13

Culture

“Diversity of hues, form, and shape enriches and adorns the garden and

heightens its effect.”— 'Abdu'l Baha

Persian Baha'i Religious Leader, 19th-20th Century

“Diversity of hues, form, and shape enriches and adorns the garden and

heightens its effect.”— 'Abdu'l Baha

Persian Baha'i Religious Leader, 19th-20th Century

What is Culture?

Culture:

The behavior, patterns, beliefs, and all other products of a particular group of people that are passed on from generation to generation

What is Culture?

Two important dimensions of culture in adolescents’ lives are socioeconomic status and ethnicity. Socioeconomic status (SES): A grouping of

people with similar occupational, educational, and economic characteristics

Ethnicity: A dimension of culture based on cultural heritage, nationality, race, religion, and language

Socioeconomic Status and Poverty

Living in Distressed Neighborhoods

Fig. 13.2

Socioeconomic Status and Poverty

Ramifications of living in poverty

Health Housing/neighborhoods Powerless/Lack prestige Vulnerable to disaster Options limited

Immigration

High rates of immigration Growth in proportion of ethnic minorities

Stressors Language barriers Dislocation Separation from support network Preserve identity SES

Immigrant teens

over 80 percent arrive from Latin America, Asia, and the Afro-Caribbean basin

Length of residence in the United States is associated with declining academic achievement and aspirations

2.4

2.6

2.8

3

3.2

3.4

3.6

3.8

4

1 2 3 4 5

Year of Study

GPA

ChineseDominicanCentral AmericanHaitianMexican

Figure 1: Longitudinal Country of Origin Patterns of

Academic Performance

Longitudinal Gendered Patterns of Academic Performance

2.4

2.6

2.8

3

3.2

3.4

3.6

3.8

1 2 3 4 5

Year of Study

GPA

MaleFemale

Cambodian Culture

Small country of around 13 millionLocated in SE Asia--between Thailand

and VietnamCurrently 4/5 rural, mostly BuddhistCambodian genocide--the Khmer

Rouge, led by Pol Pot in late ‘70s Death toll estimate 1.5 million

A Special Juncture For Ethnic Minority Individuals

Confront ethnicity in adolescence

Become aware of how their ethnic group is evaluated

Lack of successful role models

Ethnicity Issues

Ethnicity and Socioeconomic Status Dual influence

Differences and Diversity Difference – not deficit Diversity within minority groups

Ethnicity Issues

Prejudice, Discrimination, & Bias

Prejudice Unjustified negative attitude toward people

because they belong to a particular group

Ethnic minority groups continue to experience discrimination and bias

Percentage of Adolescents Ages 12 to 17 who Ate Meals with Their Family, by Number of Days Meals Eaten Together, 2003 0 to 3 days 4 to 5 days 6 to 7 daysAges 12-17 Total 30.8 27.0 42.2 Gender Male 30.0 27.1 42.9Female 31.7 26.8 41.5 Age 12 to 14 26.3 26.1 47.615 to 17 35.8 28.0 36.3 Race/Ethnicity Non-Hispanic white 30.4 30.9 38.7Non-Hispanic black 39.0 21.5 39.5Hispanic 28.5 17.4 54.1Other 22.2 23.8 54.0 Geographic location MSA area 31.7 26.6 41.7Non-MSA area 27.7 27.1 45.3 Poverty level Less than 100% of poverty level 27.1 17.8 55.2100 to 200% of poverty level 30.8 25.3 43.9200% or more above the poverty level 32.4 30.7 37.0 Family Structure

Ethnic Minority Adolescents

African American Adolescents Most visible group Larger proportion in lower-SES than Whites

Latino Adolescents Majority identify themselves as

Mexican Americans Chicano

Ethnic Minority Adolescents

Asian American Adolescents Strong family loyalty High expectations for success

Native American Adolescents Inordinate amount of discrimination

Lowest standard of living Highest teen pregnancy rate Highest suicide rate Highest school dropout rate

The United States and Canada:

Nations with Many Cultures

Clip art copyright © 2002 www.arttoday.com. Used with permission.

Use of Media

The average U.S. adolescent lives in a home with: 3 TVs 3 Tape Players 3 Radios 2 VCRs 2 CD Players 1 Video Game Player 1 Computer

Television

Television’s Functions

Window to the world Takes time away from reading Passive learning and lifestyle Problems easily resolved Portrayal of ethnic minorities

TelevisionEducational TV Viewing in Early Childhood and High School Grade Point Average for Boys

Fig. 13.4

Concerns about Television

Television and Violence

TV violence is associated with aggressive behavior

TV violence can increase aggression Violent video games

Concerns about Television

Television and Sex TV teaches adolescents

about sex

Television and Achievement The more adolescents watch TV the lower their

school achievement is

The Media and Music

Two-thirds of all songs and albums are purchased by the 10- to 24-year-old age group.

87% of those aged 12 to 17, now use the internet. up from 73% in 2000

51% of teenage internet users say they go online on a daily basis, up from 42% in 2000.

Digital Divide

Half of all US teens who use the internet lives in a home with a broadband connection.

13% of American teenagers or about 3 million people still do not use the internet.

Those teens who remain offline are clearly defined by lower levels of income and limited access to technology.

They are also disproportionately likely to be African-American.

Other technology

Close to half of teens (45%) own a cell phone, and 33% have used a cell phone to send a text message.

IM is preferred to emailTeens view email as something you use

to talk to old people,institutions, or to send complex instructions

IM

75% of online teens use instant messaging, compared to 42% of online adults.

48% of teens who use instant messaging say they exchange IMs at least once every day.

Landline

51% of online teens usually choose the landline telephone when they want to talk with friends

24% said they will most often use instant messaging

12% prefer to call friends on their cell phone. 5% use email most often to communicate with

friends. 3% prefer to use text messages.

More than words

50% of IM-using teens have included a link to an interesting or funny article or website in an instant message

45% have used IM to send photos or documents

31% have sent music or video files via IM.

Technology, Computers, and the Internet

Percentage of U.S. 15- to 17-Year-Olds Engaging in Different Online Activities

Technology, Computers, and the Internet

The Internet

Increasing use Email most frequent activity Parents may not know what information

adolescent is obtaining

Technology & Sociocultural Diversity

Technology & Education

Technology, Computers, and the Internet

Social Policy and the Media

Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development’s recommendations: Encourage socially responsible programming Support public efforts to make the media more

adolescent friendly Encourage media literacy programs Increase media presentations of health promotions Expand opportunities for adolescents’ views to

appear in the media

Taking it to the Net

For more information on material covered in this chapter, visit our Online Learning Center:

http://www.mhhe.com/santrocka11