Chapter 3—The Deep Structure of Culture: Lessons from the Family
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A culture’s unconscious assumptions about how the world operates is referred to as its:
a.
subculture
b.
foundation
c.
deep structure
d.
matrix
e.
protoculture
2. The three most enduring and influential organizations in cultures are:
a.
family, state, religion
b.
family, community, nation
c.
community, nation, religion
d.
family, community, religion
e.
state, nation, religion
3. Which of the following is not true about deep structure institutions?
a.
carry culture’s most important messages
b.
the institutions and their messages endure
c.
the institutions and their messages are deeply felt
d.
have a superficial impact on a person’s identity
e.
A and C
4. The oldest and most fundamental of human institutions is ____.
a.
religion
b.
family
c.
community
d.
rule of law
e.
rite of passage
5. The definition of a family includes ____.
a.
people who form an economic unit and care for any young
b.
people who consider their identity to be significantly attached to the group
c.
people who commit to maintaining that group over time
d.
any sexually expressive, parent-child, or kin relationship
e.
A, B, C, and D.
6. Extended families ____.
a.
are the most typical found in most Western societies
b.
are also known as “two-generation families
c.
include other relations and generations in addition to the nuclear family
d.
A and B
e.
A and C
7. According to the text, changes in the definition of family in the U.S. have resulted from ____.
a.
economic changes
b.
technological advances
c.
gender roles
d.
A and B
e.
A, B, and C
8. Which of the following is true about contemporary migration patterns?
a.
the number of people living outside their country of birth is larger than at any other time in
history
b.
migrants account for approximately 12% of the world population
c.
affects primarily the social lives of the migrants rather than the families left behind
d.
A and B
e.
A and C
9. The most important function of families in any culture is ____.
a.
economic
b.
reproductive
c.
socialization
d.
indoctrination
e.
internalization
10. Values and morals develop due to this function of family:
a.
indoctrination
b.
internalization
c.
economic
d.
socialization
e.
identity
11. The following caveats regarding cultural interaction patterns are true except for ____.
a.
all of the major institutions of culture are linked
b.
families within a culture rarely display differences
c.
families within a given culture are internally homogenous
d.
A and C
e.
B and C
12. In the United States, which of the following is not true about gender roles?
a.
children learn to differentiate between masculine and feminine activities as infants
b.
around four years old, children recognize that labels such as boy and girl apply to classes
of people
c.
males are socialized to be aggressive and self-reliant whereas females are socialized to be
nurturing and sensitive
d.
A and B
e.
none
13. Which of the following is not typically true of gender roles in Asian cultures?
a.
fathers tend to get perks which demonstrate status such as being served first at meals,
having the first bath, etc.
b.
women are given more freedom than men
c.
males are responsible for task functions
d.
females are responsible for social and cultural functions
e.
males have more “power” than females
14. For Latino cultures, which of the following is true:
a.
the authority of the mother is seldom questioned or disputed
b.
the father is expected to be the breadwinner and protector
c.
in the absence of a mother, the power position reverts to the oldest daughter
d.
behaviors associated with marianismo and machismo are to be avoided
e.
A, B, C, and D
15. Indian culture is characterized by men ____.
a.
as primary wage earners
b.
primary decision makers
c.
primary decision makers
d.
A and B
e.
A, B, and C
16. For most Muslim communities, which of the following would not be true?
a.
Islamic teachings spell out the roles, rights, and duties of women
b.
fathers and brothers are expected to assume protection over girls and women
c.
women typically take their husband’s name when they marry
d.
men are considered to stronger than women physically, mentally, and emotionally
e.
none
17. Individualistic cultures ____.
a.
encourage people to be unique and independent
b.
the individual is less important than group
c.
the goals of the group are more important than self-oriented goals
d.
B and C
e.
A, B, and C
18. Collectivistic cultures:
a.
tend to be Western cultures
b.
prefer competition to cooperation
c.
perceive the individual as a sovereign, stand-alone entity
d.
people view themselves more as members of groups rather than individuals
e.
B and D
19. According to the text, individualism in the American family is linked to ____.
a.
beliefs regarding the afterlife
b.
the history of the United States
c.
World War I
d.
World War II
e.
B and C
20. Which of the following practices reflect a collectivist culture?
a.
an individual can no more be separated from family than a finger from a hand
b.
extended family members help take care of the children
c.
everyone in the family contributes to the common good
d.
A and C
e.
A, B, and C
21. Collectivist cultures tend to include all of the following except ____.
a.
the U.S.
b.
Asian cultures
c.
Arab cultures
d.
Latino cultures
e.
A and D
22. The Chinese perception of collectivism is deeply rooted in ____.
a.
Taoism
b.
Tai Chi
c.
Confucianism
d.
Bushido
e.
Marxism
23. Of the following, which is true about the elderly?
a.
in the U.S., the dominant culture has a positive view of aging
b.
in Latino culture, the elderly have no authority in the family
c.
for Arab cultures, prestige and power are associated with age
d.
in Asian cultures, the elderly are rarely sought for advice
e.
A, B, C, and D
24. Of the following, which is true about aggression?
a.
in the U.S., children are typically encouraged to “stand up for themselves”
b.
in many Asian cultures, the word “no” is considered aggressive and belligerent
c.
Mexican families discourage aggression among family members
d.
Native American Indian families seek harmony
e.
A, B, C, and D
25. Decision-making methods and techniques ____.
a.
are learned later in life
b.
tend to be “person-oriented” in the dominant U.S. culture
c.
tend to be parent-centered in Asian cultures
d.
B and C
e.
A, B, and C
TRUE/FALSE
1. Deep structures of culture are sources of insight for significant universal questions.
2. Family, community, and religion are the three institutions that make up the deep structure of culture.
3. Deep structure institutions have little to do with the development of a person’s identity.
4. Community is the principal transmitter of knowledge, values, attitudes, roles, and habits from one
generation to the next.
5. In one form or another, families are found in every culture.
6. Nuclear families are also known as “one generational” families.
7. The definition of family in the U.S. has been stable since the colonial era.
8. Globalization of has had little effect on how family is conceived.
9. Globalized media sources have created an alternative set of values for families throughout the world.
10. The most important function of family in any culture is reproduction.
11. A society’s economic system and family structures are usually independent of one another.
12. By observation, imitation, and practice, each family introduces young children to many of the values
and behaviors that are important to a culture.
13. Family is a product of communication as well as a context of communication.
14. The primary influence on gender identity is the mass media.
15. Socially constructed gender expectations for girls and boys frequently translate into different
experiences throughout the life course.
16. In Korea, the legacy of Confucianism made men alone the structurally relevant members of society
and relegated women to social dependence.
17. Machismo, in Latino culture, is characterized by true valor, courage, generosity, and concern for
others.
18. Marianismo in Latino culture is equivalent to the values of radical feminism expressed in Western
cultures.
19. The preference for a son when a child is born is as old as Indian society.
20. Islam takes it as axiomatic that men are stronger than women, not only physically, but mentally and
morally.
21. Most cultures include a mixture of individualistic and collectivistic elements.
22. Arab culture emphasizes the needs of the group over the needs of an individual.
23. The Chinese perception of collectivism is heavily influenced by Confucianism, and the interests of
society and other groups are more important than family interests.
24. Unlike many other societies, the dominant U.S. culture does not revere the elderly.
25. Historically, the African-American grandmother has played important roles within the extended family
network.
26. “Person-oriented” decision making is less common in the U.S. and other Western cultures than in
Asian cultures.
ESSAY
1. Explain the notion of “deep structure” in culture. Provide examples of deep structure institutions.
2. List and explain two of the four reasons that family, community, and religion are so influential in all
cultures.
3. Define family. Why is it important to culture?
4. Compare and contrast the concepts of extended and nuclear families. Provide examples of cultural
differences.
5. How has the concept of family changed in the U.S. over the years?
6. What effect has globalization had on families? Include examples from at least two cultures.
7. List and explain the functions of family.
8. What is the role of family in socialization and the development of individual identity?
9. What influence does family have in developing cultural gender role?
10. Compare gender roles in the dominant U.S. culture to the roles assigned in two other cultures
presented in chapter 3.
11. How are gender roles changing in the U.S. and elsewhere?
12. Describe the nature of the family in individualistic cultures. How does the family promote the
orientation?
13. Explain the role of family in collectivistic cultures. Provide an example from at least two other
cultures.
14. How are the elderly perceived and treated in different cultures? Compare the dominant U.S. culture’s
attitudes with that of at least two other cultures.
15. What is the role of family in teaching social skills?
16. What are some of the general social skills the family “teaches?”