Student "I am

Who are you? Who? Who?
A student “I am” Poem
I am Daffy Duck, Mr. Magoo, Hong Kong Phooey, Foghorn Leghorn,
and other
cartoons.
I am Tae Kwon Do, basketball, the batting cages, a soccer family,
and the gym.
I am a wonderful family, close and loving and incredibly supportive.
I am films based on true stories and documentaries.
I am the History Channel, CNN, ESPN, BRAVO, and Home Team
Sports.
I am a passion for educating and facilitating, personal development
and making change.

Self Concept Development
People influence who you
think you are:
•Parents
•Your name
•Teachers, relatives, and
religious leaders effect
your self concept
•People you respect or
look up

Our self concept is determined
by:
•Gender
•Sexual Orientation
•Culture
•Roles
•Status
•Power

Your concept of self = roles
•Self concept determines roles in life and in
groups
•What are your expectations for your role. Do
you want to lead? Follow? Not join?
•The perceptions others have of their/you
position in the group
•Your behavior can determine the roles you
play and/or assigned, elected, or given based
on power, status, etc.

Group Affiliation Influences Self -
Concept
• College (ASU, Clubs, Honor Society)
• Sports Teams
• Religion
• Political party
• Civic and social organizations
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Being a male or female has shaped your self
concept and how you communicate.
Q: How are some ways being male or female
has shaped your self image or how you
communicate?
•The way we dress
•How we act
•Dating rules
•How society as a whole treats males/females
•Your self concept
•How the media represents gender
•The roles we play (traditional or
nontraditional)
Note: Diverse groups – different viewpoint of
what the roles of men and women should be.

Research on Gender
women
• Communicate
• To connect with, support,
and achieve closeness
men
• Communicate
• To accomplish a task
• To assert their
individuality
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All Rights Reserved

Gender Stereotypes -
Males
Stereotypes commonly used by individuals,
media, and other organizations:
•Aggressive
•No emotions
•Loud
•Bad cooks
•Messy
•Athletic
•Math and science oriented
•Bad communicators
Q: How many of you can relate to this?
Q: Any truth to these terms?

Gender Stereotypes - Females
Stereotypes commonly used by
individuals, media, and other
organizations:
•Submissive
•Emotional
•Good cooks
•Neat/Clean
•Clumsy
•Artsy
•Housewife
•Want children
•Good communicators

Popular Stereotypes in the
business world concerning
women managers.
Women are not as committed to their careers as men
Reality: 1/3 of women take a leave of absence; almost 2/3 took leave
of absence for less than 6 months: 82% for maternity; More men
took leave of absence than women
Women will not work longer hours
Reality: Women average 56 hours per week; as do men
Women lack quantitative skills
Reality: 23% of women are in finance, as 27% of men are in finance
Women are warmer and more nurturing than men
Reality: “Concern for people” was cited important by 33 percent of
men and only 18% of the women

Culture of Origin
Culture fosters different beliefs and
attitudes about:
•Communication
•Status
•Nonverbal behavior
•Interpersonal dynamics
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Definition of Culture ~
Samovar and Porter
A deposit of knowledge, experience,
beliefs, values, attitudes, meanings,
religion, notions of time, roles, spatial
relationships, concepts of the universe, and
material objects and possessions acquired
by a group of people in the course of
generations through individual and group
striving.

Diversity
Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc. All
Rights Reserved

What are Cultural Differences?
“We are all created equal, but we are individuals.”
Other:
• Individualistic cultures
• Collectivistic cultures
• Concept of time
• Age
• Group membership
• Different historical experiences
• Different customs
• Ways of dressing
• Different viewpoints of the universe
• Difference between Eastern and Western religions

Understanding and Appreciating
Cultural Diversity
The United States has become the most diverse society on the face
of the earth.
•There are 215 nations in the world, and every one of them has
someone living in the United States
•New York City has over 170 distinct ethnic communities
•More than 32 million people in the U.S. speak a language other
than English at home
•By the 2050, people of European descent will become the minority
in the United States

Cultural Diversity in Teams – LAVC
LAVC is a diverse campus:
Gender:
49% Male
51% Female
Ethnicity:
51% Hispanic
20% White
13% Asian
7% African-American
5% American Indian/Other Non-White
Data: LAVC Office of Research and Planning

Cultural Diversity - LAVC
Primary Language:
59.5 % English
18.4% Spanish
8.9% Armenian
3.3% Russian
5.0% Other
2.0% Tagalog (Filipino)
1.5% Farsi
0.3% Chinese Languages
0.8% Korean
0.3% Japanese
Data: LAVC Office of Research and Planning

Cultural Diversity - LAVC
Age:
32% - 20 to 24
24% - 25 to 34
21% - Under 20
19% - 35 to 54
4% - 55 and over
Data: LAVC Office of
Research and Planning

Diversity of Roles in Small Groups
Roles: sets of shared expectations about who should do what
under a given set of circumstances.
Role Differentiation: Variety of roles can develop as group
members interact.
The three categories:
1. Task roles: Help groups accomplish tasks
2. Group Building/Maintenance - Help create group
structure/Influence how a group will accomplish their given
task
3. Individual roles: Benefit the individual, but not the group

Diversity of Roles in Small Groups
• Predictable communication patterns help
define the role you are playing in a group
• Your role can change in different groups
• Roles may overlap
• You are not guaranteed the same role in every
group you join.
• Each role you play is created by a
communication process between you and the
group

Role Ambiguity: The role assigned to an
individual by the group or organization may
be a source of problems.
R o le A m b ig u it y
L a c k o f c la r it y r e g a r d in g d u t ie s , r e s p o n s ib ilit ie s , a n d / o r a u t h o r it y
May be due to the
complexity of the
job
Often exhibited by
less capable, shy, or
inexperienced group
members
Example: Mission Statement Workgroup

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All Rights Reserved
Group Building and Maintenance
Roles
• Encourager – Praise, understanding, acceptance
• Harmonizer – Mediates disagreements
• Compromiser – Brings group together through
compromise
• Gatekeeper & expediter – Moderates who and for how
long group members talk
• Standard setter – Sets standards and goals
• Group observer – Keeps progress of group
goals/direction
• Follower – Serves as an audience – goes along with
group ideas and decisions.

Group Task Roles
•Initiator – contributor – New ideas or approaches to solving
problems
•Information seeker – Asks for clarification, facts to help group
•Information giver – Brings data, examples, research etc. to group
•Opinion giver – Offers beliefs or opinions about ideas
•Elaborator – Uses experiences guide the group on particular
direction
•Coordinator – Tries to clarify ideas, direction, etc.
•Orienteer – Attempts to summarize what has happened, where to
go.
•Evaluator-critic – Judges information and conclusions made by
group
•Energizer – Tries to motivate the group
•Procedural – Helps group to achieve its goals by doing errands
•Recorder – Writes down suggestions, ideas, and records

Individual Roles (Self-oriented roles)
Negative roles you bring to the group
• Aggressor: Deflates other’s status, and
takes credit for other’s ideas
• Blocker: Generally negative and
stubborn for no apparent reason
• Recognition seeker: Seeks spotlight by
boasting
• Self-confessor: Uses group to report his
or her personal feelings
• Playboy/girl: General lack of involvement
and interest
• Dominator: Attempts to assert his or her
authority by manipulation
• Help-seeker: Attempts to evoke
sympathy
• Special interest: Speaks for special
group that may benefit them
Individual roles
create disruptions,
and can often
break a group a
part.

Review Questions
True or False
Group members rarely assume more than one role in a
group meeting.
True or False
The blocker, aggressor, recognition seeker and the
confessor are examples of roles that are good for the
group.
True or False
Culture can influence self concept
True or False
The gatekeeper encourages one person to talk for the
entire group meeting.

Individual Roles: Hidden Agenda’s
Hidden Agendas: Personal goals of group members that are not
revealed openly and that can interfere with group development and
accomplishments.
• Almost everyone has a “hidden” agenda, some involve having
interpersonal needs met, or want to be associated with the group
because of the status, but don’t really care about the group goal, or
someone may be spying on the group to get information
• Or others, who have specific “goals” they want to accomplish that
might enhance their power, status, or pocket book
Example: Such as an advisory board who need to determine the best
use of $100,000 dollars. Seven members who will help divide the
money, with their own desires of where the money will go. You will
do this exercise after this presentation; There are two parts: The
roles of each individual which influence their decisions, but there is
other part “the hidden agenda that only that person will know that
will influence their decision.

Review Questions
•True or False
Group members often get ‘stuck’ in a role.
True or False
The blocker, aggressor, recognition seeker and the
confessor are examples of maintenance roles.
True or False
The three types of group roles discussed are task roles,
maintenance roles and gender roles.

Communicating in Small Groups
Trust
Q:Q: How many of you have a basic trust toward otherHow many of you have a basic trust toward other
humans? Why? Why not?humans? Why? Why not?
Often we make assumptions about the trustworthinessOften we make assumptions about the trustworthiness
of others based on bias, past experiences, culture,of others based on bias, past experiences, culture,
religion, race, sexreligion, race, sex
““Assumptions are the termites of aAssumptions are the termites of a
relationships”relationships”
~ Henry Winkler…Actor~ Henry Winkler…Actor

Identifying Group Norms- Required
elements of part of research for group
presentation
• As roles of group are established and
recognized….norms emerge
• Norms are rules or standards that determine what is
appropriate and inappropriate behavior in a group.
• They establish expectations of how group members
should behave.
• Norms reduce some of the uncertainty that occurs
when people congregate.
• Norms will be different for each group
• Norms are created over time as the group meets

How do Norms Develop?
•People develop norms in new
groups based on past ones
•People look to these norms to
guide their behavior in new
groups
•Norms develop because of what
happens in the group process
and the past norms people bring

Identifying Group Norms
1.How do group members dress? (Dressy, casual,
do uniforms, special casual day)
2. What are the group member’s attitude toward
time? (Do meetings begin and end on time; Come
and leave work)
3. What type of language is used by most group
members (Formal? Is swearing acceptable? )
4. Do group members use humor to relieve tension?
5. Do group member formally address the group
leader? (Department Chair, President, Vice-
President, Mr. Ms. or Mrs. reserved for the leader?)

NORMS CAN TAKE DIFFERENT FORMS
• Team norms that are unique to that group
• Team norms may involve certain rituals
Example: Animal Rights Group
Monthly meetings, protests, educational fairs, ads,
campaigns. If members missed there commitment was
questioned. Members wore nor ate animal
products.
Q: What are you norms?

Why Are Norms Established?
• Norms facilitate group
survival
• Norms increase the
predictability of members’
behaviors
• Norms allow members to
express the central values
of the group (to clarify and
reinforce reasons for
belonging)

NORMS CAN TAKE DIFFERENT FORMS
Ways of speaking:
Example:
Groups of friends; have certain slang words they that
share, special symbols or codes that only they understand:
gang graffiti,
pig Latin, etc.
Example: Animal Rights group
Refereed to the rest of the non-vegetarian world as “meat-
eaters” “animal slayers” also used terms such as vegan,
humane, non-humane, use quotes from Gandhi and other

Occupy Wall street – General
Assembly

Why are Norms Established?
Norms allow members to express the central values of
the group (to clarify and reinforce reasons for
belonging):
•One reason for joining a group is the distinctiveness of
that group.
•People join groups they perceive to be special.
•Group members wish to see those behaviors which
express the distinctiveness of the group encouraged.
•Members that diminish, discount, or ignore the norms
will be punished.

Why do People Conform?
1. Norms cause us to feel,
think, and act in ways that are
consistent with our group’s
standards.
•These norms describe what
behavior should not be
performed in any social setting
•When individuals make
judgments in groups, their
judgments tend to converge
over time as norms develop
American Flag - Events
of 9-11 motivated
people to join others
by putting flags in front
yard, on cars, store
windows. Still
prevalent today.

2. Influence takes place whenever we look to others for
information.
•In a group, the majority is influential because we assume a
large amount of people can’t be wrong
•On the other hand, a minority is influential because it
prompts us to reevaluate our position
Famous Anthropologist, Margaret Mead - “Never
underestimate the ability of small group to elicit change.”

3. Interpersonal influence includes persuasion, bargains,
promise, and even rejection.
•Groups can be persuasive: Offer rewards/affection/
punishment for members in group that follow/or do not
follow the group norms.
•Group can reject nonconformists, people who don’t follow
group norms, or those that are weaker are generally less
liked. Might be shunned or cut off from communication.
The reason: Cults, white supremacy groups, animal rights
groups, extremist, such as terrorists groups are so
effective.

Conformity to Group Norms Depends on:
• Culture
• The individual characteristics of group members
• The status of individual
• The clarity of the norms and the certainty of punishment
for breaking it
• The number of people who already conform to the norm
• The quality of interpersonal relationships in the group
• The sense of group identification that members have
developed

REVIEW QUESTIONS
True or False
Norms decrease the predictability of members’ behaviors
True or False
In a group, the majority is influential because we assume a large
amount of people can’t be wrong
Multiple – Choice
According to Abraham Maslow, the trusting person makes choices in
life
referred to as:
A. self-actualized choices
B. fear choices
C. intelligent choices
D. growth choices
E. A and C

High Status Members
• talk more
• communicate more
often
• have influence
• abide by norms –
Until they find they
can get away with
not abiding.
• less likely ignored
• do not complain
about responsibilities
• serve as leaders
• address entire group

Low Status Members
•Direct conversation to high-status than low-status members (body
often face high status members)
•Communicate more positive messages to high-status members
(Don’t kill the messenger)
•Are more likely to have their comments ignored (Even if they
have good ideas)
•Communicate more irrelevant information (gossip and social
information)
•Talk to high-status members as a substitute for climbing the
social heirachy in the group (Feel more important by association,
even if they don’t have “real” status.)

Five power bases –
Your power base in a group is the sum of the
resources that you can use to control or
influence others.
Type of Power:
•Legitimate - elected -
Being elected, or
selected to lead
•Referent-attractive -
Being well liked
•Expert- knowledge - A
member’s knowledge and
information
•Reward-rewards
behaviors - Providing
rewards for desired
behavior
•Coercive-punishment -
The ability to punish
another

Review Questions
True or False
High-status group members usually totally disregard group
norms
True or False
Low –status members communicate less positive messages
to high-status members
True or False
Legitimate power is derived from forcing others to give up
the power and give it to you.

Self Disclosure
Why am I afraid to tell you who I am? You may not like who I am.
John Powell - Five predictable levels thatJohn Powell - Five predictable levels that
individuals and groups go through:individuals and groups go through: Lowest toLowest to
highest form of communication.highest form of communication.
•Level 5:Level 5: Cliché CommunicationCliché Communication: People do: People do
things that initiate conversation. Smiling;things that initiate conversation. Smiling;
making eye contact; sayingmaking eye contact; saying “Hi” “Nice to see“Hi” “Nice to see
you.”you.”
Example:Example: Dog walks (Looks like ChristmasDog walks (Looks like Christmas
morning; is your dog taking you for a walk),morning; is your dog taking you for a walk),
contact with professors, neighbors.contact with professors, neighbors.
•Level 4:Level 4: Facts and biographical informationFacts and biographical information::
Relationship or conversation moves beyondRelationship or conversation moves beyond
the cliché. Nonthreatening information, such asthe cliché. Nonthreatening information, such as
your name, hometown, or occupation.your name, hometown, or occupation.

Self Disclosure
• Level 3:Level 3: Personal attitudes andPersonal attitudes and
ideas:ideas: Once you are comfortableOnce you are comfortable
and/or more time is spent, you thenand/or more time is spent, you then
respond to various ideas andrespond to various ideas and
issues, noting where you agree andissues, noting where you agree and
disagree with others.disagree with others.
• Level 2:Level 2: Personal feelingsPersonal feelings. Talking. Talking
about your personal feelings; andabout your personal feelings; and
sharing how you feel about others;sharing how you feel about others;
(Politics, religion, relationship(Politics, religion, relationship
status, etc. )status, etc. )
This level really makes oneThis level really makes one
vulnerable.vulnerable.

Communicating in Small Groups-
Self- Disclosure
Level 1: Peak Communication.Level 1: Peak Communication. People seldomPeople seldom
reach this level. People do not have a fear ofreach this level. People do not have a fear of
rejection and are not afraid to reveal ideas,rejection and are not afraid to reveal ideas,
opinions, feelings, and not afraid to have to agreeopinions, feelings, and not afraid to have to agree
or disagree.or disagree.
Are not afraid to sayAre not afraid to say “no.”“no.”
““ If you risk nothing, then you riskIf you risk nothing, then you risk
everything.”everything.”
Geena Davis - ActorGeena Davis - Actor

Communicating in Small Groups
Self-Disclosure
•The more open you are aboutThe more open you are about
yourself: the more you solicityourself: the more you solicit
feedback from others.feedback from others.
•The more you explore yourselfThe more you explore yourself
through interaction with others; thethrough interaction with others; the
healthier and happier we become.healthier and happier we become.
•More openness and happy groupMore openness and happy group
members make for a moremembers make for a more
productive group/team.productive group/team.

Communicating in Small Groups - Trust
According toAccording to
Psychologist JulianPsychologist Julian
B. Rotter, trust is:B. Rotter, trust is:
““a generalizeda generalized
expectancy; that theexpectancy; that the
word, the promise, theword, the promise, the
verbal or writtenverbal or written
statement of anotherstatement of another
individual or group canindividual or group can
be relied upon”be relied upon”

Communicating in Small Groups - Trust
• To trust, you need to have degree of confidence.To trust, you need to have degree of confidence.
• Shy people are less trusting, as they have a problemShy people are less trusting, as they have a problem
with self-esteem.with self-esteem.
Abraham Maslow:Abraham Maslow: Maslow discussed there areMaslow discussed there are twotwo
motivating factors for choices in our life.motivating factors for choices in our life.
1.1.Growth choices:Growth choices: People who trust themselves makePeople who trust themselves make
“growth” choices (Self-actualized; living life to its full“growth” choices (Self-actualized; living life to its full
potential)potential)
2.2.Fear choices:Fear choices: Non-trusting people, make choices out ofNon-trusting people, make choices out of
fear and misunderstanding, and therefore learn littlefear and misunderstanding, and therefore learn little
about themselves.about themselves.

Chapter 4
Review Questions
True or FalseTrue or False
According the author John Powell, the highest level of self-According the author John Powell, the highest level of self-
disclosure is clique communication.disclosure is clique communication.
True or FalseTrue or False
The more you reveal about yourself , the less effective theThe more you reveal about yourself , the less effective the
group that you work with will be.group that you work with will be.
True of FalseTrue of False
Powel discusses peak communication as a level ofPowel discusses peak communication as a level of
communication where people do not have a fear ofcommunication where people do not have a fear of
rejection and are not afraid to reveal ideas, and opinions,rejection and are not afraid to reveal ideas, and opinions,
feelings.feelings.

Cultural Differences
1. Individualism (Low - context cultures)
 Individualist cultures value the individual over
group
 Power, achievement and hedonism
 Responsible for self and immediate family
 Stand out from the crowd
 National concerns trump others
 When individualist countries invade, occupy, or
are part of a national coalition such as NATO --
changes may take place with-in a collectivist
culture.

Cultural Differences (cont.)
1. Collectivist Cultures (High – context cultures)
 Collectivist cultures value the group over the individual
 Benevolence, tradition and conformity
 Responsible for entire group
 Take pride in similarity to other group members
 Economy (China) can run like that of a Individualist Culture,
but the values and beliefs within the people will often reflect
the Collectivist Culture
Representative Cultures: South American, African, Southern
European, Arab and Asian
Thought: The values and beliefs may change based on different
leadership within the countries. Examples: Venezuela
when Hugo Chavez won election in 1999. Now Nicolas
Maduro. Indonesia President is opening country to world
leaders and visiting other countries'

Multiculturalism - Handout
• Read
• Questions:
1)Which parts of the depiction of the world surprised you?
Why?
2)Do you feel differently about your place in the world after
reading it? How?
3)What sterotypes about your own culture are you aware
of? How accurate are they?
Rights Reserved

Religious or Spiritual Orientation
As the United States has become more diverse culturally, it is also
becoming more diverse religiously.
•The traditional mix of Protestantism, Catholicism, and Judaism is
being enriched by growing numbers of Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus,
Sikhs, and others.
•Nationwide there are more than 1,100 houses of worship for Muslims,
1,500 for Buddhists, and 400 for Hindus.
•There is also great diversity within different faiths. You cannot not
make assumptions about where any one stands on religious matters.
•Many people are agnostics (Aren’t sure there is a God or not) or
atheists (Don’t believe in a traditional sense of the word “God” )
•Others don’t identify with organized religion and consider themselves
spiritual. “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We
are spiritual beings having a human experience.”

Race and Ethnicity – An Aspect of Identity
• Most of us have a very diverse back ground.
• Cablinasian – A term made up byTiger Woods – It is a
portmanteau (combination of two or more words) of Ca
ucasian, Black, American-Indian, and Asian, which is his
ethnic make-up of a quarter Chinese, a quarter Thai, a
quarter Black, an eighth Native American and an eighth
Dutch.
Q: How do you look at your race and ethnicity? Any special
terms you use?

What is diversity?
• The state or fact of being different; unlikeness,
different perceptions, expectations, ideas, etc.
• Looking at and encouraging an environment
where people are valued and recognized.
• Diversity is about different the many cultures and
subcultures

Diversity – “We are all created equal, but
we are individuals”
•Our country is a country of immigrants…except for the
Native American population
•Many people have come here by choice
•Others, such as the peoples from Africa and other
countries, who were brought to the US for slavery, were
not here by choice, and was a very dark time in our
history
•Each group of diverse people have contributed to the
greatness of our nation
•However, each group has not always been valued. Their
labor, their art, their votes have been used and abused
without adequate compensation.
•The discussion today is not about focusing on these
challenges, as diversity is not always understood or
appreciated.

What are Cultural Differences?
To be effective leaders and members in multicultural groups, it is
necessary to understand and be sensitive to cultural differences.
• Individualistic cultures
• Collectivistic cultures
• Gender
• Race
• Ethnic background
• Concept of time
• Religious orientation
• Age
• Group membership
• Sub-cultures
DEEP CULTURE
• Different historical experiences
• Different customs
• Ways of dressing
• Nonverbal communication
• Ways of communicating
• Different viewpoints of the universe
• Difference between Eastern and Western religions

Culture – Take home assignment
Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved
 Enculturation – How you learn the culture of
your birth
 Ethnic identity – A commitment to the beliefs
and philosophy of your culture
 Acculturation – The process of learning the
rules and norms of a culture that you move
to

Culture- Take home assignment
 Relevance of a cultural perspective
 Demographic changes
 Sensitivity to cultural differences
 Economic and political interdependence
 Spread of technology
 IPC is culture specific and understanding
differences is important to successful
communication.
Aim of a cultural perspective

Cultural Differences - Textbook
• Individualist Cultures & Collectivist
Cultures
• High-and Low-Context Cultures
• Power Distance
• Masculine and Feminine Cultures
• High-Ambiguity-Tolerant and Low –
Ambiguity-Tolerant Cultures
• Long-and Short-term Orientation
• Indulgence and Restraint

Cultural Differences
1. Individualist vs. collectivist orientation – Cultures
differ in the way in which they promote individualist and
Collectivist thinking, behavior, and goals
Individualist cultures value the individual over group
 Power, achievement and hedonism
 Responsible for self and immediate family
 Stand out from the crowd
 National concerns trump others
 When individualist countries invade, occupy, or are part of a
national coalition such as NATO changes may take place with-
in a collectivist culture.
Representative Cultures: United States, Australia, United Kingdom,
Netherlands, Canada, New Zealand, Italy, Belgium, Denmark, and
Sweden.
Thought: Teams have played a major role in U.S. success and history
(NASA, Genome Project, the Military, Businesses such as Pixar and

1. Individualist vs. collectivist orientation
Collectivist cultures value the group over the individual
 Benevolence, tradition and conformity
 Responsible for entire group
 Take pride in similarity to other group members
 Economy (China) can run like that of a Individualist
Culture, but the values and beliefs within the people will
often reflect the Collectivist Culture
Representative Cultures: Guatemala, Ecuador, Panama,
Venezuela, Columbia, Indonesia, China, Costa Rica, and
Peru
 Thought: The values and beliefs may change based on
different leadership within the countries. Examples:
Venezuela when Hugo Chavez won election in 1999.

2. High- vs. low-context cultures – differ in the extent in which
information is made explicit (clear) or assumed to be in the
context or in the persons communication.
High-context cultures assume information is known by
everyone
 Information is implied (past experiences, assumptions,
shared experiences.) rather than stated up front
 Places high emphasis on personal relationships and oral
agreements
 Saving face (avoiding disagreements, arguments, or
embarrassment over mistakes, etc.)
 In business, take time before making decisions, signing
contracts, etc.
Example: Navajo Reservation and spay/neuter plan
Cultural representatives: Japanese, Arabic, Latin America, Thai,
Korean, Apache, and Mexican

2. High- vs. low-context cultures
Low-context cultures value up front and
direct communication (Usually individualist
cultures)
 Information is stated explicitly and up front
 Places less emphasis on relationships
 Get down to business, little small talk or getting
to know each other.
 Written contracts with clear details crucial
 Use argument to make a point – not afraid to
criticize in public

3. Power distance cultures
High- power-distance refers to how power is
distributed in society. Power is concentrated in the
hands of few – while the ordinary citizens have
little power.
 Highest power distance countries: Malaysia,
Slovakia, Guatemala, Panama, the Philippines,
Russia, Romania, Serbia, Suriname and Mexico.
 U.S. ranks 59th
on the list.

3. Power distance cultures
Low- power-distance cultures have little gap between people who have
power and people who don’t.
 Minimal distance between those with power and those without
 Power is distributed throughout the citizenry
Ten countries with low – power: Austria, Israel, Denmark, New
Zealand, Switzerland, Ireland, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and
Great Britain.
Examples:
• In India (high power) friendship and marriage are expected to
take place within cultural class
• In Sweden (low power) people pick based on personalty,
appearance, etc.

4. Masculine vs. feminine cultures – describes a
culture’s attitude toward gender roles (in this case
on based on stereo types) but reflecting commonly
held beliefs of rest of the world.
• Masculine cultures value aggressiveness, material
success, strength, emphasizes traditional gender
roles.
• Achievement vs. nurturing
Top 10 Countries: Japan, Austria, Venezuela, Italy,
Switzerland, Mexico, Ireland, Jamaca, Great Britian
and Germany.

4. Masculine vs. feminine cultures – describes a culture’s focus on
achievement vs. nurturing
• Feminine cultures value modesty, relationships, quality of life,
tenderness.
• More likely to use compromise, and negotiate conflict.
Top 10 countries: (Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark, Costa Rica,
Yugoslavia, Finland, Chile, Portugal, and Thailand.)
Organizations can be seen as being masculine and feminine.
• Masculine stress the bottom line, competiveness, and aggressiveness.
• Feminine are less competitive and aggressive.

5. High-Ambiguity (uncertainty of meaning or
intention) and Low-Ambiguity cultures.
High-ambiguity tolerant cultures feel comfortable or
can have a high tolerance for ambiguous or
uncertain situations
 Require minimal communication rules and
 Like those who don’t follow the rules and
encourage different approaches
Q: Would this be true in sports? Business? The
Military? Close personal relationships?
Cultures: Singapore, Jamaica, Denmark, Sweden, Ireland, Great
Britain, Malaysia, India, Philippines; and U.S. ranks 11th
.

5. Ambiguity tolerant cultures
Low-ambiguity tolerant cultures feel uncomfortable
or can have a low tolerance for ambiguous or
uncertain situations
 Create strict rules for communicating
 Create highly structured and ritualized
interactions
 Uncertainty is seen as threatening and should
be fought.
Low tolerance countries: Greece, Portugal, Guatemala,
Uruguay, Belgium, Malta, Russia, El Salvador,
Poland and Japan.

6. Short term and long term orientation
cultures
Short term orientation cultures spend
resources on present goals and want quick
results (Puerto Rico, Ghana, Egypt, Trinidad,
Iran, Morocco, Colombia, Nigeria at the top
of list.)
Long term orientation cultures focus on
future rewards (South Korea, Taiwan, Japan,
China, Ukraine, Germany at the top of the
list.) U.S. ranks 69th
out of 93 – Making less
long term.

7. Indulgence and restraint cultures – defines
life along two dimensions
Life control - freedom freedom to do as you please
or to have control over your life
Leisure - how much leisure time or fun time you
have

7. Indulgence and restraint cultures
Indulgence cultures have high life control
and high leisure; are generally happy
Restraint cultures have low life control and
low leisure; are generally unhappy

Q: How can these differences in
approach affect the politics, economy,
culture in these countries?
Q: How can these difference in
approach affect the classroom,
business, personal relationship in the
U.S.?
Positive?
Negative?
Why?
Rights Reserved

Obstacles to Effective Diversity
We all know that we should accept and respect
diversity, but we sometimes get sidetracked
because of poor training.
Prejudice: Means judging in advance - making an
evaluation before you’ve gathered or considered all
the relevant information.
Reasons: The way people were raised, dislike a
person’s personality trait, or are fearful, angry, or
jealous.
Problems: Prejudice is most likely to influence our
opinions of people who are different from us -- this
can be a great hindrance for a diverse team.

Obstacles to Effective Diversity
Stereotypes: Is a belief that certain groups of
people tend to have distinct characteristics. In other
words, it’s an assumption that belonging to a
certain group will make a person look, think, or act
in a particular way.
• You may think you’re free from stereotypes, but
you’re not.
• We all rely on stereotypes everyday. It helps to
reduce uncertainty, but isn’t always positive.

The Seven Deadly “Isms” plus two
Psychologist Kenneth Kays identified the
“seven deadly isms” that damage relationships and teamwork at
school, in organizations, and around the world
• Sexism
• Elitism
• Racism
• Favoritism
• Ageism
• Individualism
• Chauvinism
Plus:
• Ethnocentrism
• Monoculturism

• Sexism: Set of attitudes and behaviors towards people that
judge or belittle them on the basis of their gender, or that
perpetuates stereotypical assumptions about gender roles.
• This term is most often used to refer to men’s attitudes
toward women. But in recent years there has been
increasing discussion of sexism towards men.
• The term dates from the mid-1960s during the rise of
women’s liberation movements in 1968-1969
• Sexism has a long history derived from patriarchal cultures
in world (rule by fathers) Traditionally rights to property
and nationality passed through the male line, with the result
that women’s legal status was generally inferior to that of
males
• Until the 20th
century, women had no voting rights, limited
to property rights, and in most respects subject entirely to
their fathers and husband.

Examples of Sterotypes - Gender
Common Gender Sterotypes
used by individuals, media,
and other organizations
Women:
• Submissive
• Emotional
• Quiet
• Neat/Clean
• Clumsy (Movies)
• Artsy
• Housewife
• Child rearing
• Good communicators

Examples of Sterotypes - Gender
Common Gender Sterotypes used by
individuals, media, and other
organizations
Men:
• Aggressive
• No emotions
• Loud
• Messy
• Athletic
• Math and Science Oriented
• CEO
• Bad communicators

Elitism: the belief that society should be governed by a select
group of gifted and highly educated individuals
Or Pride in the awareness of being one of an elite group.
Adjective or noun: Elitist
How practiced:
• Private clubs
• Status
• Money (Executive pay vs. salaried and hourly employees)
• Power Position (Political positions, Advisor to elected
officials)
• Privilege (Family born into, inherited title)
Q: Problems that can occur as a result of elitism?

Racism: Definition according to the
Queen’s University:
Queens’ University believes in the
necessity of providing safeguards for
its members against all forms of
impermissible discrimination,
including racism and racial
harassment.
By racism we mean the negative
valuing and discriminatory treatment
of individuals on the basis of their
race which is used to include all
race-related grounds; race,
ancestry, place of origin, color,
ethnic origin, citizenship and creed.
A creed is a statement of belief, in

Racism:
Q: How do you know if someone or something is racists?
• Sometimes it can be hard to recognize racism, especially if
you’re not the target
• The problem is some people are deliberately racist while others
might behave in a racist manner without meaning to hurt other
people
• Ins the same way, some systems or rules or organizations might
discriminate against some groups or people either deliberately
or without intending to

Racism: Examples:
Q: Have you ever experienced or done any of the following?
• Made fun of clothes, food, or physical appearance of
people from other cultures
• Told jokes directed against people from a particular culture
• Used insulting language about particular cultural groups
• Made fun of people’s accents or names
• Favored students form some backgrounds more than
others
• Expected students from some cultures or linguistic groups
to do better or worse than others
• Not respected people’s different religious beliefs
• The list goes on and on……

Racism:
Student who experience racism might:
• Be afraid to go to school
• Have trouble concentrating
• Shave trouble making friends
• Fall behind in schoolwork
• Do not speak their first language for fear of being teased
or picked on
• Reject their own culture and parental values
• Do not speak English for fear of being teased or picked on
• Be confused about their identity

Racism: What can you do?
• If you are physically threatened call campus
police or tell instructor
• Call a friend, call or call the
• Keep a record of all incidents the dates, times,
locations and witnesses
• If you are a member of a union, you may wish
to call the union rep
• Formally lodge a complaint
• Be aware of your actions and their effects
• Start a group or organization to shed light on
racism
• Be pro-active:
• Anti-Racism means to:
- Be sensitive to other’s feelings
- Actively listen to what others are saying
- Educate yourself about other cultures
- Keep judgments silent

Favoritism:
• The favoring of one person or group over others with
equal claim
• The state of being favorite
• The bestowal of patronage in consideration of
relationship; rather than merit or of legal claim
A sub-group of Favoritism: Nepotism
Favoritism shown to relatives or close friends by those
in power
Q: How many of you have been the precipitant of
favoritism? How did it feel?
Q: How many of you have been the victim of favoritism
or nepotism? How did it feel?

Favoritism:
When you are on the receiving end of favoritism it feels good
As a person not getting Favoritism: One feels left-out, unappreciated, angry,
frustrated, loss of self-confidence
Q: What do you think that person might do?
As a nation: I didn’t have time to get research on this, but how do you think
other countries feel about the NTR formally MFN?
What can you do?
• Don’t practice this yourself
• If you work for an organization or boss that practices it report it to human
resources
• Talk with your instructor; if that doesn’t work
• Report any teachers practicing it to their department chairs
• Realize it does happen; and enjoy while you can ; or decide you won’t take
favors from others (no matter how great they are…Do you think you could do
that ?

Aristotle said “Few things affect a person’s
outlook more then his or her age.”
• Each generation has more or less
common values and experiences that set it
apart from other generations
• Yet, each generation has different
approaches to life in their values, attitudes
and beliefs etc.
• In United States our Elders are not as
appreciated as in other cultures.
• Often when referring to our Elders we say
the “old” teacher, person, etc.
• Many in our culture are afraid of aging –
Plastic surgery.
Q: How can our Elders help us?
Culture Differences - Age

Ethnocentrism: Means literally
to be centered on one’s own
culture.
• For example, to interpret the
behavior in the light of one’s
own values, attitudes, and so
on.
• Or making false assumptions
about others’ way based on
our own limited experience
Example: Peace Corp workers
in Belize
When you think about
your own experience
with people from
other ethnic groups
and with attitudes
expressed about
relations with other
countries, what
examples come to
your mind where may
have imposed your
own values and
feelings about life on
their experience?

Monoculturalism: Only knowing about one culture?
The perils of monoculturalism:
• A naïve ethnocentrism: I judge everything using my own
culture as the measuring rod
• Absolutisitc thinking: Things are not to be questioned:
“My way or the highway?”
• An embracing of naïve realism: Says that we can know
things in the world directly without taking into account
our uncertainties and doubts. We perceive things exactly
as they are.
• Lack of respect of other people’s way
• The evaluation of customs and perspectives on the basis of
one’s own culturally learned assumptions and values
• The use of pejorative terms to describe customs different
from one’s own

Chauvinism: Aggressive or fanatical patriotism; enthusiastic devotion to a cause’ smug
irrational belief in the superiority of one’s race, party, sex etc.
•A cursory glance into the Oxford Dictionary of English Proverbs reveals the basic
antifeminism of proverbs
•Magazines continue to abound with anti-feminism headlines of articles and
advertisements
•A plumbing business had a customer handout that read:
Four Things a Women Should Know
How to look like a girl
How to act like a lady
How to think like a man
And how to work like a dog
•There are some who believe that a well-know proverb “All men are created equal”
should be in fact be called “All people are created equal”
Q: Do you think that sexist language should be eliminated from the above proverb and
just in general (In graduate school all paper had to be free of sexist language)

Sexist Language
Rights Reserved
Words that many think are sexist.
•You Guys – Generic woprd to include males and females (pass
out card)
•The common man – The average person, ordinary people
•Caveman – Cave dwellers
•Mankind – people, human beings, humankind
•Chairman – Chair person
•Man the Booth – Attend to the booth (or Woman the Booth, if
woman are going to attend to the booth)
•Stewardess – flight attendant
•Waitress/waiter – server, food server
•Actor/Actress – Actor (???)
In general, avoid using different words for men and women
who perform the same job.
•Fireman - "firefighter,"
•Post man - "postal worker"
Most of the gender neutral terms are now widely accepted.

Deadly “isms” Group Exercise
• Handout and Explain

Cross-Cultural Milestones
Cultural awareness is more than just realizing that another culture
is different from ours. It is learning to value the other culture.
Q: So how do we get to this point?

Principles for Effective
Intercultural Communication
1.Educate yourself
2.Recognize differences
 Between yourself and the culturally
different
 Within the culturally different group
 Differences in meaning

Principles for Effective
Intercultural Communication (cont.)
3.Confront your stereotypes
4.Adjust your communication to the
other person (accommodation)
5.Reduce your ethnocentrism

Kwast’s Model of Culture
View a culture (is to visualize) several successive layers or
levels of understanding, as one (moves from observable
behavior) into the real heart of culture; Values in a
culture are not selected arbitrarily, but invariably reflect
an underlying system of beliefs, At the very heart of any
culture is its world view..
What culture looks like:
• Behavior (Outside circle) seen as: What is done
• Values (Inside Behavior) seen as: What is good or bad?
• Beliefs (Inside values) seen as: What is true?
• World view (inside beliefs) seen as: What is real?

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