Cultural Relativity: Understanding Gender Roles

Margaret Me's Research on Cultural Relativity

• Margaret Me studied different cultures to understand how they affect people's development, particularly regarding gender roles and behavior.

Cultural Relativity

• Cultural relativity means that what people consider typical in one culture can be very different in another.
• Me's research challenges the idea that certain behaviors are natural and instead shows that they are shaped by cultural expectations.

Observations in Samoa

• Me traveled to Samoa and observed that teenagers' behavior was different from what she observed in the United States.
• This challenges the idea that all teenagers naturally go through the same kinds of struggles.

Research in New Guinea

• Me studied tribes in New Guinea and found that ideas about what is masculine or feminine vary greatly between cultures.
• In one tribe, traits like being emotional and caring, often seen as feminine in Western cultures, were considered masculine.

Implications of Me's Research

• Me's research shows that gender roles are not set by biology but are influenced by cultural expectations.
• Understanding cultural differences is crucial for teachers and parents to be more effective and respectful in how they teach and raise children.
• Me's work encourages appreciation and embrace of cultural differences rather than seeing them as obstacles.

Me's Legacy

• Throughout her career, Me spoke out about the importance of understanding different cultures.
• Her work encourages us to look at the world more openly and to value the diversity of human experiences.

Margaret Mead's studies on cultural relativity reveal that what is considered natural in Western societies may be shaped by culture. She observed differences in gender roles and behavior between cultures, highlighting the importance of cultural understanding.