The concept of "ethnocentrism" comes from the Greek terms "ethno," which means people, and "centric," which means center. It involves assessing other cultures based on one's own cultural norms and beliefs. When individuals utilize their own cultural principles to assess individuals or customs, they exhibit ethnocentrism. This article examines how ethnocentrism can impede social harmony in living and working environments.
Ethnocentrism is a prevalent issue impacting individuals' attitudes and behaviors. It entails people's willingness to collaborate solely with members of their own group, while excluding those from different groups. These individuals perceive their cultural norms as superior and morally righteous compared to other cultures, which they consider inferior and of lower quality. They evaluate individuals from diverse ethnic groups based on observable traits such as language, accent, and physical attributes that indicate shared ancestry. Additionally, ethnocentrism has far-reaching effects on variou
...s situations including ethnic conflicts, warfare, consumer choices, and voting.
Increased awareness and knowledge of one's own culture is the primary factor that contributes to ethnocentrism. This leads individuals to mistakenly believe that their norms, standards, and values are universally accepted. Ethnocentrism involves showing favoritism towards one's own group and disapproving of other groups, although research has indicated that attitudes towards both in-group and out-group can sometimes be positive (Cargile & Bolkan, 2013). However, ethnocentrism creates significant obstacles in social interactions and workplaces. For instance, it presents challenges in business communication across diverse cultures (Kapitan, 2015).
This phenomenon occurs when individuals from the same cultural background are unable to understand the differences in their communication practices, traditions, and thought processes that are influenced by culture. Problems can also arise in the social environment when one or more peopl
involved in social work have an ethnocentric view of conducting business. Essentially, ethnocentrism only affects those who are unaware of other cultures and believe their own culture is superior. Since each culture has its own unique values that differ significantly from others, it becomes unclear what is considered appropriate or inappropriate, right or wrong, wise or foolish within a social setting (Brewer, 2016). To illustrate this point, I can share a personal experience from my time living in Louisiana while serving in the Navy force where I encountered various individuals with whom I discussed my professional encounter with ethnocentrism.
During my time in the Navy, I gained an understanding of the varying cultural perspectives regarding authority distribution. This distinction is known as power distance and represents a society's acceptance of unequal power distribution in establishments and institutions. Consequently, conflicts may arise as individuals grapple with adapting to new values and principles. Additionally, I realized that an organization's communication structure greatly depends on how authority is perceived within its community.
The perception of authority greatly impacts how a message is received, and this perception depends on the relative status between the sender and receiver. Ethnocentrism, which occurs when individuals from one ethnic group view themselves as superior to others, can impede social living and working environments. The consequences of ethnocentrism are extensive and include ethnic conflicts, war, consumer choice, and voting.
Reference
- Brewer, M. (2016). 76 Ethnocentrism and the Optimal Distinctiveness Theory of Social Identity. Scientists Making a Difference: One Hundred Eminent Behavioral and Brain Scientists Talk about Their Most Important Contributions, 360.
- Cargile, A. C., ; Bolkan, S. (2013). Mitigating inter-and intra-group ethnocentrism: Comparing the effects of culture knowledge, exposure,
and uncertainty intolerance. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 37(3), 345-353.
Social Action in Practice: Shifting the Ethnocentric Lens in Cross-Cultural Art Therapy Encounters. Art Therapy, 32(3), 104-111.
202-207) Springer International Publishing.
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