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Multiple-Choice

1. The people of different cultures often have different views on the relations between: (A) God and man; (B) the individual and the group; (C) the citizen and the state; (D) liberty and authority; (E) all of the above 2. Which of the following are deep structure institutions in the U.S.? (A) family, community, religion; (B) values, beliefs, attitudes; (C) Coca Cola, GM, Ford; (D) city, state, nation; (D) A and B; (E) A, B, and C 3. Deep structure institutions and their messages: (A) endure; (B) are deeply felt; (C) supply much of a person’s identity; (D) B and C; (E) A, B, and C

4. The most basic unit of society is: (A) the citizen; (B) the committee; (C) the family; (D) power; (E) control

5. Which of the following is not a factor associated with changing definitions of the American family? (A) economic changes; (B) religious tolerance; (C) technological innovations; (D) demographics; (E) gender roles and opportunities for women

6. What are the two characteristics of globalization most responsible for changes in family structure? (A) mass media and migration; (B) free trade and fluid economic opportunities; (C) mass media and fluid economic opportunity; (D) fragmentation and identification; (E) fragmentation and migration

7. The functions of the family include: (A) reproduction; (B) economic; (C) socialization; (D) values and religion; (E) all of the above

8. Which of the following is not a function that the family contributes to? (A) identity; (B) communication proficiencies; (C) economic; (D) indoctrination; (E) socialization

9. Which of the following is true about cultural variation in family interaction: (A) all major institutions of a culture are tied together; (B) individual families within a culture vary; (C) gender roles are subject to change; (D) B and C; (E) A, B, and C

10. In U.S. culture, males are socialized to be: (A) successful, aggressive, nurturing; (B) sensitive, nurturing, concerned with appearance; (C) successful, aggressive, self-reliant; (D) successful, self-reliant, concerned with appearance; (E) sexual, nurturing, and interdependent.

11. In this country, traditionally, children see the father get served first at meals, get the first bath, and receive nods and deep bows from the rest of the family. (A) Japan; (B) India; (C) Saudi Arabia; (D) U.S.; (E) Mexico

12. Which of the following is true about individualism and collectivism? (A) most cultures are primarily one or the other; (B) most cultures include a mixture of the two; (C) collectivistic cultures promote individual gain; (D) individualistic cultures support the notion of personal contribution to the greater good; (E) A, B, and C

13. Individualistic cultures are embedded in families through: (A) emphasis on independence; (B) emphasis on autonomy; (C) encouragement of self-actualization; (D) A and B; (E) A, B, and C

14. Families in collectivist cultures tend to offer their members all of the following except: (A) lifelong support; (B) emotional security; (C) a sense of belonging; (D) a sense of self-reliance

15. Relatively speaking, the extended family is a major influence in all of the following cultures except: (A) sub-Saharan Africa; (B) France; (C) U.S.; (D) Mexico; (E) Puerto Rico

16. The first institution to introduce children to the notion of age-grouping is: (A) mass media; (B) family; (C) culture; (D) religion; (E) community

17. Acceptance or rejection of aggressive behavior is: (A) consistent across cultures; (B) a good example of cultural differences; (C) mediated through culturally-mediated childhood experiences; (D) A and C; (E) B and C

18. The first settlers of the U.S.: (A) were predominantly European; (B) brought with them selected European values; (C) brought with them the European system of law; (D) brought with them the basic organization of commerce that was prevalent during the sixteenth century; (E) all of the above

19. The founding fathers of the U.S. sought to establish a nation based on: (A) political freedom; (B) personal liberty; (C) rule of law; (D) egalitarianism; (E) all of the above

20. Russia’s fear of “outsiders” can be historically traced to which of the following? (A) a long history of independence; (B) secure continental isolation; (C) values of movement; (D) numerous invasions by other countries; (E) loyalty to family

21. Chinese culture has a self-perception that: (A) has prevailed for five thousand years; (B) includes feelings of cultural supremacy; (C) privileges family and clan over the state; (D) A and B; (E) A, B, and C

22. The world’s largest democracy is: (A) the U.S.; (B) India; (C) China; (D) Liberia; (E) Russia

23. All of the following are major periods in the history of Mexico except for: (A) the Mughal rulers; (B) the Spanish invasion; (C) independence from Spain; (D) the Mexican-American War; (E) the Mexican revolution

24. The “Four Rightly Guided Caliphs” are most closely associated with: (A) Sunni; (B) Shiite; (C) Hinduism; (D) Judaism; (E) Catholicism

Discussion Questions

1. What is meant by deep structure institutions? What purposes do they serve?
The three most enduring and influential social organizations that deal with deep structure issues are family,state,and religion.
There are numbers of that particular culture guidance on how to behave.The three most enduring and influential social organizations that deal with deep structure issues are family,state and religion.These three social organizations,working in concert,define,create,transmit,maintain,and reinforce the basic and most crucial elements of every culture.Not only do these institutions have a long history,but as Houseknecht and Pankhurst note,even today they remain the “essential components of modern life.”

The deep structures of a culture,which include such elements as family,history,and religion,are important because they carry a culture’s most important beliefs.Their messages endure,are deeply felt,and help supply much of a culture’s identity.

2. Compare and contrast your personal definition of family with that presented in the text.

In the text,comparative historical and cross-cultural studies reveal a wide variety of family patterns and these patterns may change over time.In spite of the variety of family forms,most experts have agreed on a general definition that is broad enough to include polygamists,same-sex marriages,single parents,and unwed mothers.The definition advanced by Noller and Fitzpatrick is general enough to include all those configurations while at the same time being broad enough to be non-ethnocentric.They define family as “a group of intimates,who generate a sense of home and group identity,complete with strong ties of loyalty and emoyion,and an expertence of history and a future.”

I think family is the person who can relax yourself,you can do yourself with them.And maybe they have blood relationships with you.It’s the most important place for a person.In my opinion,one man,one woman and a child is a good combination of a family,it will be better if they have a pet.The mother and father live with their child,they must be responsibe for reproduction,it should provide affection and personal support for its members.

3. How has globalization affected families? Be sure to address migration patterns and the mass media.
The phenomenon of globalization covers a wide variety of changes in various aspects of social,cultural,political,religious,and economic life.The two characteristics of globalization that have been most responsible for those changes are mass media and migration. One of the many expressions of globalization has been the explosion of mass media across cultures.Families in all parts of the globe are seeing images that stress nudity instead of modesty,anorexic thinness instead of health;cars,clothes and money instead of spirituality;competitiveness instead of cooperation;and assertiveness instead of social harmony.Families around the world are richly varied,responding to rapid social and demographic changes,and both maintaining and adapting traditional ways of life to present-day circumstances and demands.

Globalization has created a world where millions of workers leave their families and move from one country to another to seek jobs or higher wages.In this sense“migration is one way that men and women try to escape poverty.”Migration has an impact on the social lives of both the migrants and the families they left behind.The family breakups caused by economic migration,and the consequences of such moves,are not confined to one culture.

4. List and describe the functions of family.

Reproduction:it’s the first and most important function of the family.“Families are in charge of reproduction to keep the society going.”As simple and obvious as it sounds,this essential function allows a culture to perpetuate itself by rearing children to replace the older members of culture that pass away.Without the infusion of new life,the culture would soon disappear.

Teaching economic values:An important task given to all families is the teaching of economic sharing and responsibility.While the methods for generating goods and services,and even the means of disruption,vary from culture to culture,“virtually every family engages in activities aimed at providing for such practical needs as food,clothing and shelter.”

Socialization:Part of that instruction involves“teaching children how to fit into their particular culture.”This means sculpting the child’s behavior to conform to established norms and customs. In other words,society depends on the parents to love and nurture their chideren,to toilet-train them and teach them to speak and otherwise act in what would be considered a civilized manner.

Teaching core values and worldview:Children learn about their cultures from their parents.Parents begin to teach their children the norms and communication rules that guide behavior in their cultures.Not only are norms and values passed along by families to the child,buut families also “give them their initial exposure to questions of faiths.”Children are not born into a world that automatically disposes them to believe in one God,many gods,or no gods.And the teaching process begins in the home.Barry and associates offer yet another catalogue of the value usually relegated to the family.These include training in obedience,responsibility,nurturance,achievement,self-reliance,and general independence.

Identity development:We maintain that family is perhaps the most important of all your identities since it is a precursor to all other identities.The family is the first institution that sends you messages about your identity. “family isn’t only the basic unit of society but also affords the individual the most important social identity.”The family does this by giving children knowledge about their historical background,imformation regarding the permanent nature of their culture,and specific behaviors,customs,traditions,and language associated with their ethnic or cultural group.

Communication training: It’s in the family that we first learn how to create,maintain,and end relationships;how to express ourselves;how to argue;how to display affection,how to choose acceptable topics for mixed company.While cultures train their young people in nearly all of the behaviors they mention,cultures differ in how these behaviors are executed.Child training the world over is in certain respects identical,in that it is found always to be concerned with certain universal problems of behavior.Second,child training also differs from one society to another.

5. How does the family teach gender roles? Provide at least three specific cultural examples.

In our society males are socialized to be successful,aggressive,sexual,and self-reliant,whereas famales are socialized to be nurturing,sensitive,interdependent,and concerned with appearance.The family interactions teach children how to differentiate between masculine activities and feminine activities when they’re just infants. Confucianism made men alone the structurally relevant members of the society and relegated women to social dependence.In early Confucian families,whether they were Korean or Chinese,boys studied the classics and played,while“girls were confined to the inner quarters of the house where they received instruction in womanly behavior and tasks,such as domestic duties,embroidery,and cooking.”

The Latin tradition is male oriented and based on a strong authoritarian leader.The conception of female roles within Christianity derives in part from the masculine representation of God as the father.Within the family unit the father is the undisputed authority figure.The father makes all of the major decisions,and he sets the disciplinary standards.His word is final and the rest of the family looks to him for guidance and strength.Women,as mothers,belongs to the City of God,set apart in the protected and protecting home,Motherhood is a sacred value in Mexico.

In Indian,women are associated with nature and with powerful sources of ritual pollution stemming from menstruation and birth.The preference of a son when a child is born is as old as Indian society.A son guarantees the continuation of the generations,and he will perform the last rites after his parent’s death.This ensures a peaceful departure of the soul to its next existence in the ongoing cycle of life.Men always make most of the important decisions,inheritance is through the male line,and a woman lives in her husband’s village after she marries.Boys are given much more freedom of expression than the girls.

6. Define individualism and collectivism. Provide at least two specific cultural examples of each.

The individual-collective dimension assesses a culture’s tendency to encourage people to be unique and independent or conforming and interdependent.
The individual is perceived as a sovereign and stand-alone entity.Individualism involves self-motivation,autonomy,and independent thinking.

Collective cultures have a view of the world that is somewhat different from that of cultures that value individualism.Thomas and Inkson summarize:In collective cultures,people primarily view themselves as mumbers of groups and collectives rather than as autonomous individuals.They are concerned about their actions on their groups.Their activities are more likely to be taken in groups on a more public basis.

For Americans,individualism,as it applies to families,is linked to the history of the United States. In the United States,after attaining a certain age,children even work hard“to establish identities distinct from those of their parents.Children in America appear to be encouraged to decide for themselves,do their own things,develop their own opinion or solve their own problems.
If art is a language,the artists must talk to themselves.Art is individual,maybe only the painter of the paint can understand the meaning.

Capitalism stresses innovation, competition and individualism.
In india,family members“share property,all material possessions,food,work,and love,perform religious rituals together,and often live under the same roof.”
In China,children always live with their families unil they get married,an important Chinese cultural value is filial piety,we can’t do the bad things that may bring shame to our families.Traditionally,Chinese children feel a lifelong obligation to their parents,ideally exemplified by an unreserves devotion to please them in every possible way.

7. How do different cultures perceive age? What cultural behaviors reflect these different perceptions of age? Use specific examples of cultures and behaviors to illustrate your answers. In the United State,at least among most members of the dominant culture,we find a culture that prefers youth to old age.Staying young in the United States,there cosmetic surgery is a multi-billon-dol-lar industry for both men and women,often borders on an obsession.

In Latino cultures,these perceptions are translated into actions that see the elderly being respected and cared for.For example,“a strong culture norm for Brazilian families to care for the elderly.”“special authority is given to the elderly.”

Arab respect for older people is also reflected in a very common proverb that declares,“A house without an elderly person is like an orchard without a well.”One of the ,main reasons for this great respect and reverent attitude toward the elderly in places such as China,Korea,and Japan is that ancestor worship and the past are highly valued.

8 Compare and contrast the different social skills taught by different cultures.

Communication serves to constitute as well as reflect family life.It is through talk that persons construct their identities and negotiate their relationships with each other and the rest of the world.

Because all cultures prepare their members to live among other people,it should not be surprising that many of the same social skills are taught in every family.

In the traditional Mexican family,which highly values respect,the child is instructd to avoid aggressive behavior and to use,diplomacy and tactfulness when communicating with another individual.The Mexican parents were the most punitive for aggression against other children,while the American parents stand out as particularly tolerant of aggression against other children,
In Chinese family,children are taught the social skills necessary for the group harmony,family togetherness,interdependence in relationships,respect for their place in the generational line,and saving face.

Similarly,in Arab culture,aggression within families is overcome by requiring conformity from early childhood on.

In Thai.The child quickly learns that by behaving in a way that openly demonstrates consideration for the feelings of others,obedience,humility,politeness and respect,he can make people like him and be nice to him.

Cheal offers the following commentary on the place of talk in American families:“One of the main things family members do is talk.They talk as they go about their daily routines in the household.They talk when they visit or phone distant members who want to be informed about what is going on within the family.”

9. Why is it important to study the history of a culture to understand the culture? Use specific examples to support your answer.

Culture is a distinct belief,custom,ritual,language and a way of life of a social group or community that give identity and a sense of belonging to that social group.It is passed down from generation to general as heritage .There are simultaneous cultures through historical time giving rise to distinct and diverse cultures yet as unity to society.This acceptance of belonging and pride with identity ,the behavioral patterns within the social group and in interaction with other social groups and communities helps in the study of social psychology of the individuals in the social cultural community and the community itself.

For example,I’m syudying Koran in the university. When learning a second language it is important to study the culture of the language you're learning. Anyone can learn another language's grammar from a textbook, but what good is this learning if you don't understand the culture of the person you're speaking to? Only in learning another language and its culture will you be able to proficiently communicate with a person in that language.