Chapter 3

Marginal man

Stonequist's concept of how one feels when one is caught between two worlds.

Delay of gratification

The ability to wait for a more desirable reward instead of taking a less desirable reward immediately.

Human activity

The distinction among being, being and in becoming, and doing. Being and being in becoming refers to an individuals evolving into something different and presumably better. Doing refers to an individuals being valued for the activity in which he or she is engaged.

Social relations

The distinction among lineal, collateral, and individualistic. Lineal orientation is a respect for the hierarchy within one's family. Collateral orientation is essentially the same as collectivism. Individualistic orientation is the same as individualism.

Locus of control

The focus of control over outcomes of ones life, be it internal or external control.

Locus of responsibility

The focus of responsibility for ones position in life, be it internal feelings of responsibility or external or societal responsibility.

Losing face/saving face

loss of a face involves being publicly revealed for negative behavior; face saving involves being able to protect one's public persona.

Shame

A prominent negative emotion in collectivistic cultures that involves an individuals sense of regret for having engaged in a negative behavior that reflect badly upon his or her family and/or upbringing.

Guilt

A prominent negative emotion in individualistic cultures that involves an individuals sense of personal regret for having engaged in a negative behavior.

Worldview

A psychological perception of the world that determines how we think, behave and feel.

Collectivism

A social pattern in which individuals tend to be motivated by the group's or collective's preferences, needs, and rights when they come into conflict with one of the individual.

Individualism

A social pattern in which individuals tend to be motivated by their own preferences, needs, and rights when they come into conflict with those of a group or collective in which the individual is a member.

Masculine-feminine dimension

A continuum of authority from hierarchical (masculine) to egalitarian (feminine).

Eric Perspective

An attempt to build theories of human behavior by examining commonalities across multiple cultures.

Emic Perspective

An attempt to derive meaningful concepts within one culture.

Time focus

An orientation that values a particular time perspective. Some cultures value the past, some value the present, and some value the future. Although all cultures value all three, some cultures value one of these perspectives more than other cultures do.

Allocentrism

Collectivistic tendencies that reside within an individual. Collectivism refers to the society, whereas allocentrism refers to an individual.

Face giving/giving face

Extolling the virtues of another persona in public. It would be considered boastful and individualistic if the individual did this himself/herself.

Idiocentrism

Individualistic tendencies that reside within an individual. Individualism refers to the society, whereas idiocentrism refers to an individual.

ALANA

Helms's acronym for African Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, and Native Americans.

VREG

Helms's acronym for members of visible racial/ethnic groups.

People/nature relationships

How people relate to nature, be it subjugated to nature, in harmony with nature, or mastery over nature.

Countercultural individuals

Idiocentric individuals residing in a collectivistic culture, or allocentric individuals residing in an individualistic culture.

Imposed etics

The imposition of one culture's worldview on another culture, assuming that one's own worldview are universal.