How different cultures construe primary and secondary control

by | Feb 12, 2025 | essay

 

 

 

– Explain how different cultures construe primary and secondary control

 

– Explain the differences between high-context cultures and low-context cultures

 

– Explain the impact that language has on various domains according to the Whorfian hypothesis

 

Find one research study (or more) to explain the following concepts to provide either evidence for it (prove it) or against it (disprove it), you may provide evidence for either side. Explain, describe, compare and contrast:

– Learned helplessness and cultural differences in the perception of choic

Sample solution

Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.


This question has been answered

God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

Let’s explore cultural influences on control, communication, language, and learned helplessness.

1. Primary and Secondary Control Across Cultures:

  • Primary Control: Refers to efforts to change the world to fit one’s needs and desires. It emphasizes agency and control over one’s environment. This is often associated with Western cultures.
  • Secondary Control: Focuses on adapting oneself to the existing environment. It emphasizes acceptance, adjustment, and finding ways to fit in. This is often associated with Eastern cultures.

Cultures differ in the emphasis they place on these types of control. Western cultures tend to value independence and self-reliance, leading to a stronger focus on primary control. People in these cultures are encouraged to be assertive, express their opinions, and actively shape their surroundings. Eastern cultures, on the other hand, often prioritize interdependence and harmony

Let’s explore cultural influences on control, communication, language, and learned helplessness.

1. Primary and Secondary Control Across Cultures:

  • Primary Control: Refers to efforts to change the world to fit one’s needs and desires. It emphasizes agency and control over one’s environment. This is often associated with Western cultures.
  • Secondary Control: Focuses on adapting oneself to the existing environment. It emphasizes acceptance, adjustment, and finding ways to fit in. This is often associated with Eastern cultures.

Cultures differ in the emphasis they place on these types of control. Western cultures tend to value independence and self-reliance, leading to a stronger focus on primary control. People in these cultures are encouraged to be assertive, express their opinions, and actively shape their surroundings. Eastern cultures, on the other hand, often prioritize interdependence and harmony

with others, which can lead to a greater emphasis on secondary control. People in these cultures may be more likely to adjust their own behavior or desires to accommodate the needs of others or the demands of the situation.

2. High-Context vs. Low-Context Cultures:

  • High-Context Cultures: Communication relies heavily on shared understanding, nonverbal cues, and context. Meaning is often implicit and indirect. Relationships and trust are highly valued. Examples include many East Asian, Middle Eastern, and Latin American cultures.
  • Low-Context Cultures: Communication is more direct and explicit. Meaning is primarily conveyed through words. Less emphasis is placed on nonverbal cues or shared context. Individualism and efficiency are valued. Examples include many Western European and North American cultures.

In high-context cultures, communication can be nuanced and require careful attention to social cues and unspoken messages. In low-context cultures, communication is typically more straightforward and transparent. Misunderstandings can arise when people from different context cultures interact, as they may have different expectations about how communication works.

3. The Whorfian Hypothesis and Language’s Impact:

The Whorfian hypothesis, also known as the linguistic relativity hypothesis, proposes that the structure of a language influences the way its speakers perceive and think about the world. There are two versions:

  • Strong Whorfian Hypothesis (Linguistic Determinism): Language determines thought. This version suggests that people can only think about things for which they have words in their language. This version is largely discredited.
  • Weak Whorfian Hypothesis (Linguistic Influence): Language influences thought. This version suggests that language can make certain concepts more accessible or salient, but it doesn’t completely determine thought. This version has more support.

Research on the Whorfian hypothesis has explored how language can affect various cognitive domains, such as:

  • Color Perception: Some studies have shown that people who speak languages with different color categories may perceive color boundaries differently.
  • Time Perception: Languages that use spatial metaphors for time (e.g., “a long time ahead”) may influence how speakers conceptualize time.
  • Spatial Reasoning: Languages that use different spatial reference frames (e.g., absolute vs. relative) may affect how speakers navigate and describe locations.

4. Learned Helplessness and Cultural Differences in Choice:

  • Learned Helplessness: A condition in which individuals feel powerless to control their outcomes, often after experiencing repeated failures or uncontrollable events. This can lead to passivity, resignation, and depression.

Research Study:

A study by Iyengar and Lepper (2000) examined the effects of choice on motivation and performance in children from different cultural backgrounds. They found that:

  • American children: Showed greater motivation and persistence when they had personal choice (i.e., choosing for themselves).
  • Asian-American children: Showed similar levels of motivation and persistence when choices were made for them by trusted others (e.g., parents, teachers) as when they made the choices themselves.

Evidence:

  • For Cultural Differences: This study provides evidence for cultural differences in the perception of choice. It suggests that the value placed on personal choice may vary across cultures, and that individuals from collectivist cultures may not always prioritize personal choice in the same way as those from individualistic cultures.

  • Against Learned Helplessness: The study also challenges the idea that a lack of personal choice necessarily leads to learned helplessness. The Asian-American children in the study did not exhibit decreased motivation or persistence when choices were made for them by others, suggesting that they did not experience a sense of helplessness in these situations.

Comparison and Contrast:

  • Learned helplessness is a psychological state characterized by a lack of perceived control.
  • Cultural differences in the perception of choice highlight that the importance and value placed on personal choice can vary across cultures. In some cultures, choices made by trusted others may be seen as equally or even more motivating than choices made by oneself.

How it Relates:

This research suggests that learned helplessness may not be a universal phenomenon. Cultural factors, such as the emphasis on interdependence and the acceptance of authority, can influence how individuals perceive and respond to situations involving choice and control. It’s crucial to consider cultural context when examining issues of learned helplessness and perceived choice.

This question has been answered.

Get Answer