Meaning & use
cultural assumptions
Last updated
Meaning
nounplural
Beliefs that people in a society take for granted as true, often without realizing they are culturally specific.
Grammar: Usually plural; the singular 'cultural assumption' refers to one such belief.
Patterns
- make cultural assumptions about someone
- challenge cultural assumptions
- based on cultural assumptions
The study challenges common cultural assumptions about gender roles.
We should not make cultural assumptions about people from other countries.
Her argument is based on cultural assumptions that many readers may not share.
Word forms
| singular | cultural assumption |
|---|
Common combinations
- make cultural assumptions
- It is risky to make cultural assumptions about a new colleague.
- challenge cultural assumptions
- The documentary challenges cultural assumptions about success.
- based on cultural assumptions
- His theory is based on cultural assumptions that are not universal.
- question cultural assumptions
- Good anthropologists question their own cultural assumptions.
Synonyms and how they differ
- cultural beliefs
- More neutral and general; 'cultural assumptions' often implies the beliefs are unexamined or possibly wrong.
- stereotypes
- Stereotypes are oversimplified and often negative; cultural assumptions can be neutral but still unexamined.
Word family
- assume verb
- To believe something is true without proof.
- assumption noun
- Something you accept as true without checking.
Commonly confused: cultural assumptions or cultural allusions?
cultural assumptions vs cultural allusions
Allusions are indirect references to shared cultural knowledge; assumptions are beliefs taken for granted.
Practice
Before criticizing another culture, try to recognize your own ______.
Choose one answer.
'Cultural assumptions' are unexamined beliefs about how things should be, which fits recognizing your own biases. 'Cultural allusions' are references to shared knowledge, and 'culture shocks' are feelings of disorientation, neither of which fits the context of self-reflection.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “cultural assumptions”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.