. Culture, unlike language, is not comprised of fixed rules that apply to all members of one culture. The cultural generations in this text are descriptions of commonly observed patterns; they may not be true for every member of a given culture.2. Cultural generalizations are different from stereotypes. The latter are applied to all members of a particular culture and tend to limit, rather than broaden, one's views of other cultural groups. Stereotypes are exaggerated images and beliefs. The generalizations in this book provide insight into learned behaviors often demonstrated by many people of a given group.3. There are no absolute "rights" or "wrongs" implied in this book, only cultural differences. What is appropriated in one culture may be inappropriate in another culture.4. The book gives examples of many cultural patterns around the world. You and a fellow student from the same culture may disagree with the validity of a generalization. Discussing your culture's values and behaviors, keep in mind two levels of observation: (1) all cultures have values and ideas that their members say are true; and (2) people's behaviors may not always reflect those values. For example, egalitarianism is a strong value in the United States, but, in reality, the behavior of all Americans does not reflect this values.5. Culture does not explain all behavior. It does greatly influence behavior, an individual's personality, age, gender, economic and educational levels, life experience, relationships, and specific situations.6. It is the best way to overemphasize either cultural differences or cultural similarities. Those who say, "We are alike, we're all human" deny the shape and flavor that cultures contribute to individual development. Those who say, "We're so different that we must stay separate" create harmful barriers by closing their eyes to what is common to every human being. We hope this text book will encourage people to find a comfortable middle ground.7. Finally, learning about culture is enriching it. The more one learns about others, the more one see one's own culture more clearly. By learning about contrasts, we can better understand how culture influences individuals and their communication with others.
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