Ethnographic Research Report: Contrasting Asian and American Culture

This ethnographic research report explores the differences between Asian and American cultures, focusing on education systems, parenting skills, food habits, and religious practices. The study utilizes observational data and interviews conducted within both cultural groups, highlighting variations in schooling approaches, where American education encourages open expression while Asian education emphasizes memorization. Parenting styles also differ, with American parenting valuing independence and assertiveness, while Asian parenting emphasizes collectivism and self-control. Food habits vary significantly, with American diets often consisting of fast food and processed items, while Asian diets prioritize rice, vegetables, and seafood. The research also delves into cultural traditions, gender roles, and religious influences, revealing the diverse customs and values that shape the lives of people in both Asian and American societies. Desklib provides access to similar solved assignments and past papers for students.

Running head: ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH BETWEEN ASIAN AND AMERICAN CULTURE
Ethnographic Research between Asian and American Culture
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s note

1ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH BETWEEN ASIAN AND AMERICAN CULTURE
Table of Contents
1. Introduction..................................................................................................................................2
2. Method.........................................................................................................................................3
3. Research.......................................................................................................................................4
4. Analysis and Interpretation..........................................................................................................7
5. Conclusion...................................................................................................................................7
References........................................................................................................................................9

2ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH BETWEEN ASIAN AND AMERICAN CULTURE
1. Introduction
Asian and American cultures are very different from each other. There have been various
researches conducted in this regard focusing on the different aspects of various ethnic groups of
people living in these cultures. As a topic of interest the different cultures of Asia and America
and the people abiding these cultures would be researched upon. People have their own cultural
presences, education perspectives, personal grading system and many other aspects (Pascual et
al., 2017).The food habits would also differ based on their eating habits, manners and their
lifestyle patterns. The research study would focus more on the education system of the students
abiding these cultures next. There might be different kinds of aspect based on their education
system. This would help in understanding the basic questions that might arise in relation to their
educational level patterns, their grading systems and many other facts. One another important
aspect is based on parenting habits (Okihiro, 2014). People in both these locations would have a
different approach to parenting their children.
The children belonging to the Asian and American culture also have a different aspect
based on their learning aspects. This depends on their schooling technique, which would be able
to teach them to deal with different situations and would also develop a variety of skills that
would be helpful for them in the future. Based on a wide conduction of research on the different
people based in these locations, it could be said that the people within these locations have
different kinds of rituals, which are followed by them in order to maintain balances within their
society. The following report would thus find out the differences between the Asian and
American culture based on the above mentioned topics.

3ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH BETWEEN ASIAN AND AMERICAN CULTURE
2. Method
The methods used in the collection of data are based on the observation of the different
cultural habits, food, religion and behavioural aspects of the people within the Asian and
American culture. This would be possible by meeting different people living in these nations and
thus conducting a research based on viewing their habits. I am an Asian and have stayed in the
United States for a month for the purpose of conducting research among the Asian and American
culture (Mertens, 2014).
Based on the conducted studies, I had noticed some distinction between both the cultures.
These could be discussed as under:
 There are different kinds of aspects that would differ between both the groups of people.
 They have a variety of aspects such as their education system, food culture, parenting
habits, languages spoken, and style of communication, religion and traditions. I
conducted an interview within a few groups of people in both these groups of people,
which had helped me to understand their basic habits (Zhang, De Pablos & Xu, 2014).
 Based on the conduction of research, I would also be making use research articles from
library for gathering more valid information about the habits of both these groups of
people within Asian and American culture.
3. Research
During the conduction of the entire research to find about the similarities and
dissimilarities between the Asian and American culture it has been possible to gather a number
of similarities and differences between both these groups of people. The American culture helps

4ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH BETWEEN ASIAN AND AMERICAN CULTURE
in encouraging students for expressing their opinions in relation to a particular subject. This
culture helps in discussing topics with other teachers and students.
The diversification and growth within the Asian and American culture in the recent years
has been a phenomenal approach. This form of diversifications would be based on sustainable
immigration of the people in these countries. There has been a diversification in the different
kinds of culture that define the boundaries of the people. Parenting, education, food habits,
religions are some of the aspects that define the kind of people within the Asian and American
culture.
Further research within their cultural aspects would be able to define the kind of work
culture within their regions. This research has helped in researching about the different kinds of
roles of men and women within the society of Asia and America. These roles would be specified
to them based on their abilities. Another major aspect that is mainly crucial within both the
cultures is based on their religious aspects (McCloud, 2018).
Religion defines one of the cultural aspects of the people and is also followed by the
people in order to maintain a balance in the society. Traditions are also another major aspect that
is defined within the research. This would also help in forming various kinds of structures within
the society. Both the ethnographic cultures within Asia and America are strong enough and both
of them have their personal aspects, which helps in defining the lives of the people.
On the other hand, the Asian culture of schooling is completely different (Escobar, 2018).
Schooling within the Asian culture is based on memorization and lectures. Schooling in the
American culture is friendly and casual while in Asian culture the relationship between teachers
and students is formal.

5ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH BETWEEN ASIAN AND AMERICAN CULTURE
 Education System: The higher education systems in the American culture are
mainly controlled by the independent groups of people or different trustees. The
private schools in America are expensive as compared to the public school
counterparts. Based on comparing of the two form of schooling, it could be
concluded that the Asian system of schooling is better than the American systems
in terms of IQ development and better rearing of students. This form of education
system also helps in the development of the children and thus helps in the all-
round development of the child. In the education system, the process of education
is made compulsory for every student. Most of the high school students would
graduate during the age of seventeen or eighteen years of age. Grades are
provided to students for each course during the end of their semester. On the other
hand, the Asian system of schooling has reformed their system of education and
has focused on the traditional form of assessment of students. They have included
scores, records and grades within the academic subjects. Hence, from the
conclusion drawn from the above aspect, it could be considered that both these
cultures value their education and grading systems. It has been found according to
researches that in the year of 2014, the American people have spend over 16,286
USD within the entire year for educating the people in America to tertiary
education from primary education. On the other hand, compared to the American
countries, the Asian countries have spent much less amount of money for
education. Various researches have also found that the total amount of American
money spent for education has been 10 per cent more than all the global countries
combined. Therefore, a clear difference is seen between the cultures of Asia and

6ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH BETWEEN ASIAN AND AMERICAN CULTURE
America in spending for education irrespective of the quality of education being
received.
 Parenting Skills: In this aspect of the cultural difference, it can be considered
that there is difference in the parenting of children in both these culture. In the
American Culture, the goals of parenting are independent, social assertiveness,
competence, confident and individualistic. The authoritative style of parenting is
mostly regarded to be one of the most ideal forms based on the core values
(Steinberg & Darling, 2017). These would also be able to promote clear and firm
rules based on employing inductive reasoning. Conversely, the traditional kind of
Asian families tend to be collectivistic that would emphasize on conformity self-
control, humanity and focusing on interdependence. Despite the different kinds of
differences between the Asian and American family processes, it could be
understood that the different practices based on Western theories would be
capable of explaining the form of Asian parenting that are able to dominate the
existing parenting research and family practices.
 Food Habits: There are different kinds of food habits based on the growing
population within the Asian and American community. During the conduction of
research, I could find that the standard American diet would comprise of potatoes,
meat, fries and burgers on a definite basis. The primary characteristics of an
American diet would be described as fast, high in saturated fats and sugar
quantity.

7ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH BETWEEN ASIAN AND AMERICAN CULTURE
Fig 1: Scenario of Shopping Carts of Asian and American culture
(Source: Silva et al., 2014)
On the other hand, the Asian diet would comprise of rice, grains, plants,
vegetables, poultry, seafood and fruits. Although there is no such resemblance of
taboo on the different food items, it has been seen that the American household
would consist mostly of potato chips, crackers and cheese that would satiate the
hunger of the people living in those countries (Silva et al., 2014). The Asian
culture would comprise of such kind of items that are healthy such as seeds, nuts,
roasted seaweed and dried fruit.
Culture in Asia: The culture of Asia comprises of diverse and collective customs. They
also include different kinds of traditions, architecture, art, literature, music, lifestyle and many
other factors. In the Asian culture, I could find that the people in these regions prefer the physical
contact during casual conversations. A common form of greeting could be described as kissing
on cheeks. In these countries, Muslims would also have stricter rules based on touching (Warner,

8ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH BETWEEN ASIAN AND AMERICAN CULTURE
2014). In this culture, men and women are not allowed to touch each other in a casual manner
within public spaces.
The importance of the roles based on gender attitudes within the dynamics of family has
been of a major form of interest. During the conduction of research, the primary goal was based
on identification of attitudes based on gender roles. In the Asian culture, it has been seen that the
family roles within the Asian culture are primarily governed based on hierarchy, duty and
obligation (Fernandes, 2014). In these cultures, the family is considered as a collective unit. In
these cultures, the perspective of an individual would be seen to be disrespectful and disruptive
the families.
Each of the people within the Asian and American countries has a particular religion. The
Asian culture could be considered as one of the largest and comprising of different religions.
Research has been done on people based on Buddhism and Christianity. All kinds of traditions
within these religions are mainly practiced in these countries (Wilson, 2014). Buddhism is
regarded as the fourth largest religion in the world and is also the third largest religion in Asia.
The Christian religion is also regarded as a widespread minority religion within Asia that
has more than 287 million followers. Religion is widely practiced in the Asian and American
cultures. There are different kinds of practices that are followed in these cultures. Religion helps
in binding the people into a single thread (Roland, 2013). People in these countries practice such
kind of trends that are defined within their religion and these are mainly followed by them in
order to respect their elders and follow their ancient culture.
There are different kinds of traditions and culture within the Asian culture. In these
countries, Buddhism and Christianity have been considered as the predominant religions. People

9ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH BETWEEN ASIAN AND AMERICAN CULTURE
in both these nations follow such kind of traditions that are defined by their religions norms.
People belonging within these sects follow some form of traditional meals. The people within
both these cultures of Asia and America also focus on performing such kind of rituals and
traditional acts that were defined within their religion aspects (Berger, 2017). This kind of
streamlining of different processes would focus more on the traditional aspects of the people.
4. Analysis and Interpretation
Based on the understanding from the research conducted, it has been able to formulate
the most important facts based on these two aspects of Asian and American culture. Though the
research was conducted within a smaller group, yet it has been able to provide much higher
insights within their diversity and traditions. Based on a conduction of research based on the two
cultures of people, it has been seen that the two cultures have different kinds of aspects
(McFarland & Wehbe-Alamah, 2014). These include parenting habits, food habits, religions,
culture, traditional acts and many others. There are diverse cultural norms that are able to reflect
the cultural components of traditional religions.

10ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH BETWEEN ASIAN AND AMERICAN CULTURE
Fig 2: Rate of Buying within the Asian and American Cultures
(Source: Gereffi & Wyman, 2014)
Based on a proper form of analysis, it has been seen that the parenting habits of the
people in the Asian and American culture differ by many aspects (Root & Brown, 2014). Both of
these cultures nurture their children in order to make them responsible. Though the techniques of
parenting are independent of each other, yet they are able to achieve a common objective. This
research has also been made possible with the help of focusing on the works of different authors.
They have also defined some of the aspects, which have been helpful for understanding the
various facts needed during the research (Gereffi & Wyman, 2014).
Furthermore, based on the conduction of research, it could be discussed that there have
been different kinds of significant differences based on regional dialect, background of their
class, level of education, gender based roles and orientation of their lifestyle.

11ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH BETWEEN ASIAN AND AMERICAN CULTURE
5. Conclusion
It can be said as a conclusion that, based on the conduction of research for the interviews
and the works of different authors, it has been seen that both the Asian and American culture
differ in some aspects. The traditions of the different people differ in terms of their religions.
This research helped me to gain ideas about the various kinds of habits of the people. Different
kinds of aspects such as parenting, food habits, and education systems, roles based on gender,
religions and special traditions have been discussed within this area of research. There are
different kinds of aspects of different people based on their kinds of considerations. Based on the
considerations of their different habits, it has been able to understand about the ways in which
the people living in these regions would be able to perform different kinds of traditions and
cultures. With the help of this kind of knowledge, their way of living and special kind of
traditions and culture have also been understood with the help of the various researches. Based
on the wide form of research, it has been seen the Asian and American has some form of
similarities and differences in their culture and traditions. This has been useful for the conduction
of research based on these two countries and regions of people.

12ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH BETWEEN ASIAN AND AMERICAN CULTURE
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