Ethnocentrism is a term used in sociology to describe the tendency to view ones own culture or society as superior to others and to judge other cultures based on ones own cultural norms. Ethnocentrism can be either conscious or unconscious and can lead to a belief that ones own culture is the standard by which all others should be judged. Some examples of ethnocentrism include viewing other cultures as inferior or bizarre, believing that ones own culture is the most important, or thinking that some or all aspects of ones own culture are superior to those of other groups. Ethnocentrism can lead to misunderstandings and conflict between different cultures, and in extreme cases, it can lead to war and genocide. Cultural relativism is a principle that tries to counter ethnocentrism by promoting the understanding of cultural practices that are unfamiliar to other cultures and avoiding making hasty judgments.