Midterm Flashcards
(70 cards)
Biculturalism
The ability to function in two cultural environments.
Assimilation
The process by which a cultural group fully adopts the customs and norms of another.
Enculturation
The process by which cultural values and norms are passed from one generation to another.
Acculturation
When an ethnic group adopts some traits of the dominant culture while maintaining its own.
Traditions, Customs, Manners
Practices that define a group’s behaviors and interactions.
Foodways/Food Habits
The ways humans select, prepare, distribute, and consume food.
Mixed Salad / Cultural Plurality
The coexistence of multiple cultures where each retains its identity.
Interculturalism
Interaction and blending of cultural elements.
Cultural Competency
The ability to effectively work with different cultural groups, especially in healthcare and food services.
The Omnivore’s Paradox
Humans can eat a wide variety of foods but prefer familiar ones.
There is a tension between trying new foods and sticking to known ones.
Core Foods
Staples eaten regularly (e.g., rice, wheat, corn).
Complementary Foods
Side foods that enhance taste and nutrition (e.g., spices, sauces).
Secondary Foods
Consumed often but not daily (e.g., meats, vegetables).
Peripheral Foods
Eaten occasionally (e.g., special dishes).
Globalization
Expansion of food access worldwide.
Consumerization
Shift from local foods to mass-produced items.
Modernization
From manual food prep to industrialized production.
Urbanization
Rural to city migration affecting diets.
Commoditization
From homemade to commercially packaged foods.
Slow Food Movement
Founded by: Carlo Petrini (Italian journalist) in 1986 in response to McDonald’s opening near the Spanish Steps in Rome.
Main Goal: To promote traditional, local, and sustainable food over industrial fast food.
3 Principles:
Good – Food should be healthy and taste good.
Clean – Food should be produced with minimal environmental impact and respect for animal welfare.
Fair – Food should be accessible to all and produced under fair conditions for workers.
Biomedical Definition of Health
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”
Cultural Perspectives on Health
Some cultures include natural, spiritual, and supernatural elements in health.
Health can be holistic, considering balance in body, mind, and spirit.
Traditional vs. Biomedical Health Views
Biomedicine (Western Medicine):
- Based on scientific research and technology.
- Focuses on treatment of disease.
- Ignores spiritual or supernatural aspects of health.
Traditional Medicine:
- Varies by culture, often includes herbal remedies, prayers, or natural healing.
- Believes balance (yin-yang, hot-cold, etc.) is key to good health.
Four Theories on the Causes of Sickness
Personal Behaviors – (e.g., smoking, diet, lack of exercise).
Natural World Causes – (e.g., viruses, bacteria, environmental factors).
Social World Causes – (e.g., stress, relationships, the “evil eye”).
Supernatural Causes – (e.g., spirits, gods, curses, fate).