Cultural Conditioning

1. Cultural Conditioning Matthew Alcuran Sasha Alibullah Kristal Baisch

2. Definition Cultural Conditioning refers to the process by which society�s values are passed on to its members.

3. Examples Weight loss: Women are always being told that they need to have the �perfect body� in order to attract guys. They are also supposed to have a certain sex appeal and when they are pressured, they give into these said norms.

6. Evaluation of Cultural Conditioning What we have been taught by our parents, teachers, friends, influences from the media, and advertising limits our development of abstract and critical thought. If tradition, and societies accepted norms are all that we know, we can only assume it is true. This conventional way of thinking is not healthy since we are blindly accepting such assumptions. It will not allow us to think objectively, and prevents us from keeping an open mind and making our own choices.

7. Analysis/Application of Cultural Conditioning Cultural conditioning can be thought of as a system of collectively held values that a society has accepted throughout the years. These are beliefs that are shared by members of a society that operate unconsciously. This type of conditioning is like a game with rules that seem to never change. Only when someone goes outside the lines can we question this structured way of thinking.

8. Discussion of Mediums Cultural Conditioning is expressed and passed down not only through culture, but through the mediums like: The Media, Advertising,and Politics

9. Media �Americans believe they are the greatest democracy to emerge from the birthing mists of history. It was drummed into our heads since our first visit to Disneyworld. It's continued through a fairy tale presentation of history by the mass media�.

10. Examples Disney Movies: Disney movies are fairy tales. Therefore creating the idea that everyone lives happily ever after regardless of circumstances Even though we know it�s not always true, its still carries an impression, implying cultural conditioning. Also creating women and men to have high and sometimes unachievable expectations of a partner.

11. Advertising �All original cultural forms, all determined languages are absorbed in advertising�. Examples Newspapers, Magazines, Commercials and Billboards. All these use some sort of cultural conditioning in their advertising of a product