What does ethnocentrism mean?
Ethnocentrism is the habit of judging other cultures, peoples, or ways of life by the standards of one's own culture, usually with the unspoken assumption that one's own way of doing things is natural, normal, or superior. The word was popularized by the American sociologist William Graham Sumner in the early twentieth century, combining the Greek roots ethnos (people or nation) with center to describe how groups place themselves at the center of the world. Ethnocentrism appears most often in anthropology, sociology, history, and discussions of cross-cultural communication, where it names an analytical pitfall: describing unfamiliar customs as strange, backward, or wrong simply because they differ from familiar ones. It carries a clearly negative connotation, suggesting narrow-mindedness rather than legitimate cultural pride. Its counterpart, cultural relativism, urges understanding each culture within its own context instead.
nounThe tendency to evaluate other cultures, peoples, or practices by the standards of one's own culture, typically accompanied by the belief that one's own culture is superior.
- Judging other cultures by the standards of one's own culture, often with an implicit assumption of one's own cultural superiority.
- In social science more broadly: any tendency to view one's own group (national, ethnic, religious) as central or normative relative to others.
"Critics accused the travel writer of ethnocentrism for describing local customs as primitive."
"Historians caution against reading ancient societies solely through modern Western values, as such ethnocentrism distorts our understanding."
"Anthropologists train themselves to recognize their own ethnocentrism so they can describe unfamiliar customs on their own terms."
Rarely pluralized; the word normally functions as an uncountable noun referring to a general attitude. A plural form may occasionally appear when distinguishing specific varieties across cultures or disciplines.
"Comparative studies have documented distinct ethnocentrisms across different national traditions."
The word was coined in the early twentieth century by sociologist William Graham Sumner, who argued that ethnocentrism makes people treat their own group as the center of everything and measure all others against it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of ethnocentrism
Ethnocentrism combines two Greek-derived elements: ethnos, meaning nation or people, and the Latin-derived centr- from centrum, meaning center. The term is generally credited to American sociologist William Graham Sumner, who used it around 1900 in his work Folkways (published in 1906) to describe the tendency of groups to see their own way of life as the center of things. Related formations include egocentrism and later terms built on the same -centrism suffix, such as Eurocentrism.
Related word forms
How ethnocentrism is actually used
Ethnocentrism is primarily used in academic and formal contexts, especially anthropology, sociology, and intercultural studies. It carries a strongly negative connotation, implying a failure of perspective-taking rather than simple pride in one's heritage; expressing appreciation for one's own culture without devaluing others is generally not called ethnocentrism.
Easily confused with ethnocentrism
Racism is prejudice or discrimination based on race, whereas ethnocentrism is judging other cultures against the standards of one's own culture — a cultural rather than strictly racial bias.
Xenophobia is fear or hostility toward foreigners or strangers, while ethnocentrism is the evaluative preference for one's own cultural norms.