How much does culture affect your personality/character and who you are? Is culture everything to someone's personality traits?
There are various opinions on how environment affects personality. There are psychologists who believe we are all born as a ‘clean or empty slate and then culture would be something that develops our personality.But most psychologists believe our personality is a product of both environment and genetics.The culture you come from no doubt has an influence. Children tend to be influenced and shaped by the world they grow up in. It may conflict with their natural dispositions and reactions and so then they have to choose. With these choices we make, we are deciding what is dominate: our natural self or the environment.Some people conform to culture to the extent of becoming iconic representations of it. Others reject it or at the least resist its influence.By the time we are adults we tend to make our own choices and grow beyond the culture we grew up in. Some adapt other cultures and some reject culture altogether thinking that it stifles or corrupts a person’s personality and character.We all have the will and imagination to create any life we want. We do not have to be confined to culture.
What is wrong with Cultural Relativism?
These answers are close, but don't quite get to the heart of the matter. A distinction needs to be drawn. There is a fact of cultural relativism, and an ethical theory of cultural relativism. The fact of cultural relativism is likely what you find so appealing because it is flat true. The fact of cultural relativism says that as a matter of fact, different cultures have different mores. Just ask any anthropologist, or even visit another culture yourself. The fact of cultural relativism is borne of IS statements. Ethical theories are composed of OUGHT statements. It is a different thing to say that different cultures have different beliefs than it is to say that different cultures OUGHT to behave differently. As an ethical theory, relativism of any kind has two major problems. 1. The first is defining culture in such a way as to respect that there are sub cultures and persons who are members of more than one culture, etc. so eventually we get into cultures of one, since nobody's cultural experiences are exactly identical to anyone else's. At this point we have individual relativism, and nobody could call "Act however you want" a legit moral theory. 2. The more serious problem is that you can't have an ethical theory (a theory that tells people how they ought to act) without some guideline. Since relativism is the idea that there are no universal moral norms, there can be no guideline of any kind, and hence no ethical theory. "Act as your society deems appropriate" IS a universal moral norm, so it can't even be adopted by a relativist, even though "Act as your society deems appropriate" is the statement of what it means to be a cultural relativist. QED, the position is internally self-contradictory. Remember, the fact that people disagree about what is right and wrong does not mean that there is no right and wrong. Someone is correct, we just may not be able to definitively say which.
How does society influence one's behavior?
There are unlimited ways in which society influences behaviour. This can also differ in different cultures. After all we are social creatures who are very much shaped by external factors. Some ways society can influence behaviour includes:- pressures from society may restrict you to doing jobs you may not like, in order to meet societal expectations of success, status, financial stability, gender roles, etc.- society prevents you from committing morally wrong acts. We are never born perfect and each of us have banes. However, due to fear of ostracism/punishment we refrain from committing crimes deemed as wrong by society.- it limits our behaviours, as we fear of being judged. For instance, we don't scratch our buttocks in public even if they're itchy. - it can cause us to lie. In order to meet society's expectations and feel dignified/proud in society, some people lie about their achievements.- it can cause people to fear exposing their character in public. Some homosexuals are afraid to come out for fear of condemnation, etc.
How does culture influence human behavior?
Culture as an influence of behaviour takes the “nurture" side of the argument about influences of behaviour. culture looks at the totality of any given society's belief system, laws, mores, practices, language and attitudinal variables which makes a people unique from others. As you know, it is transmitted from one generation to the other. What happened when you are groomed in the ways of a particular culture?You start acting and behaving in ways that are seen as appropriate to such a culture. Your dress sense, grooming, language, belief system and attitude become molded to fit into that society which makes you become accepted by them.Hence, culture plays a big role in determining how an individual behaves in any given environment. Take for example, in some places, baring the breasts is seen as normal, while in some places it is forbidden. Some places allow males and females to mingle freely in public places: others do not. This has a tremendous impact on behaviour, and is evident when these persons go to a place that has a different culture comparsd to theirs. They encounter what is known as “culture shock", and it is most evident from their reactions and behaviours to certain unique stimuli which they come in contact with in a new place.So yes, culture plays a big role in influencing behavior.
How does society influence and shape individuals?
At an early age our parents have great influence on how we behave and on our moral values. While growing up you go to kindergarten, school, etc , etcDepending where you grow up, and the things you listen and do you are building your personality, many times you emulate , copy and react to life situations depending on your closest influences, and experiences.In my native country we did joke about black people, Jewish people, Italian , etc, but when I came to USA racism took a different turn. I saw a different point of view, I understood you will be judged for your skin color, the way you walk, speak, dress and where you live. I speak and write broken English, and I understand I will be discriminated , example:When I moved from New Jersey to Florida I try to find short cuts, got lost and stopped a bar to have a drink and ask for directions the man behind the counter responded: Quote” we do not serve your kind”Now depending if you go to church or go to a musk or synagogue you are going to be influence in how you see the world thru “religion”We have people that have friends, and this friends influence them to blow themselves up in the name of Allah.I was offered the opportunity to start a business in Germany, and knowing how German people are, I declined. Don’t need to be abused anymore. Regardless where you go in our world people have their own opinions of life, countries, religion some find balance some other become extremists and go killing people because they don’t the other person political opinions.Depending on your personal up bringing , life experiences, religions, friends you are going to be shaped to believe in one thing or another.Example: statistically speaking people from South America believe they are entitled to Universal Health Care, but in Uruguay South America my parents always paid blue cross and Blue shield insurance, so I know Universal Health Care does not work, more over when the government takes control of your health care bone and organs transplant like they did in Uruguay , my mother was told she needed to wait 2 years for a hip transplant, so two years on painkillers !The above is how society influence and shape individuals