Cultural Perspectives & Group Dynamics

Cultural Reactions to New Experiences

• Reactions to unfamiliar cultural practices can vary:
  • Negative Reaction: Finding it disgusting and wrong. This signifies judging another culture from the perspective of one’s own culture.
  • Neutral Reaction: Recognizing the cultural significance without personally endorsing it.

Ethnocentrism vs. Cultural Relativism

• Ethnocentrism:
  • Judging another culture by the standards of one’s own culture.
  • Viewing one’s own culture as superior.
• Cultural Relativism:
  • Understanding cultural practices from the perspective of that culture.
  • No absolute right or wrong; all cultures are valid.
  • Limitation: Activities violating human rights cannot be justified by cultural relativism.

Formation of Groups Based on Cultural Views

• Group Formation:
  • Groups form due to shared psychological connections (e.g., love of insect dishes, politics, spirituality).
  • In-Group: The group to which one belongs and feels most connected.
  • Out-Group: Those not part of the in-group.

Dynamics within and between Groups

• In-Group Favoritism:
  • Favoring and being more friendly towards members of one’s own group.
  • Neutral towards out-group members; no special favors.
• Out-Group Derogation:
  • Potentially hostile or discriminatory towards out-group members.
  • Often happens if the out-group is perceived as a threat.
• Group Polarization:
  • Groups can make more extreme decisions collectively than individual members would.
  • Can intensify other group dynamics like favoritism or derogation.

Example: Insects as Food

• In-group: Sees insects as pests and forms strong internal bonds over this belief.
• Out-group: Considers insects as a delicacy, potentially facing derogation from the in-group.
• Polarization can lead to extreme actions, such as campaigning against insect consumption.