Introduction
The formation of cultural competence and basic habits of behavior is largely due to the background of people and their established way of life. Many forms of communication, interaction, and approaches to work are the reflection of those skills and abilities that were obtained in the past and serve as the source of existing experience. The cultural influence of the family is perhaps the most significant factor determining personal life transitions and attitudes to different everyday aspects. Copying can be unconscious; nevertheless, these are basic habits that largely determine the character of the person’s future way of life. Therefore, one of the primary sources of cultural influence is family traditions and values laid down in childhood.
Attitude to Communication with Children
Having a close relationship with relatives, a person often adopts the manner of behavior of their loved ones. Perhaps, therefore, Chan claims that the fate of one family member can be influenced by the behavior of the other if there is a close relationship between them (71). The tradition of spending time with children, celebrating holidays in a close circle, pleasing one another with gifts – all these habits, as a rule, remain with people in adulthood.
The US way of life largely determines the peculiarities of upbringing. Walking to the beach in summer and to the pool in winter is a typical American pastime. However, even following some of the local trends, it is possible to preserve native traditions, regularly maintaining the customs of the family and incorporating them into the US culture. Very often, children do not need to be aware of the worries of adulthood, and all they need is to understand that they are taken care of and are supported by their parents (Accawi 88). Thus, attitudes toward loved ones can be learned from experiences that parents have.
External Factors
In addition to family values and habits, some external factors can have a significant impact on people’s cultural preferences. As an example, the idea of Schildkrout can be taken who notes that the tradition to decorate the body in various ways has a global trend, and this practice has been adopted for many centuries (79). Also, the circle of communication is one of the crucial factors influencing cultural preferences of people. As Grande remarks, some acquaintances and friends who have a strong impact on a person form persistent preferences concerning certain life phenomena, which can also take a beginning in childhood (95). Therefore, external factors are no less important than family traditions and the type of upbringing.
Conclusion
Thus, cultural background is, in fact, the reflection of the human experience and preferences and is formed due to established habits that have their roots in the past. Family traditions and values play an essential role in the process of developing an individual culture and preferences regarding specific situations. In addition to behavioral patterns that are adopted from childhood, the circle of communication is of great importance in the process of personality development and the formation of cultural interests.
Works Cited
Accawi, Anwar F. “The Telephone.” One World, Many Cultures, edited by Stuart Hirschberg and Terry Hirschberg, 10th ed., Pearson, 2017, pp. 88-94.
Chan, Sucheng. “You’re Short, Besides!” One World, Many Cultures, edited by Stuart Hirschberg and Terry Hirschberg, 10th ed., Pearson, 2017, pp. 71-78.
Grande, Reyna. “The Distance Between Us.” One World, Many Cultures, edited by Stuart Hirschberg and Terry Hirschberg, 10th ed., Pearson, 2017, pp. 95-100.
Schildkrout, Enid. “Body Art as Visual Language.” One World, Many Cultures, edited by Stuart Hirschberg and Terry Hirschberg, 10th ed., Pearson, 2017, pp. 79-87.