Cultural Patterns and Communication: Foundation

The emphasis on this chapter is cultural patterns. Cultural patterns are shared beliefs, values, norms, and social practices that are stable over time and lead to roughly similar behaviors across similar situations. When looking at cultural patterns within the United States, it is easy to say that we do not have any set cultural patterns that truly define us because of our diversity. While this may be true to some extent, it is argued that all cultures share something similar. According to Kluckhoh and Strodtbeck, there are four conclusions that tie in everyone’s cultural patterns that make us all seem not so different from one another.

Using a hot button issue such as abortion, we can apply the following conclusions of Kluckhoh and Strodtbeck to define who cultural patterns are shaped

1.     People in all cultures face common human problems from which they must find solutions

For the United States, abortion is a burning issue that has shaped the political and religious landscape. The issue of when does life begin and is it moral to end a pregnancy under certain circumstances is highly debated. This issue is a common issue around the world—extending from Europe to China.

2.     The range of alternative solutions to a culture’s problems is limited

In China, there are laws that only allow families to have a single child to curb population growth. The government became more pro-abortion if its laws are violated.  In the United States, the issue is debated and allows for women to have a choice.

3.     Within a given culture, there will be preferred solutions, which most people within the culture will select, but there will be people who will choose other solutions

The preferred solution in the United States is anti-abortion, but there are circumstances in which people choose other solutions and end up terminating their pregnancy.

4.     Over time, the preferred solutions shape the culture’s basic assumptions about beliefs, values, norms, and social practice—cultural patterns

Overtime, the culture of the United States has become more socially liberal, making it more acceptable for a woman to have the right to choose to terminate her pregnancy without major recourse. This has added to the cultural pattern of the US