ATA5: December 6th, 2020

Assignment 5 required to find a peer-reviewed article that connected one of the course topics to a country outside of America to analyze. I chose to research eating disorders and their prevalence in France. I remember learning about the very high beauty standards in European countries in my high school French class and decided to dig deeper into the harmful effects they have. A really prominent beauty standard in France is being tall and slender; supermodel type bodies are heavily glorified for both genders. My French teacher even mentioned the very high rate of eating disorders in Europe- especially France and Italy. This inspired me to revolve my assignment on this phenomenon.

The article I researched was a study done among the students of the University of Rouen-Normandy in France. Self-questionnaires were sent out using SCOFF questions in order to gauge eating habits and ED tendencies. The results showed that nearly a quarter of the sample (24.8%) exhibited signs of an ED. I found this statistic very shocking honestly that ¼ of a university does not have healthy eating habits. Higher anxiety and stress levels were also shown among these students. The French and Americans both love food. America, however, has very different eating habits, portion sizes, and stigma around food compared to France. I have French family friends and they explained how food is cherished, eaten slowly, and overall more healthy compared to America. Their portion sizes are much smaller and meals are always eaten around a table for hours at times. Americans prefer grab and go type meals, big portions, and do not take the time to enjoy every morsel. Ultimately, I found exploring the food culture and habits of the French to be very interesting. Eating disorders are a very big issue across the world and investigating how each culture influences it should be studied more. 

ATA4: November 8th, 2020

Assignment 4 discussed the differences between how genders are portrayed in American advertisements and non-American countries. I chose Saudi Arabian advertisements to compare as the culture is drastically different from American culture. The general theme of Saudi Arabian ads was the emphasis on modesty- specifically of women. American women in advertisements are shown, overall, sexualized. Saudi women on the other hand, do not show much skin, hair, or shape. From my understanding of my Sociology course- this is due to the differing cultural values. In America, sex sells. Being sexy and seductive subliminally attracts consumers to the company’s products. However in Saudi Arabia- they more so value modesty because it is a sacred country in the religion of Islam. Since the religion values modesty and conservatism- the advertisements respect this value that they possess as respect to the religion.

While I am not Saudi Arabian, I am still from a more conservative Middle Eastern country (Iran) but I live in America. In addition to that- I am a woman. This assignment exemplified the differences in the two most relevant cultures/values in my life. as well as how each culture believes I should be viewed as a woman.

ATA2: October 11th, 2020

Assignment 2 discussed the differences between values in and outside America. A lot of the values we hold as important in life are seen as miniscule or even irrelevant for non-Americans. Materialism is something we hold to importance; it is a symbol of success. However for those outside America, being materialistic is seen as excessive. They prefer to practice detachment and mindfulness as a way of life. This is not the first time I have heard this either. In my Intro to Sociology class, there was a topic that covered differences in American culture to other cultures. It spoke about the lack of materialism in Buddhist majority countries such as Cambodia and Thailand. They focus on nothingness, spirituality, and detachment from the consumer world. America grows and develops thanks to consumerism and the constant spending of its people. 

A big reason I chose this value to explore was because I have a shopping and spending problem. I love spending money, designer items, and luxury experiences. I felt like I could personally relate to this value the most, and it was very interesting to step outside my point of view. It actually motivated me to cut down on some of my spending habits. If the rest of the world can do it, so can I.

ATA1: September 27th, 2020

Assignment 1 revolved around Milton Bennett’s Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (DMIS) and the general behaviors/actions of people in each stage. While completing assignment 1, I found that it was actually enjoyable reading and the assignment itself was applicable to everyday life. I first learned about defining culture, stereotypes, prejudice, etc in my 9th grade AP Human Geography class- so I had some background knowledge on the topic. Studying culture is very eye-opening and requires an open-mind. It allows one to step outside their own point of view into others. This assignment reminded me of a more in-depth, analytical AP Human assignment. It felt familiar yet I stepped even more outside my box. I did not learn only definitions for culture but how other people view different cultures.

Everyone’s worldview is different and our experiences of cultural differences are so unique. Before studying this assignment- I had no idea the varying levels of intercultural competence we see in different people around us were already grouped and defined. Now I find myself analyzing my friends/peers/strangers and classifying them into one of the six stages. Finding out my own level of intercultural sensitivity was also very beneficial for me. I fall under stage four: “acceptance to difference.” I basically have a general understanding and respect of different cultures but I am not as empathetic or confident as stage five/six. Through knowing this, I am motivated to educate myself more in order to progress into the next stage. My goal is to grow my intercultural competence so that I can communicate with others easily and confidently. I love diversity, traveling, trying new things, and meeting new people; expanding my knowledge and increasing my empathy for different cultures will only allow me to get a richer travelling experience. Being able to communicate with locals in other countries can give me a real, raw feel of their lives. I will be able to show greater respect towards their traditions and values. Overall, learning and applying the DMIS was a great introductory assignment into this course that I will continue to use throughout my life.