Microcultures

Microcultures
Dr. Marybeth Peebles, associate professor at Marietta College, Marietta, Ohio

* = those microcultures that are immutable

** = the dominant subcultures

A. Class (socioeconomic status) (how define? Look at census information at www.census.gov)

1. Underclass – below poverty level, homeless
2. Working class - lower middle class, blue collar
3. Middle class – white collar and low-level managerial / administrative **
4. Upper middle class – professionals, high-level managerial / administrative
5. Upper class – professionals, top-level managerial / administrative, inherited wealth and social status

B. Race *

1. Caucasian (Whites) **
2. African American (Blacks)
3. American Indian, Eskimo
4. Asian / Pacific Islander
5. Hispanic
6. Other

C. Ethnicity *

1. Western European **
2. Central / Eastern European
3. Asian
4. African
5. Latino. Hispanic is not a race, it is an ethnic designation
6. Other

D. Gender / sexual orientation *

1. Male **
2. Female
3. Heterosexual **
4. Homosexual
5. Bisexual
6. Transgender

E. Language

1. Monolingual (English only) **
2. Bilingual (English as primary language)
3. ESL (English as a second language)
4. Multilingual (fluent in more than two languages)

F. Religion

1. Christianity – Protestantism **
2. Christianity – Catholicism
3. Christianity – Other (e.g. Mormon, Jehovah’s Witness, Christian Scientist)
4. Eastern Orthodox
5. Judaism
6. Islam
7. Buddhism
8. Hindu
9. Other

G. Exceptionality *

1. Non-disabled **
2. Physically disabled
3. Mentally retarded
4. Learning disabled
5. Gifted / talented / precocity

H. Age *

1. Infancy
2. Youth
3. Adolescence
4. Young adulthood **
5. Middle age
6. Aged (elderly)

Geography

1. Regional (e.g. Midwest, New England, Southwest, etc.)
2. Location (e.g. urban, suburban, rural)
3. Environmental (e.g. mountains, desert, coastal)