Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Communications
for the MI Analyst
The American military people are paid to risk their lives for
their country. Do not hesitate to kill them. Kill their wives
and children if necessary. Make America order them back
home or risk open rebellion in the streets of Washington.
- Hussein Balkir
Turkish W orkers and
Peasants Liberation Army
Military Disaster
Zulu Chief
Lord Chelmsford
What is Culture?
Now that we have established why culture should
be studied we must understand what culture is.
Practical Exercise #1
Above the Waterline
Unconscious Incompetence
Blissful ignorance
Unaware of cultural
differences
Conscious Incompetence
Conscious Competence
Unconscious Competence
American Culture
Essential to CCC knowing yourself
Similarities& differences can be compared
People from culture sometimes have difficulty
seeing their own
out of body experience
Lego Study
American Culture
Frontier Culture
Individualism
Achievement & Success
Freedom & Democracy
Egalitarian
Informal
Providence
Risk taking
Religiosity
Yankee Ingenuity
Science & Technology
Efficiency & Practicality
Communication
Direct & Blunt
Honesty
Saving Face not a priority
Sources of American Culture
PROTESTANTISM
A strong work ethicwork is intrinsically goodand the notion
of predestination, that salvation is apparent through worldly
success
GEOGRAPHY
The frontier, unlimited resources and opportunity, isolation,
sparse population, distance from Europe
FREEDOM & INDEPENDENCE
From religious and economic repression and rigid class system
and social stratification
THE MELTING POT
Out of the mainstream in home country, dissatisfied with lot in
life, willing to take risks, adventuresome
Individualism is ingrained in
us. Not being used to working
together that much, we dont
trust team or group
recognition.
Why are you Americans so impatient?
Unconscious Incompetence
Blissful ignorance
Unaware of cultural differences
Conscious Incompetence
Realize
differences exist
How do I figure these people out
Conscious Competence
Unconscious Competence
Cultural Relativism
To counter our tendency to use our own
culture as a tool for judgment, we can
practice cultural relativism.
Practicing cultural relativism allows us to
understand another culture on its own
terms.
We can analyze how the elements of
culture fit together without judgment.
Ethnocentrism vs. Cultural relativism
Ethnocentrism Denial
Associated with Unconscious Incompetence
Disbelief in cultural differences
Think people who behave differently dont know any better
Impose their own values on others (UGLY AMERICAN)
Not threatened by cultural differences
Ethnocentrism Defense
Associated with Conscious Incompetence
Recognize differences and not happy about it
Threatened by cultural differences & convinced of their own
superiority
Dont try to impose values but instead prefer to avoid contact
Ethnocentrism Minimization
Associated with Conscious Incompetence
Still believe new culture is inferior, but minimizes differences
We may be different on the surface, but deep down we are the
same
Cultural Awareness
Unconscious Incompetence
Conscious Incompetence
Conscious Competence
Recognize differences
Conscious effort to adjust behaviors
Objectivity key to figuring these
people out
Unconscious Competence
Culturally
sensitive
New behaviors second nature
Ethnocentrism vs. Cultural relativism
Person A: $5000
Person B: $5000
Person C: $5000
Person D: $5000
House
USA
Africa
Rain
Positive ?
Negative ?
Concept of Time
Lining up and not lining up are culturally determined behaviors
PE #15
Attitude towards Status
Similar to Power Distance & Individualism / Collectivism
Two poles of Status
Achieved Status (doing)
People respected for personal accomplishments
Status is earned
Less impressed by titles
Using Education is important
Status is not permanent (lack of productivity = low status)
Ascribed Status (being)
Status automatic & difficult to lose
Can be determined by birth or school attended
Acquiring Education important
Stickler for titles
Status & Face defended fiercely
PE #16
Attitude towards Fate
Fate the inherent uncertainty in life
Creates anxiety in all cultures
Different responses
US response = technology
Others = religion
Two poles of Fate
High Uncertainty Avoidance
Group paranoia, the unknown is frightening
More laws, regulations, policies & procedures
Strong tendency toward conformity
Low Uncertainty Avoidance
More tolerance for differences
More curious than frightened of the unknown
Life is interesting
Risk taking
PE #17
Attitude towards Fate
People from different cultures may see their
ability to influence external events very
differently.
Which of the following two statements do you
most agree with?
A. What happens to me is my own doing.
B. Sometimes I feel I dont have control over the
direction my life is taking.
Percentage of Americans who chose A = 89%
Percentage of Chinese who chose A = 35%
Attitude towards the Universe
The Locus of Control
PE #19
Cycles of Adjustment
Initial Enthusiasm (the Honeymoon)
Time Frame: First week or two in country
Characteristics:
Excitement & enthusiasm
Initial Culture Shock
Time Frame: First few weeks in country
Characteristics
Frustration
Vulnerability & Dependence
Homesickness
Lack of routine
Close bonds formed with other Americans
Initial Adjustment
Time Frame: 3 6 months in country
Characteristics
Routines established
Climate change accomplished
Increased confidence
Culture Shock
The disorientation that people experience
when they come into contact with a different
culture.
Common symptoms of Culture Shock:
Homesickness Excessive cleanliness
Boredom Marital stress
Withdrawal Family tension and conflict
Excessive sleep Chauvinistic excesses
Compulsive eating Stereotyping of host nationals
Compulsive drinking Loss of ability to work effectively
Irritability Unexplained fits of weeping
Physical ailments (psychosomatic illnesses)
Coping Strategies
Learn new ways of doing things;
Learn to do things youve never done before;
Stop doing things you can no longer do;
Adjust to an entirely new set of people;
Learn to live and work in an environment where
you speak a foreign language;
Get used to various new and unusual
phenomena;
Learn to live without all kinds of familiar
phenomena.
Coping Strategies
Things I can do with other people
Invite people over
Go and visit someone
Telephone someone
Go to a movie, cafe, etc. with someone
Play a game with someone
Participate in a team sport
Volunteer my services to a needy cause
Coping Strategies
Things I can do on my own
Read
Play cards
Listen to music
Cook a meal
Take a walk
Meditate
Go to a movie
Write in my journal
Go to a restaurant or caf
Go shopping
Exercise
Listen to the radio
Garden
Take some pictures
Coping Strategies
Things I can do on my own
Call home
Look at photos
Write letters
Make a tape to send home
Play an instrument
Take a ride
Solve puzzles
Watch birds
Practice a craft
Take a trip
Watch television
Watch people
Study language
Deep breathing
Coping Strategies
Things I can remind myself of
This will pass.
Its not the end of the world.
I came here to experience a challenge.
Ive been through worse than this.
Its natural to feel down from time to time.
No pain; no gain.
Its not just me.
Things didnt always go well back home either.
I have taken on a lot; I should expect to feel
overwhelmed from time to time.
Coping Strategies
Ways I can improve my language skills
Talk to children
Talk to older people (who have more time and patience!)
Go to a cafe and eavesdrop
Listen to the radio or TV
Join a club or sports team
Participate in some other kind of group activity
Study a language textbook
Do exercises in a language textbook
Listen to language tapes
Ask a host country informant to tape record key language
phrases that I can practice
Sources
Richard Hooker, What is Culture?,
Washington State University
www.wsu.edu/gened/learn-
modules/top_culture/culture-definition.html
Webofculture.com
Cornell University
Rosaldo Consulting
Peace Corps
Culture Matters
Questions ?