1. Understanding Cultural Diversity
PCC/Randall

2. What is Culture?
Culture is compared to an iceberg. Just as an iceberg has a visible section above the waterline, and a larger, invisible section below the water line so culture has some aspects that are observable and others that can only be suspected or imagined. The part of the iceberg that is observable is only a small part of a much bigger whole.
Complete A. Iceberg of the written assignment.

3. Linking Values to Behavior
In the iceberg exercise, you saw how certain aspects or features of culture are visible (top of the iceberg). You saw how the two parts of the iceberg are related. Some of the behaviors in the iceberg effect one’s behavior.
To understand where behavior comes from (why people do the things they do) means learning about values and beliefs. The behaviors of one person may see strange to you, but makes sense to those in that culture. The reason any behavior makes sense is because it is related to what people believe.
Complete B. Linking Values to Behaviors.

4. Universal, Cultural or Personal Behavior
Culture effects how people behave. There are three reasons why people behave a certain way.
Universal – all people in all groups behave the same
Cultural – the way a particular group of people (people who have something in common) behave.
Personal – the way each one of us behaves different from our group
Complete C. Universal, Cultural or Personal Behavior and D. Observing Your Behaviors

5. In the Mind of the Beholder
We all believe that what we observe is reality. It’s called perception. This is the most fundamental of all cross-cultural problems: the fact that two people can look upon the same behavior and see it two different ways.
Therefore, every behavior can be seen or interpreted in different ways.
Complete E. In the Mind of the Beholder

6. The Concept of Self
One’s behavior can be dictated by our “self” or by a group of people.
Individualist – The individual identifies with the needs of one’s self before those of the group. Looking after and taking care of oneself, being self-sufficient, guarantees the well being of the group. Independence and self-reliance are greatly valued. Individualist tend to distance themselves from others. Therefore, joining a group is a choice. These characteristics are often associated with people in urban settings.
Collectivist - One’s identity is a function of one’s membership and role in a group e.g., the family or team. The survival and success of the group ensures the well- being of the individual. Therefore, by considering the needs of others, one protects themselves. Groups members are close but distance themselves from nongroup members. These characteristics are often associated with women and people in rural settings.
Complete F. The Concept of Self

7. The Concept of Self, cont.
One way in which people suggest whether they are more individualist or collectivist is in how they introduce themselves. The idea of an introduction is to establish who you are, to state your identity.
Complete G. Pleased to Meet You

8. The Things We Say
A useful way to understand a culture is by examining the expressions people use in everyday conversation. These common expression reflect what most people in a given group believe in or value.
Complete H. The Things We Say

9. How Americans are Perceived
Knowing how we come across to others can be helpful in understanding why foreigners react to use the way they sometimes do.
Newsweek magazine showed the list of qualities below to people of six countries- Brazil, France, Great Britain, Japan, Mexico and Germany- and asked them to pick those they associated most and least with Americans.
Complete I. Americans
Decisive Energetic Honest Industrious Sexy
Self-indulgent Sophisticated Intelligent Friendly Greedy
Nationalistic Inventive Lazy Rude

10. Styles of Communication
Scientists have identified numerous differences in communication styles from culture to culture. The most studied distinctions is direct/indirect.
Indirect – An understanding of how people within the same culture will behave in certain situations. They rely less on words and more on nonverbal communication. This communication style tends to occur within collectivists cultures. The goal is to maintain harmony and saving face.
Direct – Cultures like the U.S. tend to have direct communication because the culture consists of individualists. Therefore, these cultures rely on words that are interpreted literally. Getting or giving information is the goal in this type of communication exchange.
Complete J. Styles of Communication

11. Nonverbal Communication
Whether direct or indirect, nonverbal communication exists in all cultures.
The following exercises requires observing groups of people. You may complete this by observing students in the cafeteria, sporting events, neighborhoods; people in a mall, restaurant; or the like.
Complete K. Nonverbal Communication

12. The Source of Status
Status is a workplace-related cultural dimension: how people come by their status. This concept is related to power and individualism/collectivism. Status in cultures may be simply described as “doing” and “being.”
Achieved Status – In doing cultures, people are looked up to and respected because of their personal and especially their professional accomplishments. You get ahead into positions of power and influence by your achievements and performance. Your status is earned. People aren’t impressed with titles. Education is important but not the mere fact of it, you have to have done something with your knowledge.
Ascribed Status – In these cultures, people are looked up to and respected simply by being. This status is automatic and difficult to lose. You are looked up to because of the family or social class you are born into, because of your affiliations with important groups, or because of your age and seniority. Often times, these people are pressured into justifying their power. They may lose other’s respect but not their power.

13. The Circle of Relations
What do your social relationships look like? Perhaps, mapping them will help you understand how relationships are different among cultures.
Complete L. Circle of Relations
Look at the list of types of people which appear below. Place each in one of the rings, nearer to or further from the center depending on any or all of the following criteria:
How closely you are involved in that person’s life and vice versa
How responsible you feel for the happiness and well-being of that person and vice versa
How much your inner life, your most private thoughts and feelings, you share with that person and vice versa
How much that person “means” to you
Your parents Complete strangers People you’ve met once
Your brothers/sisters Acquaintances Good friends
Your grandparents Your cousins Your closest friends
Your aunts/uncles

14. Rules of the House
Have you ever spent time in someone else’s home? Are the rules in that home different than the rules in your home? What rules will you have for your first home?
Complete M. Rules of the House

15. Summary
Culture can be defined as the principles and guidelines of behaviors, our values and traditions that have been learned and are shared among a particular group of people.
In this sense, many different groups of people- including businesses, schools, ethnic groups and neighborhoods- can have their own cultures.
We have discussed two of the three compontents of culture.
1. Value of diversity- People respect, accept and honor differences including cultural customs, traditions, ways of communicating, and differing values and beliefs when they take time to learn about others.
2. Cultural self-awareness- your experiences, knowledge, values, upbringing, beliefs and societal expectations and norms shape your thinking and behavior.

16. Summary, cont.
The last component is Making Positive Changes. True knowledge of cross- cultural skills does not come without creating a positive change in the environment. Cultural competence is not only being aware or sensitive to other cultures, but rather changes behavior to more positively affect their interactions among people of different cultures.
Complete N. Summary
How will you create a positive change in our school environment? How will you teach others to learn, respect and accept others differences? Create a plan