Overarching Patterns of Culture

Most peoples of the world live and relate to others according to one of two overarching patterns of culture: honor or justice. There are two additional overarching patterns not depicted in this post called clientelism and harmony. See the 2019 book, Overarching Patterns of Culture: A Look at Common Behavior by Robert Strauss and Christopher Strauss for a detailed framework and analysis of all four patterns. Clientelism is common in Latin America. Harmony is ever-present in indigenous communities.

Look at the descriptions of honor and justice below. Honor is a pattern in the Global East, Middle East, the South of the USA, and rural USA. Justice is a general pattern in all of the Global West.

To communicate effectively across cultures, one must understand the basic differences between overarching patterns.