Principles and Techniques of Veterinary and AH Extension

CULTURAL INTEGRATION

There is an organization of related cultural traits, complexes, and patterns in a culture, and altogether having meaning and relevance within the culture, and not outside it.

Ethos

• The term ‘ethos’ is used to signify those traits that are characteristic of, or peculiar to a particular culture, which may be used to differentiate one culture from another. eg. In USA- Mechanization and mass production. In India-handicrafts and cottage industries, production by masses.

Ethnocentrism

• This term means the preferential feeling we have for the way we do things in our culture. It is the tendency of man to consider his own culture of high value and superior to all others, and to judge other cultures in terms of standards and values that exist in one’s own culture.
• We assume that ours is the best of all cultures, and the way we do things is the right way to do them. This is common characteristic found among peoples of all cultures.

Customs

• These are socially prescribed forms of behaviour transmitted by tradition and enforced by social disapproval of their violation.
• In other words, the socially accredited ways of acting are the customs of society. eg. Ways of taking bath, washing, cutting hair, eating, drinking and fasting.

Folkways

• These are approved ways of behaviour for specific situations. Literally, they are the ways folk do things in a culture.
• Violation of folkways is not punished, but may be subjected to criticism. e.g. Greeting others with folded hands, shaking hands, saying “hello”.

Conventions

• Conventions are customs regulating more significant social behaviour. e.g. Being polite to others.
• Conventions are violated less often than folkways on usages and the sanctions are more severe.

Mores and Taboos

• These are the categories of folkways or customs, which are held to be essential to ethical or moral values of people.
• Violation may involve severe social action. The mores are those things, which persons ought or ought not to do.
• Generally the term ‘mores’ is used for positive action-things that ought to be done. e.g. Saluting the national flag, monogamy, policy of ‘women and children first’.
• And the term “taboo” is used for the negative action, things that one ought not to do. The word taboo in a strict sense refers to prohibition of certain types of behaviour because of some magical, super-natural or religious sanctions. e.g. Inter caste marriage, liquor consumption by women, cow slaughter etc.

Laws

• Laws are enforced by the government and they may or may not have the sanction of the society. e.g. Anti Dowry Act, Prohibition.