Etic & Emic

approaches to Culture
 In Anthropology….
• Etic & Emic refer to two kinds of research
done/ viewpoints
• Emic: from within the social group
• Etic: from outside the group (observer)
 Etic
• Etic approach is the perspective of an outsider
looking in.
• Eg. An American anthropologist going to Africa
to study a nomadic tribe
• He did not integrate himself into the culture
• This approach avoids altering the culture by
direct interaction
• One problem: people tend to act differently
when being observed
• WHO is an example of Etic approach
• Created a group that specializes in Health and
Human Rights- analyzing health related issues but
some may feel an attack on their life
• This problem of right and wrong in terms of
crossing cultural lines is a big one
• It can be hard for some cultures to watch other
cultures do things that are seen as damaging
when to one culture itself it has a purpose &
meaning
 Emic
• A perspective focus on the intrinsic cultural
distinctions that are meaningful to the members
of a given society
• Emerges from the concept of immersion in a
specific culture
• Include more details and culturally rich
information
• One problem: can create bias on the part of
participant, failing to perceive how others view,
possibly missing out valuable information