Name : Siti Asyifa Anindya

Registration Number : 1610117320032

Class : Cross Cultural Understanding

Cultural Beliefs, Cultural Values, Cultural Norms and

Institutionalized ways

Culture is the social behavior and norms found in human societies. Culture has been defined as
a set of values maintaned across genertions through the socialization process.
Culture refers to integrated patterns of human behavior that include the language, thoughts,
actions, customs, beliefs and institutions of racial, ethnic, social, or religious groups (California
Endowment, 2003).

Cultural beliefs are beliefs that are culturally held. Culture beliefs are seen in all facets of our
lives. They are primarily determined by where you are from (originated and live for prolonged
period).

Examples of Cultural beliefs :

 Religious: Buddhists believe and practice mantras and devotion to many gods
(polytheism); Christians generally believe and practice in one God (monotheism) who are
one with His son and the Holy Ghost, The Holy Bible, baptism and primarily worship on
Sundays; Hindus believe and practice in one God or Goddess (monotheism), meditation
and yoga; Muslims (Islam religion) believe in in one Supreme God, devote to 5 pillars
which are Alms, Faith, fasting, pilgrimage and prayer

 Spiritual: Buddhists belief in attaining the state of Buddhahood; Christians believe in

Jesus as their Savior and your works should take precedence over blind faith; Hindus
believe in the law of cause and effect (reincarnation and karma), prevailing belief in
mutual tolerance and belief that all Gods are valid; Islam is Muslims believe in a
judgment day and life after death, the father of the newborn baby recites prayers in each
ear of the baby, birth control is acceptable but not abortion that does not pose risky to the
mother or fetus.
  Births: at birth, Islamic boys are circumcised, while Christian boys are not. Buddhists
believe pregnant women should avoid funerals to prevent bad luck going to the unborn
baby, artificial insemination is accepted but not abortion or the taking of a life; Hindus
 Deaths: Christians, Hindus (active euthanasia) and Muslims do not believe in euthanasia;
Buddhists believe the person’s state of mind at the time of death influences his state in
the rebirth
 Dress: Muslim woman cover their hair, Christian and Buddhists do not have a particular
dress code
 Food: Buddhists and Hindus are mainly vegetarian, Hindus use the right hand for eating
and the left for toileting and hygiene; Muslims abstain from eating pork; Christians diets
restrictions depend on their denominations

Cultural value is a guideline that governs the behavior of cultural supporters in which the
guidelines include rules such as manners, customs, views of life or ideology and so on. Cultural
values are defined as important and lasting beliefs or ideals shared by the members of a culture
about what is good or bad and desirable or undesirable. Cultural values are the commonly held
standards of what is acceptable or unacceptable, right or wrong, workable or unworkable,
important or unimportant in a community or society.

Examples of Cultural values :

 Always Eat Rice

Rice is part of Indonesian cultural value. Indonesian people always having breakfast,
lunch, and dinner with rice and variant side dishes. It is same with European culture that
eat bread. Many Indonesian people feel that they cannot eat without rice, although they
already a lot of food. It is different with eat a plate of rice.

 The Candidate of Marriage Couple cannot See Each Other

There are cultural value in Java where married people, the couple should not meet in
someday. It means that, they separated in different place. Woman cannot meet the man
around three days, but in some place, it can be 30 days until the day they get married.

 Sister/Brother Marriage

A girls or boys cannot married before their sister or brother. It is also part of meet. In a
family, older brother or sister have to marriage firstly. If a girls or boy marriage firstly,
they should give what their brother or sister wants, it can be something willingness.

Cultural norms are the unwritten rules that people do on a day to day basis. They serve as
guidance for people. The norms teach people how to act and speak in society. They are either
taught by parents or picked up through the social environment. In Indonesia, the cultural norms
are particularly strong. People stick by them and pass the knowledge down to the next
generation. They believe that the cultural norms shape them as Indonesians.

Examples of Cultural Norms :

 Eating with Bare Hands

Eating with either a fork, a spoon or a knife is often seen as proper. However,
Indonesians are perfectly fine eating with their bare hands. They will wash their hands
before and after they eat. It’s enjoyable for Indonesians to devour their meal with their
hands. They may eat like this at restaurants, homes or offices.

 Sitting on the Floor

Another Indonesian cultural norm is sitting on the floor. People who are not raised in
Indonesia may see this as unusual but it’s normal for Indonesians. Indonesians would
usually sit on the floor with a cover or without it. The cover that is usually used is a fabric
carpet or a large woven bamboo mat. Even clean floor tiles would do.

 Lack of PDA

Indonesians rarely show public display of affection in public. This is highly applicable
when they are a woman and a man who are not married yet. They don’t kiss, hold hands
or even hugs. Showing such affections in public may invite unwanted attention or even
scolding by strangers.

Institutionalized ways
The basic elements of a culture – the standard behavior events and their associated regulatory
patterns are frequently organized into larger patterns which are well established and accepted as
a fundamental part of culture. These large patterns are called institutionalized ways.

The concept of’ institutionalization ‘ refers to the process in which norms become
institutionalized, that is, when they are sanctioned by the group or its part and accepted and
internalized by a large number of members.

H.M. Johnson has pointed out, a social norm can be said to be institutionalized in a particular
social system when the following three conditions are met:
1. When a large number of the members of the social system accept the norm.

2. When the norm is taken seriously and internalized by a sizeable number of people who accept
it.

3. When the norm is sanctioned, that is, when certain members of the system are expected to be
guided by the norm in appropriate circumstances.

Examples of institutionalized ways :

 Muslim societies permit polygyny, but the Hindu and Christian Societies have not
permitted it.

 Hindus have tabooed beef-eating, Muslims are forbidden to eat pork, but both are
permitted in the Christian society.

 In Indonesia, caressing or giving candy to a small child around our house is a normal
habit. In Germany, you must ask permission first on the child's parent. No matter how
friendly an unknown child is, you still have to keep your distance.