Which term describes the belief that one's own culture is superior to others?

• A. Stratification
• B. Pluralism
• C. Ethnocentrism
• D. Assimilation

Answer: (C)

Ethnocentrism is the belief that one’s own culture is superior to others, and using that culture as the standard by which all other cultures are judged. This mindset leads people to view different cultural practices through their own norms, often labeling them as inferior or wrong. In practice, ethnocentrism can bias assessments, interactions, and decisions, making it harder to understand clients' experiences from their own cultural perspective. That’s why it’s important to cultivate cultural humility and view practices and values within their cultural context rather than measuring them against one’s own culture.

Stratification involves hierarchical ranking of people within a society, not judgments about cultural worth. Pluralism emphasizes recognizing and coexisting with multiple cultures. Assimilation is the process of adopting another culture's norms, sometimes at the expense of one's own cultural traits.