GDB # 1

QUESTION

Based on the given mentioned article, you are required to critically analyze
how we can say that an individual may belong to many cultural groups at the
same time?
ANSWER

Culture is basically the collective value system of group of people that can change over time and
it relates to the social and professional surroundings of people. This broad definition portrays the
individual belong to a particular group are not bound to follow a one defined set of beliefs and
norms and when people from different cultural groups are in contact during socialization in
personal and professional life, they will adopt the traits and values of other cultures and thus
posses multiple culture identities.

Individual culture is sensitive to environmental changes and current researches reject the
perception that cultural values of an individual belong to a particular nation. For example When
a person lives abroad i.e in USA we adopt some of their cultural values through our experiences
there. Similarly we are exposed to other cultures through electronic media and their by adopt
some of their values resulting in cultural acculturation. Even within the same country, a culture is
divided into subcultures thereby an individual can belong to different subcultures within a parent
culture and adopt their values. Individual belonging to different groups have no particular age
group. For example a Pathan culture is different from Punjabi but when a Pathan marries a
Punjabi their children adopt the cultural values of both and this family have two cultural
identities. Similarly a businessman goes for a business tour to Malaysia will adopt some of their
values and which he practice in Pakistan after coming back and thus belongs to different cultural
groups.

Given article all articulates the same concept that all Arab countries don’t have one cultural
identity but people belonging to Syria, Oman ,Qatar, Pennisula, Kuwait, Bahrian ,Saudia Arab,
UAE have different attitudes and behaviors which form their own unique culture through
interaction with different people . Individual culture is a combination of several levels of cultures
i.e ethnic, linguistic, national, professional and social environment. Individual interact and form
his own separate cultural identity which affects its future behavior and actions. In other words
culture affects the personality of an individual because the individual may react to situation that
shows his knowledge that he gains from one or more cultures. Individual self-efficacy is
developed over time of diverse sources of information that is conveyed through direct and
prolonged experience and interaction with individual surrounding and diversified cultures.