Anthropology is the study of humans and human behavior and societies. It comes from the Greek words "anthropos" meaning human and "logos" meaning reason or knowledge. Cultural anthropology specifically is the study of human cultures and how they develop. A key aspect of culture that anthropology studies is that it is learned and shared among members of a group, including aspects like customs, languages, tools and beliefs. Culture can differ across groups and regions and is always changing over time as societies change.
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It is a
compound of
two Greek Word
“Anthropos”
and “Logos” Which can be
translated as ‘Human’
and ‘reason’
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Anthropology – means “reason
about humans” or knowledge about
humans”
Social Anthropology would then
means knowledge about humans in
societies.
- Of course, cover the other social
sciences as well as anthropology.
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Culture
- Derives from the
Latin “Colere” –
Cultivate, to settle, e.g.
agriculture,
horticulture
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Cultural Anthropology
- Means ‘knowledge about cultivated
humans’. Knowledge about those
aspects of humanity which are not
natural, but which are related to that
which is
required
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Culture comes in many
shapes and sizes. It
includes areas such as
politics, history, faith,
mentality, behavior
and lifestyle. The
examples above
demonstrate how a lack
of cultural sensitivity
led to failure.
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The are many definitions of the word
“Culture”
Culture is developed within the
individual as well as the outside
environment
It is continually changing and dynamic
Culture is reflected in communication
patterns
Culture is way of acting, a way of
behaving
Culture is a collective phenomenon
People who grow up in similar
environment tend to share common
attitudes and behave in similar ways
Culture is not inherited, it is learned
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Culture is a complex whole which include knowledge,
belief, art, law, morals, custom and other capabilities
and habits acquired by man as a member of society
(Edward Taylor, 1958)
Culture is a complex whole that consists of all the ways we
think and do and everything we have as members of society
(Robert Bierstadt, 1974)
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Culture is what all human beings learn to do, to use,
to produce, to know, and to believe as they grow
to maturity and live out their lives in the social groups
to which they belong
Culture is the knowledge, language, values, customs
material objects that are passed from person to person
and from one generation to the next in a human group
or society
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CULTURE
(according to Geert Hofstede)
The collective programming of the mind
that distinguishes the members of
one category of people from another
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Culture is not only the way we do things.
It is also our attitudes, thoughts,
expectations, goals and values. It is the
rules of our society – the norms that tell
us what is and what is not acceptable in
the society
Culture can also be viewed from an
anthropological perspective, that is, in
its most traditional interpretation, such
as Aboriginal Culture
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Material Culture – formed by the physical
objects that people create
Cars, clothing, books, buildings, computers
Archeologists refer to these items as artifacts
Non-material Culture – abstract human
creations (can’t touch it)
Language, family patterns, work practices, political and
economic systems
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Better service to international guests
Improved relations in the workplace
Increased return in business
Improved the industry and the
organization reputations
Better service to local community
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Functional: each culture has a function to
perform; its purpose is to provide
guidelines for behavior of a group of people
Social Phenomenon: human beings
create culture; culture results from human
interaction and is unique to human society
Prescriptive: culture prescribes (sets down
or imposes) rules of social behavior
Learned: culture is not inherited; it is
learned from other members of the society
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Arbitrary: cultural practices and
behaviors are subject to judgment. Certain
behaviors are acceptable in one culture and
not acceptable in other culture
Value Laden: culture provides values and
tells people what is right and wrong
Facilitates Communication: culture
facilitates verbal and nonverbal
communication
Adaptive/ Dynamic: culture is constantly
changing to adjust to new situation and
environment; it changes as society changes
and develops
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Long Term: culture is developed
thousands of years ago and it was
accumulated by human beings in the
course of time and is the sum of
acquired experience and knowledge
Satisfy Needs: culture helps to satisfy
the needs of the members of a society
by offering direction and guidance
(Source: Reisinger, 2003, p.14)
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Dominant culture consists of several subcultures
Subcultures can be based on race, ethnicity,
geographic region or economic or social class
Race: a genetic or biological similarity among
people (Asians, Caucasians, etc.)
Ethnicity: a wide variety of groups of people
who share a language, history and religion and
identify themselves with a common nation or
cultural system
Geographical region: geographic differences
within countries or similarities between
countries
Economic and social class: differences in the
socio-economic standing of people
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Each subculture community exhibits
characteristic patterns of behavior that
distinguish it from others within a parent
culture
Each subculture provides its members
with a different set of values and
expectations as a result of regional
differences
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SUB CULTURE
SUB CULTURE
DOMINANT CULTURE
Dominant culture directs the
form of publicsocial
Sub culturesindicate
the form ofprivate
social interaction
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Different patterns of verbal communication
Language
Phonology (differences in sound)
Semantic (differences in meaning of words)
Syntactics (differences in the sequence of the words
and their relationships to one another)
Pragmatics (differences in effects of language on
perceptions)
Paralanguage
Intonation, laughing, crying, questioning
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Different patterns of non-verbal
communication
Body movement (kinetics)
Space and Touch: Use of personal space
(intimate, personal, social, public)
Sense of Time
Other non-verbal codes: clothing,
building, furnishing, jewelry, cosmetics,
skin and hair color, body shape
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Role, Status, Class, Hierarchy, Attitudes
towards human nature, Activity,
Relationships between individuals.
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Describing reasons and opinions
Expressing dissatisfaction and criticism
Joking, asking personal questions,
complimenting and complaining,
expressing dislike, showing warmth,
addressing people, apologizing,
expressing negative opinions and gift
giving
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Cultural differences on the interaction process
between a service provider and a visitor
Example: Chinese Hosts & American Tourists
Chinese escorting their guests everywhere,
providing them with a tight itinerary and not
leaving an opportunity to experience the
Chinese life style privately. The Chinese hosts
believe they have provided their guests with
courtesy.
American tourists may view such hospitality as
an intrusion and lack of trust.
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There are many dimensions of which
cultures differ
Some of the dimensions (scope) are:
According to Hall, cultures can be
differentiated on the basis of orientation
towards:
Human nature: agreements
Activity orientation
Human relationships: amount of space,
possessions, friendship, communication
Relation to time: past/ future
Space orientation: public/ private
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Hofstede (1980, 1984, 1991)
Power distance (PD): interpersonal
relationship develop in hierarchical society
Uncertainty Avoidance (UA): the degree to
which people feel threatened by ambiguous
situations
Individualism-Collectivism (IC): the degree
to which individual goals and needs take
primary over group goals and needs
Masculinity-Femininity (MF): the degree to
which people value work and achievement
VS quality of life and harmonious human
relations
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CULTURAL INTERACTION MODEL (PORTER AND SAMOVAR, 1988)
CULTURE C
text
CULTURE A CULTURE B
text
text
text
text
text
text
text
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Differing shapes of the individual
represent the influence of different
cultures on an individual
When an individual from Culture A
leaves its culture and reaches
Culture B, his or her behavior
changes because of the influence
of a culturally different society.
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1. In your own words, briefly define the term
CULTURE
2. Write 3 hidden and 3 visible components of
culture
3. List 3 important benefits of a multicultural work
force?
4. What is subculture?
5. Explain cultural differences in communication
and service and give examples