Unit3CulturalDiversity

1、Unit 3Cultural Diversity Contents1 Warm up2 Definition3 Different Lands, Different Friendships4Why is one culture different from another?5 What does cultural diversity mean?6 Significance of studying cultural diversities1 Warm upWhy does Jackson say that Mr. Zhao has asked too much?What do you think

2、 of the relationship between Mr. Qian and Mr. Zhao? Are they really good friends?To many Chinese, Mr.Qian and Mr.Zhao are really good friends, for they have helped each other from time to time. Since Mr. Zhao lent Mr.Qian a large sum of money to help his business get over the difficulty, Mr. Qian wa

3、s greatly indebted to Mr. Zhao. In Chinese culture, friendship means a willingness to be indebted and to repay the debt more than owed. However, many Americans, like Jackson, would say that Mr. Zhao was asking too much, for what they value more are individual achievement and independence rather than

4、 relationship with one another, and they do not like to put themselves in others debt, especially for those matters where Mr. Zhao asked Mr. Qian to help. Of course, Americans are willing to help their friends. But most of the time, things for which they will lend a helping hand to their friends are

5、 trivial, such as driving a friend to an important event when his or her own arrangements for transportation fail.2 DefinitionCultural diversity does not refer only to ethnic diversity, it can be diversity in beliefs, gender, ability, sexual orientation, behavior, etc. In other words, a truly divers

6、e culture accommodates both the mainstream and the alternative.MovieMy Big Fat Greek WeddingTry to understand (1):Toulas father takes great pride in being Greek. How do you know?Toula and her younger brother want to break away from their Greek heritage. How do you know?Toula sends her daughter to Gr

7、eek school even if she herself disliked it very much when she was a girl. Why?Try to understand (2):What kind of family does Ian come from?“Family” in the Greek sense refers to the extended family, while to Americans it is limited to the immediate family.How do the parents of both side react to the

8、romance between Toula and Ian?What does it take to bring the story to a happy ending?Different lands , different friendships.1. What kind of friends do you expect to have in your life?2. Do you think friendship means the same all over the world?Friendship is like wine, it gets better as it grows old

9、er.友谊像醇酒，越久越浓。 Friendship cannot stand always on one side.友谊是双方的事。 A friend in need is a friend indeed.患难见真情。 Different Lands, Different Friendships1.In West Europe, friendship is quite sharply distinguished from other more casual relationships, is usually more particularized and carries a heavier b

10、urden of commitment, while in America the word “friend” can be applied to a wide range of relationship and a friendship may be superficial, casual, situational or deep and enduring.2. In Germany, friendship has much to do with ones family as friends are usually brought into the family, while in Fran

11、ce it is not the case, for instance, two men may have been friends for a long time without knowing each others personal life.3 English friendships are based on shared activities. Activities at different stages of life may be very different. In the midst of the activity, whatever it may be, people fa

12、ll into steps and find that they participate in the activity with the same easy anticipation of what each will do day by day or in some critical situation.4 It seems that the typical Chinese concept of friendship lays great emphasis on personal loyalty and also has much to do with family. It may be

13、similar to German friendship to some extent and quite different from other Western friendships.5 “Friend” is often used in a much wider sense in the American culture than in the Chinese culture. The term may be used for both casual acquaintances and close companions. American friends may not share w

14、ith one another as much as Chinese friends usually do, for no matter how close the two persons are to each other, Americans would still prefer to consider themselves first as independent individuals. While getting along with our American friends, sometimes we have to be prepared for unexpected estra

15、ngement that may occur in certain circumstances, for Americans seldom go out of their way to maintain afriendship if they find it very inconvenient for them to do so. However, it does not mean that we dont need to be sincere when making friends with Americans. Just let it be.Right attitude in this g

16、lobal villageAppreciate similarities, Accept differencesWe are alike, We are differentOne mans meat is another mans poison. English proverb萝卜白菜，各有所爱！众口难调！ -中国谚语God gave to every people a cup, cup of clay, and from this cup they drank life They all dipped in the water, but their cups were different.

17、R. Benedict 上帝给了每个人一个杯子、一杯粘土，并且人们从这个杯子里面啜饮人生.他们都是浸在水里面的，只是他们的杯子不一样而已 本尼迪克特 Joke appreciation for cultural diversityA young ladys miniskirt was accidentally torn open by a young man. Please decide where they come from according to their responses to this incident. Joke appreciation for cultural diver

18、sity1. Before the man saying sorry, the woman bowed down and said in a tender voice: sorry, it is all my fault. It is all the bad quality of my skirt. I am sorry for the trouble I have brought to you. JapanOver-courtesy and male-dominatedJoke appreciation for cultural diversity2. Before the man sayi

19、ng sorry, the woman gave him a name-card and said: “This is my lawyers phone number. He will talk with you about your sex harassment. See you in the court.”AmericaA place where law talks!Joke appreciation for cultural diversity3. Before the man saying sorry, the woman covered the torn part of the sk

20、irt with a newspaper in hand and shyly said: “Sir, can you send me home? It is not very far from here.” Then the young man put his coat on the girl and called a taxi to send her home. EnglandGentle and conservativeJoke appreciation for cultural diversity4. Before the man saying sorry, the woman gurg

21、led and put her hand on the mans shoulder: “Sir, if you do not mind, you can buy me a red rose to show your apology.” Then the man bought her a rose and they went to a hotel together to study more about the skirt. FranceFriendly and romantic4 Why is one culture different from another?On the surfaceP

22、erception (how we sense the world)Belief (what we believe as true)Value (a system of criteria known as rules and guideposts)Why is one culture different from another?More deeplyWorld view (religion) - Spiritual and psychological needs of people (life and death, creation of universe, relationship bet

23、ween humans and nature) - Social aspects of a culture (origin of society and groups within the society, relationship of individuals and groups to one another)5 What does cultural diversity mean?Family (gender roles, individualism-collectivism, age, social skills)History (government, community, polit

24、ical system, key historical heroes, geography)Cultural patterns - conditions that contribute to the way in which a people perceive and think about the world - the manner in which they live in that worldSome cautionsThe value of the culture may not be the value of all individuals within that culture.

25、It is useful to visualize each cultural pattern as a point on a continuum rather than one of only two possible responses.3.The patterns are interrelated with a host of other values and do not operate in isolation.4.Common cultural patterns must be limited to the dominant culture in each country6 Sig

26、nificance of studying cultural diversitiesWhen we study cultural differences, we mainly refer to the deep structure of culture (below the iceberg)Although culture is subject to change, the deep structure of a culture is resistant to change. The comparison and contrast of different cultures help unde

27、rstand ones own culture and other cultures, which will ultimately enhance the effect of intercultural communication.7 Comparing and Contrasting Cultures1. Americans believe that human nature is basically good and man is the master of nature. They are future-oriented and doing-oriented. Their social

28、orientation is toward the importance of the individual and the equality of all people. However, the Japanese believe that human nature is a mixture of good and evil. Man is in harmony with nature. They are both past-oriented and future-oriented. And they are both growing and doing-oriented. They giv

29、e emphasis to authorities and the group.2 As time changes faster and faster and there is more contact between cultures, it is more likely to find contradictory values existing in the same culture. This is especially the case in a society that is being transformed from a traditional one into a modern

30、 one. For example, in the Japanese culture, some people may still be very past-oriented and some are rather future-oriented, and even the same people may be past-oriented and some are rather future-oriented, and even the same people may be past-oriented in certain situations and future-oriented in o

31、ther situations.How to classify different cultures?Culture patternsKluckhohn and Strodtbecks Value OrientationHofstedes Dimensions of Cultural VariabilityEdward T HallsContext - Culture TheoryHuman NatureMan-natureTimeActivitySocial RelationshipIndividualism VsCollectivismUncertainty AvoidancePower

32、DistanceMasculinity VsFemininityHigh-ContextLow-Context1. Model by Kluckhohn5 basic questions that need answering at the root of any culture:1) What is the character of innate human nature? 2) What is the relation of man to nature?3) What is the temporal focus?4) What is the mode of human activity?5

33、) What is the mode of human relationship?1) = Human nature orientation 人性取向2) = Man-nature orientation 人天取向3) = Time orientation 时间取向4) = Activity orientation 行为取向5) = Social orientation 人际取向1) HumanNatureBasically EvilMixture of Good and EvilBasically Good2) Relationship of Man to NatureNature cont

34、rols humansMan in Harmony With NatureMan the Master of Nature3) Sense of TimePast-orientedPresent-orientedFuture-oriented4) Human ActivityBEING (stress on who you are)Growing (stress on self-development)Doing (stress on what you are doing)5) Social RelationshipHierarchy 等级Group-orientedIndividualori

35、entationChinese valuesWestern values1) HumanNatureBasically goodMixture of Good and Evil2) Relationship of Man to NatureHarmony with natureHumans control Nature3) Sense of TimePast orientationFuture orientation4) Human ActivityBEING (who you are)Doing (what you are doing)5) Social RelationshipHierar

36、chy individualLimitations of Kluckhohns modelNot everyone in a culture has the same basic values.Cultures change over time.The concept of basic values is itself a generalization2. Model by G. Hofstede (1984)Hofstedes work was one of the earliest attempts to use extensive statistical data to examine

37、cultural values.During the 1980s, he surveyed over a hundred thousand workers in multinational organizations in forty countries.Each country was assigned a rank of one through forty in each category, depending on how it compared to the other country.Hofstedes Four Cultural Value System individualism

38、-collectivismUncertainty avoidancepower distancemasculinity-femininity2.1 Individualism vs. Collectivism Individualistic cultures “I” consciousnessindependence, competition, negative face needCollectivist cultures“We” consciousness, interdependence, group harmony, positive face needStrong influence

39、on social relationshipsThe concept of ingroups and outgroups Rules Vs relationships, strangers Vs associatesAll people and cultures have both individual and collective dispositions.2. Individual and Collectivist Culture IndividualismCollectivismI cultureWE cultureopen discussion of disagreement are

40、valued forms of talkopenly speaking ones mind appears distastefulseek the notice of others; affirm their uniquenessopen expression risks face2.1 Individual and Collectivist Culture IndividualismCollectivismguarding privacy; valuing freedom to do and think whatever they choosethe right to privacy in

41、the sense of freedom is not recognizedlive life guided only by principles such as equality and noninterferenceones business is also the business of the group; friends should be concerned with each others personal matters2. Individual and Collectivist Culture Five Basic Themes in Individualist Cultur

42、e1. There is a tendency for foreigners to treat strangers as equals, seen in the politeness with which foreigners treat out-group members and their willingness to follow public rules and laws that guarantee the rights of all. 2. There is a desire for independence and separateness, found in foreigner

43、s needs for their own privacy and autonomy and in the freedom they give to children. 2. Individual and Collectivist Culture Five Basic Themes in Individualist Culture3. There is a lack of inhibition on the part of foreigners in terms of expressive behaviors, seen in their lack of concern about drawi

44、ng attention to themselves and their willingness to disclose feelings and emotions. 2. Individual and Collectivist Culture Five Basic Themes in Individualist Culture4. There is a lack of understanding if the reciprocal bonds and duties that regulate in-group members, found in foreigners casual attit

45、udes towards hospitality. 5. There is a lack of concern at public displays of physical or sexual intimacy. Ranking of Individualism Country or RegionRankingCountry or RegionRankingU.S.A1Taiwan, China36Australia2Peru37Great Britain3Pakistan38Canada4Colombia39Netherlands5Venezuela402.2 Uncertainty Avo

46、idanceIt involves the extend to which a culture would avoid or tolerate uncertainty. High uncertainty avoidance cultures think of the uncertainty inherent in life as a continuous hazard that must be avoided. They try to avoid uncertainty and ambiguity by providing stability for their members, establ

47、ishing more formal rules. (a higher level of anxiety and stress)Low uncertainty avoidance cultures more easily accept the uncertainty inherent in life and are not as threatened by deviant people and ideas, so they tolerate the unusual. They prize initiative and more willing to take risks, more flexi

48、ble. (less tense, more relaxed)不确定性规避的核心就是认为未来不可知。虽然可能每个人都在预测未来，但是没有人能够丝毫无误地预知下一刻、下一天、下一年或下十年会发生什么事情。美霍夫斯泰德用不确定性规避一词来“界定一种程度，一种当人们遇到混乱不清、难以预测的情况时所感到的不安程度。通过对严格的行为方式的遵循和对绝对真理的信仰，他们尽力避免这些情况。”不确定性规避高度不确定性规避文化为了避免不确定性和模糊性，常常向其成员提供稳定性，制定正式的规则，不容忍偏离观点和行为，寻求共识，并相信绝对的真理。他们感到的焦虑和压力较高：人们认为生活中的不确定性会持久为患，因此必须避免

49、。为了增强生活的有序性，他们非常需要成文的规则、计划、规范、典礼和仪式。具有强烈不确定性规避倾向的国家有葡萄牙、希腊、秘鲁、比利时和日本高度不确定性规避 相反，人们发现像瑞典、丹麦、爱尔兰、挪威、美国、芬兰和荷兰等国家，比较容易接受生活中的不确定性，不为偏离的人或主张所困扰，因此他们对不寻常性的容忍度比较强。他们喜欢上进，不喜欢等级关系。他们乐于冒险，灵活性强，认为规则越少越好，他们对专家的依赖性不强，而更多地相信自己。整体而言，低度不确定性规避文化心态较为放松。低度不确定性规避Ranking of Uncertainty AvoidanceCountry or RegionRankingCo

50、untry or RegionRankingGreece1Ireland36Portugal2Hong Kong37Belgium3Sweden38Japan4Denmark39Yugoslavia5Singapore40*A low score means the country can be classified as one that does not like uncertainty.The lower score, the higher uncertainty avoidance.2.3 Power Distance High PD Culture:People who hold p

51、ower and people who are affected by power are significantly far apartVertical, hierarchical (everybody has a rightful place)E.g. India, Brazil, Singapore, Greece, Venezuela, Mexico, etc.Low PD Culture:The power holders and people affected by the power holders are significantly closerHorizontal (ineq

52、uality in society should be minimized)E.g. Austria, Finland, Denmark, Norway, New Zealand, etc. 2.4 Masculinity vs. Femininity Cultures high in the masculinity dimension focus on achievement, power, and possessions, regarding work as more central to ones life, differing gender roles more than femini

53、ne culture. (performance society)Cultures high in the femininity dimension value interpersonal relationships, nurturance, compassion, and quality of life. (welfare society)Ranking of MasculinityCountry or RegionRankingCountry or RegionRankingJapan1Yugoslavia36Austria2Denmark37Venezuela3Netherlands38

54、Italy4Norway39Switzerland5Sweden40*A low score means the country can be classified as one that favors Masculinity.Limitations of Hofstedes modelBecause the people Hofstede surveyed were middle managers in large multinational organizations, most of his findings are work related.Many important countri

55、es and cultures were not included in his study. ( no Arab countries, South Africa representing Africa, no information about mainland China)He emphasizes national culture, so it is not possible to know the layers of culture within nations. 3. Edward T. Halls ModelHuman communication is dependent on t

56、he context in which it occurs. Communicative contexts include the physical, sociological, and psychological environments.High- and Low-context cultures High-context Culture:In high-context messages, meaning is not necessarily contained in words. Information is provided through gestures, the use of s

57、pace, and even silence. Meaning is also conveyed through status (age, sex, education, family background, title, and affiliation). Examples of high-context cultures include Chinese, Japanese, Middle Easterners, etc.Low-context Culture:In low-context messages, the majority of the information is vested

58、 in the explicit code. Examples of low-context cultures include English, North American, German, etc.例子： 一个德国人，一个美国人，一个日本人到同一家餐厅，都点了一个汉堡，结果由于厨师的疏忽把三个汉堡中的肉都烤糊了，问，三个人会对此说什么？德国人会直接批判这个糊了的肉，批评这个厨师美国人会说，虽然肉的口味不太好，但是面包，沙拉，香葱的味道还不错日本人会说，面包，沙拉，香葱的味道不错。是啊，至于肉，你自己揣测去吧。这就是高语境！High-Context CulturesJapaneseChine

59、seKoreanAfrican AmericanNative AmericanArabGreekLatinItalianEnglishFrenchAmericanScandinavianGermanGerman-SwissLow-Context CulturesHow high-context and low-context affect intercultural communicationLack of enough data, people from low-context cultures often feel uncomfortable with the vagueness and

60、ambiguity and will ask very blunt, unappropriate questions, which will make high-context culture members become impatient and irritated.People in high-context cultures perceive low-context people less credible.Conflicts are differently perceived and responded to. high-context: discreetly and subtly