Week 4 Q#3

Assumed similarity was an interesting concept to read about in chapter 12. The assumption that there are universal behaviors that mean the same thing in different cultures can lead to misunderstandings among different cultural groups. Even though a smile is universal, that does not mean that the smile means the same thing in every culture one may be exposed to. The text uses the example of how a smile could be an invitation for sex in Japan, whereas in the U.S. a smile is a friendly greeting that usually does not imply sexual favors.

There are several ways in which ethnocentrism could play a role in assumed similarity. Because one may believe their culture is better than any other, then they may be offended by someone else because they aren't similar. An outsider in a different culture may feel offended when they reach their hand to shake in a greeting, or go for a hug, because their invitation for physical contact may not be warranted in the other culture.

I thought this concept was interesting because sometimes we spend so much time in our own culture, that we never get the chance to see that assumed similarity even exists. In order to see that we actually do assume that there are universal behaviors that mean the same things, we have to be placed somewhere where our assumptions are challenged, like the case of the girl in Japan.