Home Culture Analysis guideline for Psy 448 Cross-cultural Industrial Psychology in Argentina, and Psy 328 Culture and Mental Health in Argentina

In this assignment the object is to get an idea of oneís own home culture so that you can be more alert to facets in cultures other than your own.  A firm understanding of oneís home culture also helps to avoid the pitfalls of ethnocentrism.

1.  Determine your ethnic origin.  This can be done by asking family members and/or by doing a family tree.  You should state when (what year) and from where (from what country) your recent ancestors immigrated.  Studies have shown that ethnic influences persist up to three generations from the time of immigration.  Many of us have quite mixed ethnic heritage.  Focus on more recent origins.  And focus on what origins your family has emphasized.  That is, is there a family preference in defining its origins.  For some people ethnic origins are in the misty past and are difficult to resurrect.  If so, focus on your U.S. culture as passed on to you by your nuclear and extended family.

2.  Determine how your family of origin has influenced your cultural beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors.  Answer the questions below in relation to what you learned growing up.  Families are the greatest transmitters of culture.  You have learned how to be a person of your culture, to a large extent, through the efforts of your family.  You do not have to go into great detail in answering the questions, but try to capture the essence of what you learned was "appropriate" from your family's point of view.

3.  Read about Culture and Self. The source of this reading will be different for each class. It will be clarified in the first class period.

4.  Compare your understandings about your ethnic origin(s) as gained in Step #2 within the context of the Culture and Self information (Step #3).  Write an analysis of how well some of the information in the chapter/article you read in Step #3 agrees with your findings from your own family in Step #2.  There will probably be points of agreement and disagreement.  At the end, write a synthesis of what you have learned from the two sources that briefly describes your home culture. Pay special attention to the underlying assumptions, premises, and presuppostions of your home culture. These may be difficult to articulate, so give yourself some time to reflect. The final summary should be 1-2 pages in length.

Questions to consider in identifying how your family has influenced your cultural identity:

Respond to the following items with brief answers.  Be prepared to discuss your answers with others in a class.

1. Messages I got growing up from my mother about being a member of my family and/or of an ethnic group.
2. Messages I got from my father about being a member of my family and/or of an ethnic group.
3. Messages I got growing up from my extended family about socializing with or belonging to the dominant group or community.
4. Messages I got growing up from my extended family about marrying outside of my social or ethnic group.
5. Messages I got from my family about surviving in life as a member of my family and/or as an ethnic person.

 Other messages, values about specific issues that may have come from your family and/or ethnic group background

6. The foods my group/family eats
7. My group/familyís favorite music
8. The way my group/family dances
9. How to dress in my cultural group/family
10.  Child-rearing patterns in my group/family
11.  My group/familyís feelings about older persons
12.  The thinking of my cultural group/family regarding outsiders
13.  The role of women in my group/family
14.  The roles of men in my group/family
15.  The sexual values of my cultural group/family
16.  My group/familyís opinion about homosexuals
17.  My group/familyís thinking about race
18.  The political preferences of my group/family
19.  Things my group/family considers as group/family secrets
20.  My group/familyís feelings about its place in society