Individualism Versus Collectivism

• White American culture is firmly based on the belief that individualism is more important than the group or family unit, whereas many other cultures put a definite emphasis on the family. For example, it would not be morally taboo for most white Americans to place their parents in a nursing home when they reached a certain age, but people from Asian cultures may do whatever they can to avoid that scenario. Their moral reasoning is based around sacrificing for the good of the family, and they may live with a deeper moral obligation to the parents.
  
  

Conflicting Religious Views Versus Agnosticism

• Religion has a powerful effect on a culture's moral reasoning. For example, many Muslim women wear the hijab, which covers everything except for the hands and face. Many Christian and agnostic Americans would react to this in fury, saying that it is morally wrong to force a woman to cover herself to this extent. However, this practice is in line with the moral reasoning of many Muslim women who appreciate it because it forces men to evaluate their character instead of their physical appearance, and it emphasizes their honor.
  
  

Directness Versus Indirectness

• Different cultures have vastly different ideas of what is morally correct to express directly to other individuals. For example, African American men may not have as much hesitance expressing that they are romantically interested in an attractive woman, whereas more inhibited cultures may view this as morally inappropriate. In addition, it is customary for Asian Americans to be less direct about critiques in work environments because showing respect is extremely important. Asian Americans may view harsh criticisms or questioning the boss as amoral.
  
  

Mastery Over Versus Harmony With Nature

• One difference in moral reasoning that is fairly easy to see between white American culture and other cultures is orientation to nature and the environment. This cultural and moral pattern is easy to see in history, where the conquistadors and pilgrims came to the New World and had little hesitation in claiming dominance over these new lands and their people. Native American culture, in contrast, has always placed a strong moral emphasis on living in harmony with the natural world.