Culture and Cultural Values

Summary

This video script from MOT 115 delves into the intricacies of trans-cultural communication, focusing on culture and cultural values. It defines culture as shared lifestyles, languages, and traditions passed down through generations. The lecture explores how cultural values shape worldviews, relationships, and expectations, especially concerning time. It contrasts American and Asian values, emphasizing individualism versus group orientation, and respect for authority versus resistance. The script also touches on subcultures, the adaptability of culture, and the influence of universal events like birth and death. It concludes with a discussion on various cultural groups within the U.S., their values, and the importance of understanding these differences for effective communication.

Takeaways

• 🌐 Culture encompasses the shared lifestyles, languages, behaviors, traditions, and beliefs that are learned and passed down through generations.
• 🕰 Cultural values influence a person's worldview, philosophy of life, relationship with the environment, religion, and time expectations.
• 👀 In the U.S., punctuality is valued, whereas in countries like Italy and Spain, a more flexible approach to time is accepted.
• 🤝 Understanding cultural norms is crucial for effective communication, especially in professional settings like healthcare.
• 🌱 Culture is adaptive and changes over time due to environmental issues, wars, illnesses, migrations, and technology.
• 🌟 Immigrants must assimilate into new cultures by learning and internalizing the values and traditions of their host country.
• 🏡 Subcultures exist within larger cultures, each with distinct values and expectations, often based on factors like age, gender, or shared interests.
• 🔄 Cultural values function as a set of rules that guide interactions, problem-solving, sense of belonging, and identity.
• 🌍 Comparisons between American and Asian cultures highlight differences in individualism, attitudes towards authority, family structures, and respect for tradition.
• 🏆 American culture places a high value on competition and innovation, while Asian cultures emphasize group harmony and respect for the past.
• 👥 Other cultures, such as Hispanic, African-American, Native American, Amish, Filipino, Iranian, Irish, and Jewish, each have unique values and traditions that contribute to the diversity of the United States.

Q & A

What is the definition of culture according to the script?

Culture is defined as the common lifestyles, languages, behavior patterns, traditions, and beliefs that are learned and passed from one generation to the next.

How does culture influence a person's worldview and expectations?

Culture helps determine a person's worldview, philosophy of life, relationship to the environment, religion, and expectations about time.

What is the difference in the concept of being 'on time' between the United States and countries like Italy, Spain, and parts of Africa?

In the United States, being on time often means showing up 10-15 minutes early, whereas in Italy, Spain, and parts of Africa, being on time is considered as arriving anytime within the agreed hour.

Why is it important to understand cultural differences when working with patients and clients?

Understanding cultural differences is important to know what patients and clients are comfortable with and what they are uncomfortable with, allowing for more effective and respectful interactions.

How does culture adapt over time and what factors contribute to this adaptation?

Culture is adaptive and changes over time due to environmental issues, wars, illnesses, migrations, and technology.

What does the term 'subculture' mean and how can it form within a larger culture?

Subcultures are smaller groups within a larger culture, each with its own values and expectations. They can form based on age, gender, religion, or shared activities, often emerging and being recognized from the outside before being acknowledged from within.

How does the script describe the difference between American and Asian cultural values regarding individualism and group orientation?

Americans value individualism and independence, while Asians focus more on group orientation where the benefit of the group is more important than that of an individual.

What is the cultural expectation regarding eye contact in the United States versus some Asian countries?

In the United States, making eye contact is expected when speaking with someone, but in some Asian countries, it is considered rude.

How does the script differentiate between American and Hispanic values in terms of family structure?

Americans typically have smaller families, often nuclear or blended, while Hispanics tend to have larger family structures, including extended family members like second and third cousins.

What is the script's perspective on the importance of tradition versus innovation in American and Asian cultures?

Americans value innovation and progress, often showing less concern for preserving older buildings, while Asians value tradition and are more reluctant to demolish older structures because they represent their heritage.

How does the script describe the cultural differences between Americans and African Americans in terms of focus on the present versus the future?

White Americans tend to focus on the future, while African Americans, like Hispanics, tend to focus more on the present.