

Description of the social world through which we observe the effects of culture. It is the combination of social and cultural.

Low Context Culture

Explicit communication, direct, unambiguous, to the point. Does not rely on context and is commonly found in North America.

Communitarianism

belief that the group is the beneficiary of actions

Univeralist

condition in which concepts apply to all

Particularist

condition in which context determines what concepts apply

Monochronic

having to do with linear time, sequential activities that is divisible into block. Low context cultures are monochronic.

Polychronic

having to do with simultaneous activities, multi-tasking. High context cultures are polychronic.

Specific vs. diffuse

life divided into public and private vs. life undifferentiated

Context

the relevant environment

Culture

the sum total of beliefs, rules, techniques, institutions, and artifacts that characterize human populations

Achievement vs. ascription

what a person does vs. who a person is

Neutral vs. affective

withholding emotion vs. expressing emotion

Aesthetics

A culture's sense of beauty and good taste

High Context Culture

Communication is implicit and indirect, subtle and inferred. Context plays exceeding strong role and carries much meaning. Usually found in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East

Material culture or artifacts

all human-made objects; concerned with how people make things (technology) and who make what and why (economics)