4th Station – Deep culture
Setup:
You need to be online (with audio) to watch some short films and carry out some research. You will also need to have a pen and paper to hand to capture your thoughts, a copy of the Cultural Iceberg/ Cultural Tree Worksheet (with your notes from Station 3 if you completed it).
Introduction:
There are two ways in which we get to know a culture – firstly from the things that we can easily observe –surface culture – stuff like music, art, dance, types of food, what people wear…. things that we might observe as tourists, but which only provide a superficial impression of a community’s culture.
The other way to get to know a community is to reach beneath the surface, and develop a greater understanding of Deep Culture: the ideas and beliefs, the feelings and attitudes that shape – and are shaped by – collective experiences and behavioural norms, and which, in turn, influence (but do not necessarily dictate) the way in which people of that culture might behave.
Examples of deep culture might include attitudes toward authority, concepts of marriage, family dynamic, or ideas about time and about personal space. We discover these through examining the beliefs and values; relationships and roles; and attitudes and norms of a culture. But where do we start? Watch this short film:
How Do We Understand Our Own Culture?
How can we begin to understand other cultures without understanding our own? Where do we begin?
The development of International Understanding between ourselves and people from other countries and cultures is a two-way-street. That is to say that before we seek to understand the cultural influences that drive their beliefs, attitudes and behaviours, we first must understand our own. Only then can we look for sameness and difference and make allowances for our own cultural bias.
So where do we start?
Watch and Learn:
Watch the following short films and consider (and make notes under) the following questions:
- How can theories like Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions be used (as one of many tools) to help us to understand the culture of a nation other than our own?
- Do you consider the country in which you live to be a “We” culture or a “Me” culture country? Do you agree with this generalisation – is it broadly true of your experience of every-day culture? What of your family? Are you influenced more by “me” culture or “we” culture? Is this the same for everyone in your family?
- Do you consider the country in which you live to be a Monochronic or Polychronic culture country? Do you agree with this generalisation – is it broadly true? What of your family? Is your approach to time influenced by culture? In what ways? Is this the same for everyone in your family?
- What are the limitations and dangers of applying a generalised theory to interpretation of culture at a national level? How do we overcome these?
Influences on Intercultural Communication
This animated film gives an overview of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions theory and how we might use it as a reference point in developing intercultural understanding. The film discusses the first four dimensions of the theory: Power distance; Individualism vs. collectivism; Uncertainty avoidance and Masculinity vs Femininity.
Me or We? Cultural Difference between East and West
How does your culture dictate your views on family, individuality, and even sharing food? This animated film considers the difference between ‘Collectivist’ (sometimes referred to as ‘Eastern’ or ‘We’) cultures and Individualistic (sometimes referred to as ‘Western’ or ‘Me’) cultures.
What Is the difference between Monochronic and Polychronic cultures?
There is one factor we all share and have equal access to – time. No matter who we are each day we are presented with 86,400 seconds to use, lose, spend or save. Not everyone or every culture views or values time the same way. Depending on where you live in the world, you have developed your view of time and what it means to how you conduct your day.
Exploring Deep Culture
Choose the way in which you want to capture your thoughts in this section – if you completed station 3 this activity will add to your worksheet from that section. If not you might want to use one of the worksheets provided or draw yourself an iceberg, a tree, a spider diagram or other graphic representation (see worksheet example).
With reference to the following sources, consider the deep culture sections “Belief and Values”, “Relationships and Roles” and “Attitudes and Norms” (we will complete “communication” at Station 5):
Consider the following questions, and discuss them with members of your family (and your other social groups if you can) before making some notes in each of the three sections:
Beliefs and Values
- What beliefs are generally shared by the people of your nationality, ethnicity, social groups or family? (examples might include spiritual, religious, moral, ethical, economic and political beliefs, and views about social, environmental, and other global issues)
- What values are shared within your country, communities, social groups and family? (examples might include views about freedom, equality, justice, laws, pride, modesty, beauty, sportsmanship and wisdom)
- Are these the same or different across the different cultural influences in your life?
- Are any of them conflicting or contradictory?
- In what ways are they influenced by history and heritage? Are they part of your formal education?
- In what ways do these shared beliefs and values influence your own beliefs and behaviours (if at all)?
Relationships and Roles
- What views on family, friendship and romantic relationships are generally shared by the people of your nationality, ethnicity, social groups or family?
- Are these the same or different across the different cultural influences in your life? Are any of them conflicting or contradictory?
- How big is your family and how is it structured? How many people live in your household? Do you have siblings?
- How regularly do you interact with your extended family? Grandparents? Aunts, uncles, cousins? How closely involved are you in each other’s lives?
- Who makes family decisions? How much freedom do different family members have? Is this different for different ages or genders or other factors?
- Are there particular cultural traditions that dictate how regularly your family gets together?
- Do you think your family is ‘typical’ of families in your country?
Attitudes and Norms
- What expectations are generally shared by the people of your nationality, ethnicity, social groups or family about the ways in which people feel, behave and think (referred to as the ABC model – affective, behavioural and cognitive)?
- What expression of emotion is accepted (e.g. is anger expressed, is it considered normal to cry in public)?
- What is considered to be right and wrong? What are the taboos and laws? What manners, customs and etiquette are viewed as normal? Is anything specifically forbidden? How judgemental are others?
- Is this the same or different across the different cultural influences in your life?
- Are any of them conflicting or contradictory?
- In what ways are they influenced by history and heritage? Are they part of your formal education?
- In what ways do these attitudes and norms influence your own behaviours (if at all)?
Consolidate your learning
Look at the notes you have made on the deep culture section of your diagram and consider:
- How do these compare to the traditions or stereotypes associated with your nationality? What might this tell us about cultural diversity within your country? How do you think this compares with other nations? Note down your thoughts.
- How many different cultures have an influence in your life? What does this tell you about the limitations of the generalisations, stereotypes and assumptions we make about the deep culture of others based on their nationality, race, ethnicity or other singular interpretation of their culture?
- What does your own summary of deep culture tell you about the limitations of building international understanding on the basis of nationality alone?
As we have so far discovered, at an individual level, the people of any nation are each a fusion of the many cultural influences that shape their personality, set their behavioural norms and frame their outlook on the world. The only way to really get to understand other people is to communicate – to set preconceptions aside, to be curious, ask questions, listen and observe.
Research Activity: Find out in Five
Based on the discoveries you have made about the deep cultural influences in your own life, try distilling what you have learnt into five key questions that someone from another country or culture would need to ask of you in order to better understand you. Consider how you would answer those questions and how you would demonstrate the effects of that cultural influence.
Then consider what five questions you would want to respectfully ask of them? Are the questions the same? To what extent is your curiosity informed by your culture and to what extent by personal interests that are unrelated to your culture?
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