ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews cultural determinants of cemetery visitation, including religion of the family, nationality by which the family identifies itself, and choice of primary service. The concept of ethnicity refers to a specific cultural group, within which one associates, and includes the demographic variables of nationality and religion. Different emotional responses between modern Anglo-based and other European cultures in their typical grief expression, and also in memorialization behavior, are well noted. The degree to which various cultures or societies expect and encourage a sharing of experiences about the dead person after a funeral varies enormously. Funeral and memorialization practices are strongly tied to tradition, and cultural factors greatly influence subsequent visitor rates. The strong correlation between cultural background and choice of service is clearly evident from the proportions of burials and cremation services in selected countries.
