Cross Cultural Awareness Flashcards
Culture
A shared set of traditions, beliefs systems and behaviors that impact society or norms and dictate how men and women are supposed to act
Holism
All parts of a culture are interconnected and integrated
Ethnocentrism
A firm view that your own culture is right and others are wrong
Should be avoided
Relativism
Allows you to temporarily suspend judgment in order to understand things from another point of view
Morales depend on particular situation and truth and morals change depending on a particular culture or situation
Mirror imaging
Common syndrome amount people working outside their own familiar environment
Drawing consolations based on your own morals, values, belief systems because you did not know the key culture factors before hand
Culture Shock
The frustration and anger that comes as a result of false expectations or outlooks
The anxiety and physical/emotional discomfort that can occur when a person moves to an unfamiliar environment
Worldviews
Ways that someone sees and understands world events, especially in relation to their religion or political beliefs and ideas
Culture context
Pertains to conditions or circumstances that impact communication
Low or high context
Low context
North America and Europe favor it
Pay more attention to the explicit meaning of the verbal message
Stress lots of details, facts and statistics with little required to how the message is delivered
Directly to the point
High Context
East Asia, Middle East, Arab, Latino and Mediterranean favor it
The relationship to the group is a dominant factor in any interaction and must be preserved and embraced at all times
Dependent on context, verbal cues, nonverbal cues and actions reflect on the reputation of their family and the group
Culture specific competence
Approach that emphasizes specific aspects of particular cultures, affording Airmen much of the knowledge and/or skills necessary to interact more competently with individuals from those cultural backgrounds
Culture General Competence
Ability to quickly and accurately comprehend, then appropriately and effectively act in any culturally complex environment to achieve the desired effects for the mission
12 Domains of Culture
Family and kinship
Both blood descent and marriage
Continuation of society through the generations and defines a universe other that a person depends on for aid
Inheritance and succession take place within kin groups
12 domains of culture
Collectivism vs individualism
Collectivist culture-consider extended Family affiliations very important through life, children stay with the family until marriage and may stay after marriage. Where you live, politics, religion
Individualism culture- less important on extended family ties, children live separately from family after school is finished less dependent on family when grown usually identify with other groups, sports, politics, religion etc
12 Domains of culture
Religion and spirituality
Every culture uses to provide meaning, unity, peace of mind and control over elements in society. Help to preserve social order
Provides people a sense of personal identity and belonging
12 Domains of culture
Sex and Gender
Sex- the biological difference between male and female
Gender- provides the culture and social classification of masculinity and feminine roles. Often determines social relations involving power, individuals-groups identities meaning and values
12 Domains of culture
Political and social relations
Political organization is the patterned way of applying power in a society to lawfully regulate behavior
Power is through elected leaders or religious leaders or hierarchy or elders and tribal leaders
12 Domains of culture
Economic and resources
Ways in which good and services are produced, distributed and consumed in a society
They reflect choices people make regarding their livelihoods
12 Domains of culture
Time and space
Time management is more or less important
Highly linear orientation- sees time as a limited commodity to be used efficiently
Non-linear culture-more expanded view of time- less pressure to accomplish quickly
Space- the distance and proximity of living and personal space
12 Domains of culture
Language and communication
Transmitting Information between people
Large part of communication is non-verbal
12 Domains of culture
Technology and materials
Societies use technology to transform material environment
Technology includes the raw materials, tools, knowledge and procedures needed to produce and manufacture material goods
Development and uses of technology is determined by culture values
12 Domains of culture
History and myth
History is the study of the past cultural and scientific knowledge
Myth is often associated with fiction and supernatural, it also embodies popular ideals about the natural world and historical events in a given culture
Groups or society telling a myth believes that it is true then the mythical truths become customs that are passes on through generations
12 Domains of culture
Sustenance and Health
Societies have different methods of transforming natural resources into food
Different food getting or subsistence strategies are essential part of human culture and serve as a basis for cultural differences
Influences- Residential patterns, Family life and kinship systems, methods of exchange and structure of power and prestige
12 Domains of culture
Aesthetic and recreation
More than physical survival
Creative expression, imagination, beauty, skill and style figure in
Can be seen in art, music, sports, clothing, test and leisure
Along with external expression of beauty
The values people put on those are reinforced by beliefs and values about good/bad right/wrong moral/immoral
Motivation
Positive attitudes
Most essential component of cross cultural competence
With out positive attitudes you may not absorb/retain knowledge develop/employ the skills needed to be effective in a cross cultural environment
Learning approach
Application
Greatest strength of culture-general approach lies in the ability to take foundational concepts and apply them to cultural seenariors
Learn how to learn
Cross cultural skills
Communicate
Transmitting thoughts, feelings and information to other people to avoid misunderstanding
Cross cultural skills
Relate
Understanding others in order to develop a social or sympathetic relationship
Find ways to relate with individuals from other cultures
Cross cultural skills
Negotiate
Use of deliberate process to overcome differences and resolve conflicts that can arise from different values, miscommunications, competition for resources
