Explain what is meant by ideal cultural patterns and actual cultural patterns. How could this be frustrating for cultural anthropologists studying cultural patterns? Give an example from your own culture.
Ideal cultural patterns (ICP) are those patterns a people wishes everyone practiced. In deed, the population may generalize that they as a whole behave in such a way. Or they may establish formal norms to spell out the desired ICPs as a means to mitigate the effects of the personal variation in behavior of its people. Actual cultural patterns (ACP) are the patterns which are observed by the population generally. ICPs are usually discussed or taught. ACPs are usually what we do. Example: Obeying the speed limit is an ICP. The corresponding ACP would be driving between 5 and 10 MPH over the posted. It has been my observation that we are taught desired ICPs but human nature inevitably seeks out the limit of society and then pulls back to a line where ACPs do not invoke formal sanctions. Anthropologists must be careful not only to avoid ethnocentrism but must be certain that they distinguish between the two types of patterns so that a clear picture of the groups culture is explained. In some cultures, there is a great divide between ICP and ACP where in others, it is an acceptable practice to point out when someone's ACP is inconsistent with the social ICP.
And some additional comments of mine:
We could say that the ICP of separate living until married could now days be considered maladaptive behavior. ***** explains that living together before marriage serves an adaptive purpose by "testing" the relationship. Another consideration is the savings of one residence, two incomes. Anthropologists will certainly be able to point out the shift of ideals. I extend the question: if a culture does change its ideals, can it ever be said that the change was maladaptive? My thinking that today, most changes in ACPs from ICPs is rarely self imposed. When we see a culture die off, blame is rarely, if ever, placed on the culture. It's almost always placed on another culture and is said that one culture overpowered the other. What is a possible scenario in which cohabitation could be deemed maladaptive and therfore have been a bad choice for our culture? I'd really like to see some discussion.
Let me throw this out: It goes back to *****'s comments but I think it works in this line as well. Cultural patterns evolve out of what is best for the society, so the book says. Here's my problem with that. If society makes up all its own rules without some thing (or God) that is above the social order establishing foundational rules upon which the society can build, eventually the society plummets into a hedonistic chaos. This is what I mean, staying with cohabitation as the example merely for discussion's sake. Why has cohabitation been taboo for so many centuries? Was humanity just totally ignorant or too immature to handle such a thing before? Did humanity, in the last 100 years or so just become so intelligent and responsible that cohabitation is really the way people should live? Maybe, just maybe, the social norm that was practiced in centuries past was on to something. Maybe, our great, great, great, great, great, great grandparents knew there are some lines we humans shouldn't cross. But today we're so much more evolved than they were, right? I mean, we know what's best for ourselves, don't we? Those old rules and traditions don't apply today because, well, we have cell phones and computers and the cost of living is so much higher and contraceptives are so much more effective and....
Many ACPs based on morality and the difference between right/wrong or good/bad seem to be overruled each generation earlier and earlier. It's human nature to seek out the limits of our choices, the precipice over whose edge we know comes pain. But without God, or some thing greater than humanity, telling us where the edge of that precipice is, we groap around in the dark constantly looking for moral boundaries, ignoring the warnings and councils of generations past. And like always, those who fall over the edge are looked at as exceptions to the norm. That won't happen to us, right? Those folks were careless and didn't take the right precautions. We don't take those kind of chances.
ICPs are so important. I'm and idealist and that causes some conflict in my life but I know that if we don't minimize the gaps between our ACPs and ICPs, we risk a lot more than humanity wants to admit.
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