CULTURAL STABILITY AND CHANGE

This paper is structured to fulfill the assesment of intercultural communication.

Lecture : Ela Nurmala, M.pd

Compiled by:

Dina Alfiana (1718210011)

Iseu Rahma Fauziah (1718210031)

Liga Rahmawati (1718210035)

Sekolah Tinggi Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan Subang

English Education Program

2020
 Preface

First of all, thanks to Allah SWT because of the help of Allah, writer finished writing the paper
entitled “CULTURAL STABILITY AND CHANGE” right in the calculated time.

The purpose in writing this paper is to fulfill the assignment that given by Mrs. Ela Nurmala,
M.Pd as lecturer in Intercultural communication.

In arranging this paper, the writer truly get lots challenges and obstructions but with help of
many individual’s, those obstructions could passed. Writer also realized there are still many
mistakes in process of writing this paper.

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 Table of contents

Preface...........................................................................................................................................2
Table of contents...........................................................................................................................3
Chapter 1.......................................................................................................................................4
Backround..................................................................................................................................4
Formulation of the problem.....................................................................................................4
Chapter II......................................................................................................................................5
Definition of cultural values.....................................................................................................5
Some (Etic) frameworks for understanding cultural values.................................................5
Functions of Cultural Values...................................................................................................6
Cultural Values (Self)...............................................................................................................7
Cultural values (family)............................................................................................................8
Why is it important to have a family culture?........................................................................8
Cultural value in (Society)........................................................................................................9
Chapter III..................................................................................................................................11
Conclusion................................................................................................................................11
References................................................................................................................................11

Chapter 1

Backround

Culture comes from the Sanskrit language that is Buddha, which is the plural form of Buddha
(mind or reason), which is related to human mind and reason. Culture is a way of life that

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develops, and is shared by a group of people who will be inherited to the next offspring. Culture
is closely related to human life cannot be released, because the culture in it also includes
customs, language and others that usually can also be used to regulate social life. Culture is also
a pattern of life that is holistic, complex, abstract and broad. Then what about cultural values?
Of course, every culture also has values that apply to the local community. Cultural values are
the values contained in the culture of each region, in Indonesia the culture is very broad, so that
each region has a different cultural value. There are many values of life that are inculcated by
every culture in the world. Cultural values are certainly different in essence, but the umpteenth
of many cultures in the world has orientations that are almost in line with others.

Formulation of the problem

1. what is mean by cultural values ?

2. what is mean by cultural values ( self ) ?
3. what is mean by cultural values ( family ) ?
4. what is mean by cultural values ( social ) ?
Chapter II
Discussion

Definition of cultural values

Human being raised in a certain culture is taught some rules that keep the social order and
direct people's thoughts and actions. These rules are cultural values.

• According to Olechnicki1: cultural values are established points of view on what is

desired and valuable in a certain society.
• According to Geert Hofstede2: cultural values are our reactions to the environment
we live in, and we are taught those values before we are 10-11. There are some
among them that create the concept of a desired social model. Hofstede claims that
cultural values are irrational, even though they shape our subjective view on
rationality. He illustrates him claim by saying that we first like something and then
we try to support the claim that it is right to like it..
• According to Professor Sarah Jainof the Cultural and Social Anthropology...
“Culture is the complex and elaborate system of meaning and behavior that defines
the way of life for a group or society.”

Some (Etic) frameworks for understanding cultural values

Gudykunst and Kim (2003) present a variety of frameworks that can be used to compare
cultures. That is, they tend to be used for cross-cultural communication (with the assumption

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 that when people engage in intercultural communication, they might reflect these same
values). Further, to be able to compare cultures, these frameworks are used for all cultures
studied, rather than specific to any single culture (that is, they are etic frameworks). Finally,
they are most frequently used to be able to make predictions about cultures—for example,
researchers have conducted studies to see if people in individualistic or collectivistic
cultures are more likely to use hints or direct requests as a first strategy to influence
someone’s behaviour (see work by Min Sum Kim on South Korea, Hawaii, and mainland
U.S.). A couple of points before we begin:

• “Objective” (scientific) researchers seldom study cultures for the sake of the
culture’s themselves, but rather use the cultures to tap some underlying
variable, such as power distance or high/low context.
• “Subjective” researchers would probably not use these frameworks as a whole;
they might use specific terms, but may instead look at a single idea (such as
“social status”) and how it is defined and communicated within a single culture.
• Scholars are increasingly using both group- and individual-level variables. For
example, the work of M.S. Kim above does group comparisons by country, but
also measures “self-construal” to make predictions about people who see
themselves independent or interdependent of others (regardless of culture) on
how they make requests.
• These frameworks provide some of the “basic language” of interculturalists.
Just like learning a foreign language, your mastery of these terms is essential
for your future reading in the course!

High and Low Context: This deals with where one looks for meaning. According to Hall,

• High context cultures tend to place meaning “internalized within the

communicators (more or less his words—but from my memory). That is,
meaning is embedded in the role relationships, the situations, the history of the
individuals, etc. In a high-context classroom, you would just be expected to
know what to do (or how to write a paper) based on the relationship with the
instructor, the social prescriptions, the level and type of class.
• Low context cultures place meaning in the “explicit code”—that is, the words.
In these cultures, words are more likely to say what they mean, and we look for
meaning in them.
Note that many of our definitions of communication, as a “vehicle to transfer meaning
from one person to another” reveal a low-context approach. Cultures with a high-context
approach would not look for meaning in the words, but in nonverbal behaviours or in
linguistic subtleties. These cultures, then, might use communication for different

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 purposes, such as building unity (or resistance), being artistic or metaphoric, etc. Some
cultures, in fact, distrust the verbalized word, thinking it only obscures reality.

Functions of Cultural Values

• Values provide goals or ends for the members to aim for.

• Values provide for stabilities and uniformities in group interaction. They hold the
society together because they are shared in common. Some sociologists argue that
shared values form the basis for social unity. Since they share the same values with
others, the members of society are likely to see others as “people like themselves”.
They will therefore, have a sense of belonging to a social group. They will feel a part
of the wider society.
• Values bring legitimacy to the rules that govern specific activities. The rule are
accepted as rules and followed mainly because they embody the values that most
people accept. The Americans for example, believe that the capitalist organization is
the best one because it allows people to seek success in life.

Cultural Values (Self)

Cultural Values Self-concept is also shaped by cultural values. Among other things, the society
in which one is reared defines what is desirable and undesirable in personality and behavior. For
example, American culture puts a high premium on individuality, competitive success, strength,
and skill.
When individuals meet cultural expectations, they feel good about themselves and experience
increases in self-esteem (Cross & Gore, 2003).
Cross-cultural studies suggest that different cultures shape different conceptions of the self
(Adams, 2012; Cross & Gore, 2003). One important way cultures differ is on the dimension of
individualism versus collectivism (Triandis, 2001).
• Individualism involves putting personal goals ahead of group goals and defining
one’s identity in terms of personal attributes rather than group memberships.
• In contrast, collectivism involves putting group goals ahead of personal goals and
defining one’s identity in terms of the groups one belongs to (such as one’s family,
tribe, work group, social class, caste, and so on).

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 • Although it’s tempting to think of these perspectives in either/or terms, it is more
appropriate to view them as qualities that vary in degree and that can be assessed
(Fischer et al., 2009).
• Thus, it is more accurate to say that certain cultures are more or less individualistic
(or collectivist) than others rather than see them as either one or the other Culture
shapes thought (Nisbett, 2004; Nisbett et al., 2001).
Researchers have noted parallels between the self-views promoted by individualistic and
collectivist cultures and the self-views of some groups.
• For example, women usually have more interdependent self-views than men (Cross &
Madson, 1997).
• But don’t take this finding to mean that men are less social than women; rather, it
means that men and women get their social needs met in different ways (Baumeister
& Sommer, 1997).
• Thus, women are usually involved in close relationships involving intimate friends
and family members (relational interdependence), while men tend to interact in social
groups such as clubs and sports teams (collective interdependence) (Gabriel &
Gardner, 1999).
• These gender differences in self-views may explain other observed gender
differences, such as women being more likely than men to share their feelings and
thoughts with others.

Cultural values (family)

Culture is based on social interactions in and outside the family, and cultural values are
transmitted from one generation to the next by socialization processes. Therefore values of
children and the family, as well as intergenerational relations, are important aspects of such
interrelated processes
It can be assumed that these values are part of the developmental niche and of conditions for
individual development. These values can also be assumed to influence individual behaviour,
such as giving birth to a child or not, whether and why children are valued, which values underlie
childrearing goals, practices, and parent-child relationships, and which values are transmitted by
which means to the next generation. The respective values of children and the family will
influence childrearing practices, e.g., fostering certain value orientations and competences in the
child, which in turn will influence the developmental niche and the related cultural values.
Therefore, values of children and family are seen here as related to the general cultural context
on the one hand, and to the individual socialization experiences including past and present parent
child relationships on the other.
Family culture means the values, rules and traditions that govern a family’s life and routine.

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Every family has its own dynamic: a distinct way in which they tackle daily activities, solve
common problems, set family goals and relate to one another.
Yet, how many of us consciously think about these important matters?

I’d bet very few.

Perhaps we give it some thought before our first child is born.

But once we’re “in the trenches”, its survival mode. Who’s waking up with the baby? Did you
pack those diapers? Is there food in the fridge? What am I packing for the kids’ lunch
tomorrow? Who’s taking Theo to soccer practice? Who’s helping Claire with her homework?
And so on….

Ironically, these are precisely the moments you wonder what the heck you’re “fighting” for.

Why is it important to have a family culture?

A family culture is created whether we intend to or not.

Even if we don’t make conscious decisions and openly discuss our values, norms and traditions
within our household, we still create a family culture. Only by default. And one likely based on
our own experiences as a child — rejecting what we perceived as negative and incorporating
what we treasured or admired.
Do we really want to let our family culture be created by chance? Or do we want to make
conscious decisions that will bring consistency and help us connect with our children?

Here are my top 3 reasons why a family culture is so important (and why you should give it some
serious thought):
• Having a Common Vision “Vision unites, gives focus, dominates all inner
conversations and inspires greatness” (Miller 1995).
• Defining the Family System
It is easier to define how each family member can best contribute to the family’s shared
vision when we pause and have meaningful conversations about what we want and why
we want it. Most importantly, everyone feels heard and validated.
• Making Conscious Decisions
Knowing your family culture can help you navigate the endless amount of (often
contradicting) advice, tune out the noise, and follow your heart and intuition.
“It’s not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are.”

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Cultural value in (Society)

Culture in society refers to the ways of life of the members of a society, or of groups within the
society. It includes how people constructed their life, customs, values, norms, religions,
ceremonies, show the way they dress, eat, drink etc. In other words, culture includes all our
behaviors and structured all our lives.
Also, norms and values work together to shape how members of culture behave within their
everyday life. Example: Hospitality gets norms like giving gifts, visited etc.

Common Cultural Values in Our Society

The importance of cultural values both for society and individuals cannot be overstated. Cultural
values are what shape society, and shape and influence the people who live within that society;
differences in cultural values between society and the individuals within can lead to problems
such as culture clash, disagreements, and more.
That is why it’s vital that you not only understand the importance of cultural values as a whole
but that you understand the cultural values themselves.

The following are 3 common cultural values examples that you need to know.

 Being vs. Doing

A culture that values “being” focuses on simply being in the world; that is, understanding the
world and valuing concepts such as living together in harmony and peace, rather than attempting
to exploit or alter the world to fit a certain view.
If your cultural values align with ‘doing,’ you are likely a more assertive person who believes
they not only can but should, alter the world to achieve your goals.
A culture that values “doing” focuses on changing the world around them through direct action.
In other words, valuing the development of changes to the world in order to achieve goals both
as a whole and for individuals.

If your cultural values align with ‘being,’ you are likely someone who values understanding
people and living with them in harmony rather than changing the world to suit your beliefs.

 Humane Orientation

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A culture that values humane orientation emphasizes the importance of viewing others
humanely; this includes promoting empathy, altruistic behaviours, and harmony among different
races, cultures, and religions.
High humane orientation values also emphasize the importance of people helping out other
people as a natural element of society, rather than relying on intervention from outside
governments or powers.
For example, societies with a high level of this cultural value will often expect children to
support their parents in their old age.
A culture that has lower humane orientation values emphasizes individuals solving their own
problems and issues themselves.
For example, societies with a low level of this cultural value will not expect children to support
their parents in their old age.

 Individualism vs. Collectivism

A culture that values individualism emphasizes Independence and individual goals over the
group as a whole. People are expected to focus more on individual goals, pursuits, and passions;
families and groups are limited and more exclusive.
A culture that values collectivism emphasizes group harmony and group living over individual
passions and pursuits. People are expected to view themselves through the lens of society as a
whole, and families and social groups are broader and more inclusive.

Chapter III

Conclusion
Human being raised in a certain culture is taught some rules that keep the social order and direct
people's thoughts and actions. These rules are cultural values.
Cultural Values (Self) Cultural Values Self-concept is also shaped by cultural values. Among
other things, the society in which one is reared defines what is desirable and undesirable in
personality and behavior.
Cultural values (family) Culture is based on social interactions in and outside the family, and
cultural values are transmitted from one generation to the next by socialization processes.
Therefore, values of children and the family, as well as intergenerational relations, are important
aspects of such interrelated processes
Cultural value in (Society) Culture in society refers to the ways of life of the members of a
society, or of groups within the society. It includes how people constructed their life, customs,
values, norms, religions, ceremonies, show the way they dress, eat, drink etc.

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References

http://my.ilstu.edu/~jrbaldw/372/Values.htm

http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/sociology/the-meaning-and-functions-of-social-
valuessociology/8522
https://www.slideshare.net/MehranRostamzadeh/the-self-54627134
https://ourwholevillage.com/3-reasons-why-a-family-culture-is-important/
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/30014429_Cultural_values_regarding_children_and_fa
mily_The_cultural_meaning_of_parent-child_relationships
https://www.slideshare.net/PennVillanueva/culture-and-society-76608872
http://www.scielo.br/pdf/ram/v10n3/a05v10n3.pdf
http://revianasitimardiah.blogspot.com/2017/11/makalah-orientasi-nilai-budaya.html?m=1

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