Culture and Values

One of the distinguishing factors of culture is that of shared values.

Cultural values are learned and reinforced through the socialization process and then passed from one generation to the next.

This learning process can be both direct and subtle, but the result is that people absorb their culture's values, which their thoughts and behaviors begin to reflect.

For your initial discussion post in this weeks discussion, you will observe advertisements you see around you on TV, in magazines, on billboards, and so on. Then, address the following prompts:

List 4-5 core values of American culture. Reflect on the ads you viewed, and discuss how you believe mainstream and popular culture reflect American values.

With America being a melting pot of other cultures, do you think American values make Americans more culturally relative or ethnocentric?