PSYC1005 Study Guide - Final Guide: Ethnocentrism, Moral Relativism, Cultural Relativism
Perspectives on Ethnocentrism
Historical Overview
• Gumplowicz used the concept in many of his publications (in German) and Sumner probably took the
concept of ethnocentrism from him, but did not acknowledge it.
• The belief in centrality is reflected in the view that the group is extremely important - extraordinary,
superior, and better in relation to any other group.
• "Ethnocentrism is the technical name for this view of things in which one's own group is the centre of
everything, and all others are scaled and rated with reference to it" (Sumner, 1906).
• Pro-ingroup attitudes and behaviours (eg: superiority and loyalty) and anti-outgroup attitudes and
behaviours (eg: hostility, contempt).
Criticism and Confusion
• An umbrella concept
• Useless concept
• Problematic implications
• Both conceptual analysis and empirical research suggest that ethnocentrism is not equal to:
- Outgroup negativity - prejudice, negative outgroup attitude.
- Mere ingroup positivity - positive evaluation of one's own group.
Conceptual Analysis
• Three major themes in diverse definitions:
1. Ethnic group self-centredness, including six specific sub-themes - preference, superiority, purity,
exploitativeness, group cohesion and devotion.
2. Outgroup negativity
3. Mere ingroup positivity
• Two words: "Ethnos" - meaning derives from the word "ethos" = habit or custom.
• So "ethnos" is a group of individuals who possess the same habits or customs.
Ethnocentrism Facets
1. Preference:
• A tendency to prefer and like one's own ethnic group and its members over
others.
• Items that measures it: in general, I prefer doing things with people from my own
culture than with people from different cultures.
2. Superiority
• Belief that one's own ethnic group is better than or superior to others on some
dimensions, which are usually of central significance to the ingroup.
• Item: the world would be a much better place if all other cultures and ethnic
groups modelled themselves on my culture.
3. Purity
• A desire to maintain 'purity' of one's ethnic group and rejection of mixing with
outgroups.
• Ite: I do’t thik it is to our adatage to i ith people fro other ultural or
ethnic groups.
4.
Exploitativeness
• Belief that one's own ethnic group interests are of the foremost importance.
• Item: there's nothing wrong with us taking advantage of some other cultural or
ethnic group. Every group should look out for itself.
5. Group
Cohesion
• The view that high levels of integration, unity and cooperation should pervade
one's ethnic group.
• Item: we, as a cultural group, should be more integrated and cohesive, even if it
reduces our individual freedoms.
6. Devotion
• A strong, ardent, and unconditional loyalty and dedication to one's ethnic group
and its interests.
• Item: the values, way of life and beliefs of my culture and ethnic group must be
preserved whatever the sacrifices.
Naïve
Ethnocentrism
• Using one's own cultural standards in judging other cultures.
• Opposed to cultural relativism
- Related to ethical relativism
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- No right or wrong - everything depends on one's cultural context, eg: human
sacrifice, position of women.
Proposing a Definition of Ethnocentrism
• Ethnocentrism - an attitudinal construct that involves a strong sense of ethnic group self-
importance/centeredness.
• Intergroup expressions - preference, superiority, purity and exploitativeness.
- One's own ethnic group - more important than others.
• Intragroup expressions - group cohesion and devotion.
- One's own ethnic group - more important than its individual members.
• Eg: Ancient Greeks called all non-Greeks 'barbarians' because according to Greeks, 'barbarians' babble
inarticulately.
Study
• Cross-cultural support for the reconceptualization: 58-item balanced, culture-general measure.
• Support for the structure of ethnocentrism.
- Six expressions: 1st order factors
- Intergroup and intragroup ethnocentrism: 2nd order factors
- Ethnocentirsm: 3rd order factors
What Causes Ethnocentrism?
• Understanding what causes ethnocentrism can help us understand how to reduce or neutralise it.
• Four broad explanations of ethnocentrism:
Threat and
Insecurity
• Ethnocentrism can be seen as an individual or group reaction, often defensive, to
different kinds of threats, fears, or insecurities.
1. Realistic Group Conflict Theory
• Competition or conflict over resources.
• Also threat to the access to or possibility of attainment of these resources.
• Perception of threat - leaders tend to invent threats.
• Functionalism - ethnocentrism and outgroup negativity are functional for reaching
a group goal.
• If competition is useful: all facets of ethnocentrism (as well as prejudice) would
emerge.
• If cooperation is useful - intergroup harmony would emerge - superordinate goals,
mutual interdependence.
• Much empirical support for the theory.
• Intergroup conflict increases both intergroup (preference, superiority,
exploitative) and intragroup ethnocentrism (group cohesion, devotion).
2. Psychodynamic Theories
• Ethnocentrism is caused by various, primarily, intrapsychic, threats and
insecurities.
• Psychodynamic defence mechanisms are used to defend against threat.
- Projection (Erikson, 1968).
- Splitting - split very positive aspects and negative aspects (Kakar, 1994).
- Externalisation - argued that positive aspects are externalised onto ethnic
members and negative aspects are externalised onto ethnic minorities
(Volkan, 1997).
3. The Authoritarian Personality Theory
• Adorno et al. 1950 - a specific psychodynamic theory.
• Authoritarian personality - nine traits, eg: authoritarian aggression, authoritarian
submission, conventionalism, cynicism.
• Punitive and rigid upbringing cause: fear, ambivalence and repressed hostility,
defence mechanisms.
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