Study MaterialsFall 2011

American Deaf Culture ASL 125

Lecturer Clyde Vincent

•What is culture?

•Define the meaning of culture.

What is “Culture”What is “Culture”• values, beliefs, perceptions, and values, beliefs, perceptions, and

behaviorsbehaviors

• shared by members of a societyshared by members of a society

• learned primarily through languagelearned primarily through language

• Success in crossing cultures

• This demands that one This demands that one learn as much as learn as much as possible beforehand;possible beforehand;

• Cultivates cultural Cultivates cultural “informants”“informants” in in order to receive order to receive mentoring as the new mentoring as the new culture is negotiated culture is negotiated

Culture: Macro v. Micro

USA Macroculture Cherished values and characteristics such as: fair

play, ambition, competitiveness, independence, equality, and individualism

USA MicroculturesSub cultures sharing attributes of the macroculture while maintaining distinct values, norms, and behaviors. One person may be part of several microcultures

There is no standard There is no standard definition of culture.definition of culture.

• Culture: The system of shared beliefs, values, customs, behaviors, and artifacts that the members of society use to cope with their world and with one another, and that are transmitted from generation to generation through learning.

•Clarify what it means to study a culture and the problem of interpretation of a culture

The term “culture”• derived from two Latin words

CULTURECULTURE

• “Cultura” which means tending

• “Colera” which means cherish

• Our culture is comprised of:those things which we tend to cherishthose things which are important to us.

CULTURECULTURE

• “Cultura” which means tending

• “Colera” which means cherish

• Our culture is comprised of:those things which we tend to cherishthose things which are important to us.

Over a hundred definitions of culture have been offered.

Anthropological Theories

Top – B. Malinowski, L.H. Morgan, E.B. Tylor, L. White, C. GeertzBottom – F. Boas, A.R. Radcliffe-Brown, J. Steward, M. Harris

• A diverse field of study encompassing many different approaches, methods, and academic perspectives

• Have an understanding of the general approach to the study of culture including why, how and what to study.

• Have the working definition of culture and the theoretical framework used in the course for analysis of the data to be presented.

CULTURAL DIMENSIONS OF GREATEST CONCERN

1. Surface Structure – visual aspects such as language, videotapes, films, clothing, arts, etc.

(Surface Structure usually increases the receptivity, comprehension, or acceptance of messages.)

2. Deep Structure – values, beliefs, philosophical assumptions, etc.

(Deep Structure conveys salience and determines program or message impact.)

• What are the key elements of culture?

Subcultures• The cultures of groups whose values and

norms of behavior differ from the dominant culture.

• Members of subcultures interact frequently and share a common world view.

• Subcultures share some elements of the dominant culture and coexist within it.

Elements of Culture

Element Examples

Language English; Spanish;hieroglyphics

Norms Manners

Folkways Cultural forms of dress; food habits

Elements of Culture

Element Examples

Mores Religious doctrines; formal law

Values Liberty, freedom

Beliefs Belief in a higher being

What are beliefs?What are beliefs?Beliefs are generalizations that you form to

make sense of the world and of your experiences. They determine how events are given meaning and are at the core of your motivation to act.

Beliefs usually operate at an unconscious and unquestioned level and also become self-fulfilling prophecies.

Sathe’s Levels of Culture

Waterline

Basic assumptions

Expressed values

Manifestculture

Basicassumptions

Expressed values

Manifestculture

Iceberg Onion

A culture is a set of learned behaviors of a group of people

• born into a culture.

• brought up to the values of the culture.

• shaped by cultural values.

• enculturated into a culture.

The Values in The Values in Deaf CultureDeaf CultureValues are long range commitments to ends that Deaf people share culturally.

Residential SchoolsResidential Schools

– young Deaf children

– ASL

– heritage

– traditions

– role models

LanguageLanguage

– ASL

– heritage

– traditions

– communication

– socialization

ClubsClubs

– socialization– language (ASL)– heritage– traditions– beliefs– values– rules for behaviors

BodyBody

– eyes– hands– ASL– communication– independent– performance– socialization

Young Deaf Children / AdultsYoung Deaf Children / Adults

– future politics / leadership– traditions– heritage– socialization– ties– keeping Clubs– sports– language (ASL)

Timeline of Discovery

ParentsParents School settingSchool setting Deaf communityDeaf community

As infants we begin to acquire our culture from those around us -

• our parents

• siblings

• relatives

• friends

• teachers

• The wisdom of the group is passed down from generation to generation. Not only is culture learned, but it is shared with a very large group.

Discovery of Deafness

Deaf Parents

Deaf adults

Peer Groups

Interpreters Movies

Subject #1

Subject #2

Subject #3

Subject #4

Subject #5

Subject #6

Timeline

Pre-1960’s

ManualismDeaf World

1960’s

Discovery of true ASL languageDr. William Stokoe

Post-1960’s

Dr. Vernon McCayPsychological Revolution with Tests

Late 1970’s

New phenomenal thoughts about language and culture

After 1980’s

Change consciousnessDPN - ASL

What is the “formula”? Disagreements with terms

What is Deaf Culture?

Carl Croneberg, 1965

• First to describe Deaf people as a group sharing similar attributes

• Linguistic minority group

• Similar issues and everyday problems as the hearing majority

• Used the term “group,” not “culture”

Deaf Culture:Deaf vs. deaf

• Distinction first made by Woodward (1972)

– deaf refers primarily to hearing loss

– Deaf refers to social collectivities

• What’s the “formula” for an individual to be

considered Deaf?

What is Deaf Culture?

• Disagreements among researchers

• Contradictory data from Deaf Community

Kay Meadow, 1972

• Sub-culture created by the language

used

• Member of the culture if:

–1. deaf

–2. learned how to sign (at any age)

Carol Padden, 1980

• Not recognized by only their hearing loss

and signing skills

• Other critical factors, such as when one

learned the language

• Dissociation from speech was introduced

as an important attribute of culture

• Specific social rules exist

Barbara Kannapell, 1989

“the bond of communication and

strong relationships, and shared

cultural beliefs and values make a

person a member of the Deaf

Culture”

Culture

a.) generalization

b.) breakdown

–1. Cultural relativism

–2. Ethnocentrism

–3. Enculturation

The Deaf CommunityThe Deaf Community

A Model of avenues into Deaf community membership and culture

A community is a group of people

• Share common goals

• Support the goals of the community

• Cooperate in achieving these goals

• Determines the ways in which the community functions

• To organize the social life and responsibilities of its members

A Map of Culture

Dimensions of Difference:

ASL and English Based Cultures

• To record the main outlines of any culture

• To identify “primary message systems

• To examine each system in relation to each other

• To obtain the result