The Chicano culture has been ill-treated and misunderstood in studies that utilize concepts of culture derived from dominant group values and norms. Historical approaches to the study of cultures like the normative approach, taxonomic concept, componential concept, and existential approach have all had impacts upon concepts of Chicano culture. When utilizing the normative approach, for example, non-Chicano analysts and researchers have set up normative sets of ideal and operational behaviors that hardly reflect the actualities of Chicano thought and action; thus, they have begun their studies from an already biased position. Basic propositions from the foundations of culture (e.g., cultural determinism, assimilation-integration-acculturation, bilingualism/biculturalism, cultural syncretism) also have implications for Chicanos. The patterns of culture used by Anglo researchers to define Chicanos have been misinterpreted at best, spurious at worst, and already existing stereotypes have been further reinforced. The general tendency has been to regard Chicanos as Mexicans in the United States and carriers of the Mexican culture. This is erroneous, for the Chicano culture is an intermeshing of Anglo-American and Mexican elements. To define Chicano culture, a Chicano perspective is needed. (Author/DS)