Ethnocentrism is defined as the tendency to

• A. The Belief That All Cultures Are Equal
• B. The Tendency to Negatively Judge Others Against Our Own Values
• C. The Ability to Adapt Quickly to Cultures
• D. The Practice of Self-Monitoring

Answer: (B)

Ethnocentrism centers on evaluating other cultures using the standards and values of one’s own culture, often leading to negative judgments about those cultures. The best description captures this bias: people view others through the lens of their own norms and may deem different practices as inferior or wrong simply because they don’t align with what they consider “normal.” This tendency can hinder understanding and respectful interaction across cultures.

The other ideas describe related but distinct concepts. Believing that all cultures are equal reflects cultural relativism, which tries to understand practices on their own terms rather than by one’s own standards. Adaptability to cultures points to intercultural competence or acculturation skills, not the bias itself. Self-monitoring involves adjusting behavior in social situations, not making value judgments about cultures.