How Does Culture Shape People’s Identities?
There are more than 3,814 cultures globally, and each one has its own distinct beliefs, practices, customs, and way of life. All these different cultural beliefs and customs are entwined with people’s identities all around the world. Therefore, culture is the framework from which our identity starts to develop, and it’s safe to say a person’s identity is established way before they are even conceived. For example, language, a big part of identity, is determined by social culture from birth.
As a child continues to grow, the way they see themselves and the world is significantly impacted by the culture they find themselves. This is why the environment and culture we find ourselves in shape our identity.
Defining Culture and Identity
Culture has to do with language, norms, religion, values, ethics, beliefs, and other customs that characterize the way of life of the majority of people in a particular society. All the aspects of culture work together to define a person’s sense of self. Culture shapes the way we see ourselves, the way we see the world, and as such, it’s a defining feature of people’s identity.
To understand how culture influences identity, we must first understand what identity is. Like culture, identity is complex, diverse, and evolving. By definition, identity has to do with character and personality, and it encompasses all that a person is. Multiple factors, including culture, shape a person’s identity. This means some parts of whom we become are shaped by the culture we are affiliated with and the social groups.
Impact on Behaviour and Attitudes
Culture is a learned behavior we apply to situations we find ourselves in. For example, some cultures prioritize respect and courtesy when around older people. Therefore, people who align with such a culture will interact with adults with respect. When a person is attached to a particular culture, they tend to develop its morals, tastes, beliefs, and other characteristics.
Does Culture Influence Bias?
There are different cultures, and biases are bound to happen with so many cultural variations. We see life, and what we think of as wrong or right, can be traced to our cultural identity. Many studies show that different people see things differently because of how culture has shaped their worldview. However, the problem isn’t in seeing things differently, but in choosing not to see beyond the lenses of our culture.
Cultural biases are assumptions we hold about groups, actions, and events based on our cultural background. When you see the world through the lens of your culture and make interpretations based on the standard of your culture, then you give room to cultural bias. For example, if someone is raised to believe that Public Display of Affection (PDA) is unethical, they may become shocked or get annoyed when they are in a place where PDA is a norm.
Between racism, discrimination, and stereotyping, the effect of cultural bias can’t be overlooked in different environments including the workplaces. Cultural bias can lead to discrimination and stereotyping of another group by treating them unfairly based on false assumptions. Also, in the workplace, cultural bias may reflect in the hiring process thus leading to less cultural diversity. Bias in the workplace can also create a toxic work environment and affect an organization’s ability to maintain a diverse environment.
Conclusion
Culture is a beautiful thing, it’s the foundation of our identity. However, culture could cause bias when it’s the default in which people base their perception and decisions. It’s important to note our identity is much more than our culture and reducing ourselves to our culture's prescription denies us of our self-awareness.
Therefore, while embracing our culture, we should also prioritize self-awareness and try to identify gaps in our culture that could lead to bias in the workplace.