In class today we were talking about culture, ethnicity, race, and the genetic theory of evolution. Two questions came up that I could use some help with.
1. My students had a hard time understanding the following statement in our marriage and family textbook: "From a strictly scientific perspective, then, so-called racial differences do not exist. Skin color, for example, can be defined only on a continuum, just as the colors black and white exist on a continuum, with gray in the middle and no clear-cut distinctions in between." I was able to help them understand how cultural and ethnic identity are more useful and informative concepts than race, but many students had a hard time understanding how racial characteristics "do not exist." One of my students, who is an honors biology major specializing in genetics, stated that our marriage and family textbook contradicts what she has learned in her genetics courses. Can anyone offer me some specific suggestions for making these concepts more clear to my students? 2. Our text also talks about cultural groups as being a set of people who embrace core beliefs, behaviors, values, and norms and who transmit them from one generation to the next. The text defines ethnic groups being a group of people who, based upon geographic origin, share common beliefs, behaviors, norms, etc. and that are embedded within a larger cultural group. The text gives examples of cultural groups such as Latinos, with some of the corresponding ethnic groups being Cuban Americans, Puerto Rican Americans, and Mexican Americans. Another example of a cultural group are Asian Americans, with some of the ethnic groups within this cultural group being Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Native Hawaiians, and Samoans. A question was asked in class about "cultural" differences based on gender, political ideology, or religious worldview. Would these also meet the definition of cultural group, or would they be a specific subgroup within the broader cultural group definition? Your comments on these questions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance. Rod ______________________________________________ Roderick D. Hetzel, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Psychology LeTourneau University President-Elect, Division 51 American Psychological Association Department of Psychology LeTourneau University Post Office Box 7001 2100 South Mobberly Avenue Longview, Texas 75607-7001 Office: Heath-Hardwick Hall 115 Phone: 903-233-3312 Fax: 903-233-3246 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Homepage: http://www.letu.edu/people/rodhetzel > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Friday, January 18, 2002 8:21 AM > To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences > Subject: student's question > > > > are you going to review and tell us what we need to focus on for the > test? > > Michael Sylvester,PhD > Daytona Beach,Florida > > --- > You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To unsubscribe send a blank email to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
