Assignment: Biological Heritage
Assignment: Biological Heritage
Assignment: Biological Heritage
Assignment: Biological Heritage
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person’s cultural background that includes such factors as nationality, re- ligion, language, and ancestral heritage, which are shared by a group of people who also share a common geographic origin. A person’s race is his or her biological her- itage—for example, Caucasian or Hispanic. One geneticist, however, has concluded that there is much more genetic variation within any given racial category than between one race and another.9 There really aren’t vast genetic differences among people who have been assigned to different racial categories. So the term race is less accurate in attempting to describe a group of people than the term ethnicity, which, as we noted, is based on more factors than biological heritage or genetics alone. The cultural, ethnic, or racial background of your audience influences the way they per- ceive your message. An effective speaker adapts to differences in culture, race, and ethnicity.
As you approach any public-speaking situation, avoid an ethnocentric mindset. Ethnocentrism is the assumption that your own cultural approaches are superior to those of other cultures. The audience-centered speaker is sensitive to cultural differ- ences and avoids saying anything that would disparage the cultural background of the audience.
You need not have international students in your class to have a culturally diverse audience. Different ethnic and cultural traditions thrive among people who have lived in the United States all their lives. Students from a Polish family in Chicago, a German family in Texas, or a Haitian family in Brooklyn may be native U.S. citizens and still have cultural traditions different from your own. Effective public speakers seek to learn as much as possible about the cultural values and knowledge of their au- dience so that they can understand the best way to deliver their message.
Researchers classify or describe cultural differences along several lines.10 We sum- marize ten categories of differences in Table 4.2 and discuss them below. Under- standing these classifications may provide clues to help you adapt your message when you speak before diverse audiences.
● Individualistic and collectivistic cultures. Some cultures place greater em- phasis on individual achievement; others place more value on group or collective achievement. Among the countries that tend to value individual accomplishment are Australia, Great Britain, the United States, Canada, Belgium, and Denmark. By contrast, Japan, Thailand, Colombia, Taiwan, and Venezuela are among countries that have more collectivistic cultures.
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