Cultural Differences Essay

1162 Words5 Pages
Cultural Differences Paper Cultural Differences Paper Culture refers to a set of shared values, beliefs, and norms held by individuals of a group. Culture includes customs, material artifacts, and language that is transmitted from generation to generation. In the United States alone, there are several cultural differences. People do not dress the same, people have different perceptions of the world around them, have different languages, and also have different ways of expressing their personality. Differences between individuals within a culture are much greater than differences within groups. A person's belief, personality, social standing, education, among other factors affect human behavior and culture. Recognizing and understanding differences in cultural patterns provides a framework for interpreting goals and behaviors of others. The purpose of this paper is to analyze racial and ethnic identity and to discuss their significance in understanding cultural differences. The build up of racial and ethnic identity in the United States is perplexing and difficult to define. Race commonly refers to distinctions of one's physical appearance, whereas ethnicity refers to distinctions based on religion, food, origin, language, and other cultural factors. Racial and ethnic populations differ from society in respect to culture. “Ethnic identity is not a fixed categorization, but rather is a fluid and dynamic understanding of self and ethnic background” (Trimble & Dickson, 2010, p. 41). “Ethnic identity is constructed and modified as individuals become aware of their ethnicity within the large sociocultural setting” (Trimble & Dickson, 2010, p. 41). Many people face issues with their identity especially adolescents. Youth face the challenges of being teased about their cultural background and about their physical features. Some youth experience unequal treatment
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