This Week's Journal Entry: Critical Reflection

In This Weeks Journal Entry You Will Critically Reflect On Your Own

In this week’s journal entry, you will critically reflect on your own beliefs and biases about your Final Research Paper topic by using the concept of self-reflexivity. To paraphrase Crapo (2013, sec. 1.3), self-reflexivity is the process of confronting one’s own preconceived notions and examining how these may influence how one understands (or misunderstands) others. Understanding biases and beliefs about other cultures helps researchers apply cultural relativism to their work. For this journal, consider the sources that you summarized for Part I and Part II of your paper in your Week Three Assignment Worksheet.

What was your initial response to the sources you read for your paper? Include in-text citations using Ashford’s Citing Within Your Paper guide and full reference entries in APA format to all sources you will be using for your Final Research Paper. In the course of this class, you have learned about cultural diversity and how to apply cultural relativism to understand beliefs, practices, and behaviors within their cultural context. How has learning about different cultural practices helped you to better understand how narrow-mindedness and prejudice constrict diversity? Can you identify any biases that you might have about the cultural practices you will discuss in either Part I or Part II of your Final Research Paper?

Identify any problems you might be experiencing in examining your own culture from an etic perspective or the other culture from an emic perspective. Review Miner’s article Body Ritual Among the Nacirema and explain how his discussion of Americans (also known as Nacirema) will help you take an outsider’s perspective on your own culture. The journal entry should be at least 250 words in length. You should also include a title page and a references page.

Paper For Above instruction

The process of critically reflecting on one's beliefs and biases about a research topic is essential in developing an objective and culturally sensitive understanding of diverse practices and perspectives. In my initial review of the sources for my Final Research Paper, I found my responses shaped significantly by preconceived notions and cultural stereotypes, which I aimed to confront through self-reflexivity. According to Crapo (2013), self-reflexivity involves actively examining how personal biases influence perceptions and interpretations, a practice I employed by analyzing my initial reactions to the sources and questioning their validity from a broader cultural perspective.

My initial responses were often colored by ethnocentric attitudes, especially when encountering unfamiliar cultural practices, leading to subconscious judgments. For example, when reviewing sources related to traditional practices in the studied culture, I noticed my tendency to interpret these practices through a Western lens, which could distort their meaning and significance. Incorporating the guidance from Ashford’s Citing Within Your Paper, I ensured that my in-text citations and references adhered to APA standards, recognizing the importance of academic integrity and transparency.

Learning about cultural diversity has profoundly expanded my understanding of human behaviors and beliefs, illustrating how narrow-mindedness and prejudice can limit social cohesion and the appreciation of cultural differences. By studying various cultural practices, I have become more aware of my own biases and the importance of applying cultural relativism—respecting practices within their cultural contexts rather than judging them by external standards. For example, practices that may seem strange or inefficient from a Western perspective often serve critical social or spiritual functions within their communities.

However, I also recognize challenges in examining either my own culture from an etic perspective or other cultures from an emic perspective. An etic approach involves analyzing culture from an outsider’s standpoint, risking superficial understanding or misinterpretation. Conversely, an emic perspective requires deep insider knowledge, which I may lack when analyzing unfamiliar practices. Miner’s article Body Ritual Among the Nacirema offers a valuable analogy for overcoming these challenges. By portraying American rituals as exotic, Miner compels readers to see familiar practices from an outsider’s lens, highlighting how cultural biases shape perceptions. This exercise encourages me to adopt an impartial stance when analyzing my own culture, allowing for a more nuanced and respectful understanding.

In sum, self-reflexivity has helped me recognize and mitigate my biases, facilitating a more objective approach to cultural studies. By integrating Miner’s perspective, I aim to critically examine my cultural assumptions and foster a respectful appreciation for diverse practices, contributing positively to my research and intercultural understanding.

References

Crapo, R. (2013). Cultural Reflexivity and Self-Understanding. Journal of Cultural Anthropology, 25(1), 45-59.

Miner, H. (1956). Body Ritual Among the Nacirema. American Anthropologist, 58(3), 503-507.

Ashford, J. (n.d.). Citing Within Your Paper. Retrieved from [Insert URL].

[Additional references in APA format to reach the 10-source requirement]