Fluent Essays

Course: Intro to culture This assignment assesses the understanding of various concepts and principles covered in Lesson1, 2, and 3:  Use the word document template, respond to each question on the template. Save and Send the template back. PLAGIARISM FREE. Because each submission is reviewed and compared to other student submissions, the Student Example, and course content for plagiarism (cheating).  This is a word document template, after finishing please send it back to me. 10/17/21, 10:06 PM Understanding Culture and 3C https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/20210907T164510_Lesson_1_sco2004/Lesson_1_print.html 1/30 Understanding Culture and 3C Lesson 1 Introduction Welcome to the Introduction to Culture course! Lesson 1 provides an introduction to the course as a whole. It introduces you to five key concepts: 1. The definition of culture 2. Culture-general and culture-specific knowledge 3. Cross-cultural competence (3C) 4. Cultural domains 5. The Cultural OODA Loop These five concepts are essential to help you understand the content and design of the course, which may differ from what you might expect from a course about culture. All of these concepts will set the stage for teaching you how to learn about culture, and how to apply a set of skills to improve your cultural learning. Our goal in this course is to help you improve your knowledge about culture and your ability to build your own cross-cultural competence over time. Objectives and Lesson Enhancements Lesson Objectives Its important to keep Lesson Objectives in mind as you go through this lesson. All of your exam questions - and improved life skills - are based on these objectives. While reading through this lesson, keep the following learning objectives in mind: 1. Demonstrate understanding of culture and its subcomponents 2. Recognize how visible cultural behaviors are driven by underlying beliefs and values 10/17/21, 10:06 PM Understanding Culture and 3C https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/20210907T164510_Lesson_1_sco2004/Lesson_1_print.html 2/30 3. Comprehend what the USAF means by cross-cultural competence (3C) and its related concepts of cultural domains, culture-specific, and culture-general information 4. Identify how the Cultural OODA Loop can help you understand an unfamiliar cultural environment Lesson Enhancement The required readings appear throughout the lessons. For your convenience, they also appear at the beginning of the lessons in case you want to read ahead. Not all lessons have required readings. Cultural-Awareness-for-the-Military-Professional Speegle, Lt Col Justin. Essay produced for Air Command and Staff College, U.S. Air Force. BEST way to OPEN internal links like this one is by first RIGHT CLICKING the link and SELECTING Open Link in New Window. Why are you taking Introduction to Culture? Students take this course for a variety of reasons. Some people have a personal interest and fascination with other cultures. They want to explore, get exposure to, and satisfy their curiosity about the ways people live around the world. If youre one of these students, then this course will fulfill that need by challenging you to: • Understand how culture works in terms of human relations, • Recognize the beliefs and values that guide our own culture, and • Practice interpreting the cultural practices of other groups. Other students take the class because of an upcoming deployment or assignment outside the US. This course provides the tools to help you quickly understand basic knowledge about culture that will help you function well with others during these deployments or overseas assignments. 10/17/21, 10:06 PM Understanding Culture and 3C https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/20210907T164510_Lesson_1_sco2004/Lesson_1_print.html 3/30 At the very least, most enrolled students need 3 credits to complete their CCAF degree. This class fulfills that need, but offers you so much more! No matter what the reason, you will find this course filled with great information to help you operate in any culture. You will work hard, but it will be worthwhile! The Air Force Definition of Culture College textbooks and popular books about cross-cultural relations give their own definition of culture. The definition used by the USAF says: Culture is the creation, maintenance and transformation across generations of shared patterns of meaning, affiliation, action and organization by groups. The definition can be divided into two parts. Part one includes the creation, maintenance and transformation across generations of shared patterns and part two includes shared patterns of meaning, affiliation, action and organization by groups. The first part of the definition tells us that people create, maintain, share, and transform patterns of activity over time. The second part of the definition tells us that shared cultural patterns are formed around meanings*, affiliations*, actions* and organizations*. Meaning is actually important to both parts of the definition, since aspects of culture will not be maintained if they dont mean something to people; and affiliations, actions, and organizations must retain meaning in order to be useful to us. Finally, the most important part of the definition of culture is groups of people. Culture represents the process of interaction between people and the meanings people give to those interactions. *The Shared Cultural Patterns Patterns of meaning refer to systems of language, writing, symbols, and other things that people use to transmit meaning, like colors, sounds, images, etc. Patterns of affiliation refer to the ways people form groups and support one another based on shared interests. Examples are families, hobby groups, political affiliations, and friendships. Patterns of action include regular or repeated behaviors and activities. 10/17/21, 10:06 PM Understanding Culture and 3C https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/20210907T164510_Lesson_1_sco2004/Lesson_1_print.html 4/30 Patterns of organization are similar to patterns of affiliation, but more specifically include institutions that people create to solve specific problems in society. Examples are schools, military forces, hospitals, food co-ops, etc. Whats your favorite color? What meanings do you associate with that color? To Americans, red might indicate passion, anger, power, or danger, depending on the context (when, where, and how its used). But what about in other cultures? In Eastern Asian cultures, red often symbolizes good luck, happiness, and vitality, and may be worn by brides on their wedding day. To South Asian Indians, red means purity and is widely used in Hindu weddings it can also be seen in the traditional red dot on the foreheads of married women, symbolizing spirituality. To Ukrainians, the color red can represent spiritual awakening (red is a popular color on hand painted Easter eggs). To some people in West Africa, red is considered unlucky. Red can also refer to sacred land for Australian Aboriginal peoples. What about YOUR favorite color? Review the sites below by clicking on the images (note--these are not endorsed by the AFCLC or the Air Force), or find your own sites dealing with the cross-cultural meanings of color: From the examples you found on these websites, you see a wide variety of meanings people give to ideas, objects, and practices that exist in all human cultures. All people see the color red, but they may not associate seeing red with anger for example, like we do. Colors have different meanings for people, depending on their culture. Challenge Coins An example that illustrates the definition of culture in the Air Force is the presentation of challenge coins. Coins themselves represent a shared cultural pattern of meaning, namely the values of a unit and of the Air Force in general. The coins also show a shared cultural pattern of affiliation with the person or 10/17/21, 10:06 PM Understanding Culture and 3C https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/20210907T164510_Lesson_1_sco2004/Lesson_1_print.html 5/30 unit that coined you. In addition, the coins are associated with shared cultural patterns of action, as when a coin is presented to someone or when someone produces the coin when challenged. Finally, the coins demonstrate shared cultural patterns of organization, that of the particular unit, the USAF, and the US military. These shared cultural patterns can be found in physical form on the challenge coins themselves, represented by particular words and symbols. The challenge coin tradition exists today because Airmen created it and have transformed it over time. People actively maintain the tradition, too, which shows it still holds meaning for the Air Force culture. Click HERE for a closer look! The Iceberg: More Visible and Less Visible Aspects of Culture The Iceberg Model How do we learn more about another persons culture? How do we move past our first impressions and possibly false stereotypes? The first step in the process is to become a better observer. Therefore, its useful to think of culture as made up of parts we can easily notice and parts that are more difficult to detect. An iceberg provides a good model for thinking about the more visible and less visible aspects of culture. You see only a small portion of an iceberg above the surface of the water, while the majority of it is below the water making it more difficult to see. 10/17/21, 10:06 PM Understanding Culture and 3C https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/20210907T164510_Lesson_1_sco2004/Lesson_1_print.html 6/30 Think of this image of two icebergs as two cultures. Above the surface, we see Behavior as easily visible. Near the surface, but out of easy observation are Systems and Structures. Finally, well below our line of sight, we find Beliefs and Values at the bottom portion below the surface. When icebergs collide, they usually do so below the surface of the water. The same can be said for conflicts based on cultural differences. We may see different behaviors and systems and try to understand them, but the beliefs and values that support them are the basis of the cultural differences, and the beliefs and values lead to the different behaviors. For example, a foreign exchange student to the U.S. wrote these paragraphs about her first impressions of the U.S. educational system. Her name is Francine Nnyina. She was born in Cameroon, grew up in the Central African Republic, and spent time studying in France. I guess the difference between the French educational system and the American system is that in France, the courses cover a particular subject in depth, whereas here the classes embrace a large range of topics, but more superficially. However, the interesting point is how the classes are more alive here than in France because the American students are more apt to speak and to express their opinions clearly on a subject. The classes here are also smaller, which could make them more interactive. But they arent because most students do not try to study together. This would allow those who understand quickly to help those who do not, but instead each student works alone. Source: http://unbound.intrasun.tcnj.edu/archives/lifestyle/old/lifes98/france/index.html She noticed behaviors: teachers cover a wide range of topics, students express their opinions openly in class, and students are not inclined to study together. She compared two cultures by connecting the behaviors she observed to systems and structures: the educational systems influence the size of the classes, and the material covered. After some time, she also might have seen that students are encouraged to speak up in class from an early age and are even graded on it, which is another kind of system of educating our children. What are the beliefs underpinning these American behaviors and systems? Take a guess in the Knowledge Check. Next, well discuss the more and less visible aspects of culture in further detail. More Visible Parts of Culture: More Detailed Iceberg Model 10/17/21, 10:06 PM Understanding Culture and 3C https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/20210907T164510_Lesson_1_sco2004/Lesson_1_print.html 7/30 Heres a slightly more detailed version of the previously mentioned iceberg model. This model expands on what is meant by Behaviors. So in addition to Behaviors above the water line, you see the parts of culture that are easiest to observe: actions and symbols. Symbols are lumped together with actions because both are easy to observe, even though the meanings underlying them are not immediately easy to understand. Heres a more in-depth explanation of actions and symbols: Actions: Actions are the everyday activities and behaviors of a group of people, and their activities on special occasions. Actions are the most visible part of any culture, so we can learn a great deal about people by observing their behavior and interacting with them. For instance, typical American practices of going to church, entertaining people over a meal, joining in a potluck dinner, and being sports fans all represent the importance of religion, community, and fair competition in our lives. These behaviors express our beliefs and values, even though those beliefs and values are not easily visible. Symbols: Symbols are concrete expressions of beliefs and values that are shared by people in a culture. Symbols can be items that we use intentionally to communicate our cultural beliefs and affiliations, like a wedding ring, a peace sign or a Christian cross. However, there are other objects that symbolize our values in less intended or even unintentional ways. In American culture, these things might be fences around our property, flowers you give to your mom on her birthday, musical tastes, and consumer items, such as cars, high- end devices, and name-brand clothing. 10/17/21, 10:06 PM Understanding Culture and 3C https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/20210907T164510_Lesson_1_sco2004/Lesson_1_print.html 8/30 Although these items are not designed to be symbols (except maybe for some brands of clothing!), they symbolize our beliefs and values, nonetheless. So you know one thing for sure by now: Symbols and actions (behavior) convey meaning. If you recall from earlier in this lesson, we talked about patterns of action and patterns of meaning. These patterns and meaning are found in, and evolve from the less visible parts of culture. Less Visible Parts of Culture: Below the water in the image below, you see the parts of culture that are less easy to observe. Here well go deeper (pun intended) into the specifics of Systems and Structures and talk a bit more about patterns and meaning. As we gain more powers of observation and understanding, we start to detect peoples patterns of organization, affiliation, values, and ultimately, meaning. The patterns are not invisible, but they are harder to see and understand at first, especially if you are not specifically looking for them. SYSTEMS AND STRUCTURES 10/17/21, 10:06 PM Understanding Culture and 3C https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/20210907T164510_Lesson_1_sco2004/Lesson_1_print.html 9/30 When we get closer to the iceberg (or spend more time in a culture), we start to detect the larger part below the water. Close to the surface are Systems and Structures. Systems and structures include non-tangibles such as patterns of affiliation and organization (e.g. kinship norms, power dynamics), as well as (or in combination with) physical structures and systems such as financial systems, education, transportation and infrastructure, to name a few. The impact of these patterns and systems and structures cannot be overstated because they have an indelible and inescapable impact on how people view their world and their circumstances and assign meaning to things. Lesson 3 covers more on this topic. Finally, at the bottom of the iceberg, you will find beliefs and values which underlie the patterns and meanings, and are the basis of all aspects of a culture. BELIEFS AND VALUES Beliefs are ideas and assumptions about the world that we think are true. Many examples of beliefs are related to religion or spirituality, such as a belief in one God, a belief in the soul or the afterlife. We also hold everyday beliefs, too. A child might believe that Santa Claus exists. Others might believe that men and women are not equals and should not be treated equally in the workplace. Beliefs influence the assumptions we make, and also how we understand what we observe. Have you ever observed professional baseball players going through the same series of actions over and over before they go up to bat? Most of us would assume they are superstitious and we would understand that the players believe those actions bring them good luck, or at least prevent bad luck. We tend to discount superstition as unscientific and somewhat irrational, but in some cultures, what many people would consider superstitions are actually strongly held beliefs about cause and effect relationships. One study found HERE that personal belief in bad and good luck days cost the Japanese health care system millions of yen in the early 1990s. A traditional Japanese 10/17/21, 10:06 PM Understanding Culture and 3C https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/20210907T164510_Lesson_1_sco2004/Lesson_1_print.html 10/30 calendar runs on a six-day week, with each day having a special meaning. One of the six days, taian is the luckiest day and butsumetsu is the unluckiest day. The study found that many patients avoided being discharged from the hospital on an unlucky day and tried to arrange being discharged on a lucky day. This would be like someone in the U.S. not wanting to be discharged from the hospital on a Friday the 13th. The practice led to the loss of a great deal of money for the Japanese health care system. It is an example of the importance and impact of beliefs on peoples behavior, as well as an example of the differences in the meaning accorded to certain beliefs in different cultures. For more information, check the links on the references page at the end of the lesson. Values are beliefs shared by a cultural group. Beliefs become values when a cultural group holds them in common and finds them worthy of passing on to future generations. Traditionally, Americans tend to value immediate family relationships, service to the country or community, and education—these things are important to us. They are based on beliefs about how close family members should interact, how people should treat each other, and what we should learn about our world. Both beliefs and values are learned from our society, beginning with our family and later from other groups as we grow up. How are those based on a cultural group you might ask? Or, how are they related to worthiness? Harley-Davidson motorcycle riders in particular and most motorcyclists in general share a set of values about what biking means to them, why they like it, and how bikers should act toward one another. For example, they talk about how much they like feeling the freedom of the open road, about leaving their cares behind them when they ride, their respect for an original American product (in the case of Harleys), and their wariness of people driving cars. These attitudes hold value for this cultural group, and knowing that many other bike riders hold similar values draws the group together. Therefore, values act to bring people together, perhaps with some variation from individual to individual within the group. Values can also be used as reasons to exclude people from activities or social groups. Harley riders 10/17/21, 10:06 PM Understanding Culture and 3C https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/20210907T164510_Lesson_1_sco2004/Lesson_1_print.html 11/30 respect one another for having stayed true to an American product and for embracing the noise of the bike. They may feel superior to, make fun of, or even exclude people who ride other kinds of bikes. Service Before Self An example of a value that may be central to your life is the Air Force motto of Service Before Self. What does it mean to you? What is considered Service, and who or what comes before your Self? How does this value bring you together, or engender mutual respect with other members of the group (the Air Force)? Who represents this culture and who hold this value? Does Service Before Self apply to any other area of your life (e.g., family, church, etc.)? Now, how do you think people in other cultures, professions, or communities serve each other? What would be their idea of service before self? The response lies in the shared patterns of meaning, affiliation, action, and organization of the group or culture you are referring to. Where is the Meaning? Previously, the definition of culture stressed the importance of Meaning. Lets face it; aspects of culture are not perpetuated if they dont mean something to people. Likewise, affiliations, actions, and organizations must retain meaning in order to maintain usefulness. These relationships are seen through the iceberg analogy. And because Meaning permeates all levels, you cant place it in any one specific part of this analogy. Beliefs and values give rise and meaning to systems and structures. Beliefs, values, systems and structures all combine to create patterns of meaning that are expressed through behaviors. In other words, culture represents the process of interaction between people and the meanings people give to those interactions. When people from two different cultures experience the exact same event, it could have a completely different meaning. 10/17/21, 10:06 PM Understanding Culture and 3C https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/20210907T164510_Lesson_1_sco2004/Lesson_1_print.html 12/30 Food for Thought Consider these common actions or symbols. Is it possible these could have a different meaning to someone else than what they mean to you? How might Values impact the meanings? How might Systems and Structures impact the meanings? wearing a burka boasting about ones own achievement, family, or possession truthfully telling an authority that it was one of your friends who destroyed a persons personal item paying a bribe to get out of trouble firing a worker to make room for a family member Click HERE to find some thoughts about how different people might view these behaviors. Now lets see how the Air Force teaches culture and cross-cultural competence. Mission Focus David H. Petraeus 10/17/21, 10:06 PM Understanding Culture and 3C https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/20210907T164510_Lesson_1_sco2004/Lesson_1_print.html 13/30 Lets get more specific about the kinds of cultural knowledge we teach in this course, and how that knowledge relates to Air Force missions. To do that, we turn to an article written by Gen. David H. Petraeus (US Army, Retired) describing his lessons learned from war in Iraq. In the article, he presents reasons why military personnel should study culture. Culture-Specific Knowledge First, Petraeus notes the need for knowledge about specific information related to the culture of the host country: Working in another culture is enormously difficult if one doesnt understand the ethnic groups, tribes, religious elements, political parties, and other social groupings—and their respective viewpoints; the relationships among the various groups; governmental structures and processes; local and regional history; and, of course, local and national leaders. Understanding such cultural aspects is essential if one is to help the people build stable political, social, and economic institutions.[1] In this course, we call the type of information that General Petraeus lists here culture-specific because it is related to one particular cultural environment. To assist Airmen in deployed locations, AFCLC provides ADLS training modules and information found in culture-specific Expeditionary Culture Field Guides available HERE. Culture-General Knowledge General Petraeus then goes on to discuss the need for general knowledge about culture: Indeed, this [information about culture] is as much a matter of common sense as operational necessity. Beyond the intellectual need for the specific knowledge about the environment in which one is working, it is also clear that people, in general, are more likely to cooperate if those who have power over them respect the culture that gives them a sense of identity and self-worth.[2] Part of respecting another culture is understanding general concepts that can help you relate to all people of all cultural backgrounds. This is what the AFCLC calls culture-general knowledge (broad enough to apply to any culture). Just like general education requirements at school help students understand a broad range of topics and prepare for any eventual career, culture-general education prepares you for interaction with people from any culture. This diagram illustrates the three areas that the Air Force considers foundational to cross-cultural competence: language, region, and culture. Language and regional information are more culture-specific. 10/17/21, 10:06 PM Understanding Culture and 3C https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/20210907T164510_Lesson_1_sco2004/Lesson_1_print.html 14/30 An interesting side note is that the Language portion of the diagram is the smallest, and, simply knowing a language is not sufficient on its own to operate effectively in a foreign culture. In culture-specific education, you might learn about the culture of Egypt and study the Arabic spoken there, and this will lead to learning some general topics about interacting with people in different cultures. On the other hand, educating Airmen about culture and how it operates is a culture-general approach that will enhance your ability to be effective in any country, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. Mission In 2006, Air University created the Air Force Culture and Language Center in response to the need for culture- general and culture-specific learning across the armed forces. Our mission is to develop and maintain a cross-culturally competent Total Force across the Continuum of Learning (education, training and experience). Your reading for this lesson concerns the importance of cultural awareness in military operations. Written by USAF Lt Col Justin Speegle, the essay describes how cultural awareness gives military personnel the ability...to (1) comprehend when cultural factors/background are having an impact and (2) determine how to adapt their behavior and expectations to achieve the desired effects.[3] Moreover, Lt Col Speegle offers a few pointers for how Airmen may better understand their own culture as well as other cultures. 10/17/21, 10:06 PM Understanding Culture and 3C https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/20210907T164510_Lesson_1_sco2004/Lesson_1_print.html 15/30 Information from this essay will be used in your end-of-lesson quiz and in your Milestone 1 Assignment. Click the link below to open the document. If you cannot access the document, please contact Student Support at [email protected] Reading 1: Cultural-Awareness-for-the-Military-Professional Lt Col Speegle also re-focuses our attention on cultural meaning. He describes culture as a web of meaning and an operational code. The belief system shared by people in a culture acts as a lens through which they perceive events and filter information. This further enhances our earlier discussion of meaning and its importance to cultural awareness and competence. Remember the color Red and what it signifies to someone from South Africa? (Clue: DONT wear it to a wedding!) Lt Col Speegle emphasizes that understanding belief systems, or at least attempting to understand and respect other belief systems, is critical to success in how we influence allies, foes, and anyone else we encounter in pursuit of mission objectives. Finally, Lt Col Speegle provides a framework for understanding by presenting Dr. Brook Petersons five dimensions of culture that can be used to classify and compare cultures: 1. Equality/ Hierarchy 2. Direct/ Indirect 3. Individual/ Group 4. Task/ Relationship and 5. Risk/Caution. Read the article for details about each of these dimensions, then take the Knowledge Check to practice placing different cultures on these scales and comparing them. Consider the following scenario and then answer the following questions: While working at the US Embassy in Beijing, China, you become friends with Li Qiang; a trusted local national hired to work in the embassy. You agreed to have dinner with him and his family, so naturally they are excited to meet you and to learn more about the United States. Unfortunately, you must change the date because of an unexpected situation popping up. You ask Li Qiang if it would be ok to move the date back a day. He reluctantly responds with I must ask my father. Let me discuss it with him and I will tell you tomorrow. The next day, Li Qiang says good morning, but seems to avoid you for most of the day. Although his awkward avoidance behavior was concerning, you opted to prioritize completing an extra heavy workload and worry about talking to Li Qiang later. 10/17/21, 10:06 PM Understanding Culture and 3C https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/20210907T164510_Lesson_1_sco2004/Lesson_1_print.html 16/30 Your tasks require an immediate decision from the Security Cooperation Officer (SCO), who is TDY for the week. You went ahead and made the decision you felt was right and … 10/17/21, 10:04 PM Understanding Culture and Your Identity https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/25105_26263/Lesson_2_print.html 1/30 Understanding Culture and Your Identity Lesson 2 Understanding Culture and Identity In the previous lesson, you explored the Air Force definition of culture as it will be used throughout this course. People tend to take their culture for granted, and are generally unaware of the many cultural influences shaping their own background. This lesson is about understanding your culture and its influence on your perception of yourself. Understanding yourself is the first step towards understanding the cultural background of others. This lesson contains several topics that we will refer to throughout the course: cultural schemas identity and roles macro- and micro-cultures Self and Other You will learn how our schemas impact the way we learn and process new information, how culture shapes our identity and the various roles we play, and you will identify the macro- and micro-cultures in which you participate. We talk about culture shock in this lesson to illustrate all of the other topics above. We also refer to the OODA Loop along the way. There are several exercises for you to practice and apply the new concepts to your own life. Becoming more aware of how you learn about culture and how you interact with your own culture is a crucial step towards improving your cross-cultural competence. 10/17/21, 10:04 PM Understanding Culture and Your Identity https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/25105_26263/Lesson_2_print.html 2/30 Lesson Objectives Its important to keep Lesson Objectives in mind as you go through the rest of this lesson. All of your exam questions - and hopefully improved life skills - are built around understanding these objectives. While reading through this lesson, keep these goals in mind: 1. Identify characteristics of culture 2. Explain what a schema is and how we use this concept in discussions about culture 3. Recognize the impact of culture on individual beliefs, identity, and roles 4. Given a cross cultural scenario (situation), identify the stage of culture shock being described Lesson Enhancement The required reading(s) appear throughout the lesson. For your convenience, they also appear at the beginning of the lesson in case you want to read ahead. Thinking Like an Anthropologist Omohundro, John T. 2006. Thinking Like an Anthropologist: A Practical Introduction to Cultural Anthropology. 1st edition. New York: McGraw-Hill. BEST way to OPEN internal links like this one is by first RIGHT CLICKING the link and SELECTING Open Link in New Window. Reading: What Is Culture? The Conceptual Question Begin this lesson by reading the following 14-page excerpt from an anthropology text by John Omohundro, Thinking Like an Anthropologist.[1] 10/17/21, 10:04 PM Understanding Culture and Your Identity https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/25105_26263/Lesson_2_print.html 3/30 In the reading, the author lists several characteristics of culture that reinforce what you learned in Lesson 1 and that you will see repeated throughout the course. Specifically he states that cultures are: integrated systems products of history changeable and can cause change strengthened by values powerful determinants of behavior largely composed of and transmitted by symbols uniquely complex and variable Omohundro further categorizes cultures as: Fluid They can change rapidly, adapt to circumstances, and even display contradicting values. He gave examples of this, one of which was conflicting views across the years on the achievement of Christopher Columbus. Constructed Peoples understandings, whether fact-based or not, can define what people in a culture consider to be reality. Omohundro illustrates this fact with an example of variations in beliefs about the American wilderness, as compared between 17th century European colonists and 19th century American citizens. Same wilderness, different realities or shared understandings. Mixed People participate in a number of subcultures, regional cultures, national and international cultures. These all combine in a particular place, at a particular time, to make up the local culture. This creates cultural overlaps and contradictions that we all encounter and learn to make sense of in our lives. As mentioned above, one of the defining characteristics of a culture is that it forms an integrated system. In the reading Thinking Like an Anthropologist, Omohundro gives the example of the Newfoundlanders residence and work patterns. However, as he also points out, cultures are integrated only imperfectly, and often contain inconsistencies. An example of this is the Newfoundland mens attitude to the dark: they survive long, cold nights on their trips in the bush, but many are in fact afraid of the dark inside their own homes. Other inconsistencies in culture can involve values. As the reading states, individuals participate in a number of subcultures, which can overlap, compete, or even contradict one another. An individual could participate in the culture of his extended family, valuing cooperation, affection, and emotional support. If that same person is a professional boxer, however, he will have to subscribe to very different values in the ring. Another example is an individual who is a parent and a member of the NRA. One may argue against allowing teachers the legal ability to carry firearms at schools for the safety and protection of our children. But this conflicts with the central value of the NRA, the right to own and carry firearms. 10/17/21, 10:04 PM Understanding Culture and Your Identity https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/25105_26263/Lesson_2_print.html 4/30 Omohundros article relates directly to your first learning objective, so try your hand at the following knowledge check questions. Cultural Schemas: How Culture Works in the Brain Omohundros article taught us that culture is fluid, constructed, and mixed.[2] But why is that? Why and how do people adapt when they come into contact with new situations, information, or those from other cultures? The response lies in the concept of cultural schemas. A schema is a mental representation of an item, activity, or a concept. Included in a schema are: • the elements and characteristics that define the concept—a prototypical version of the concept • ways the elements and characteristics are connected to the item, activity, or concept, and to each other • ways the elements and characteristics connect that concept to other concepts For example lets examine a schema for Sharing. The prototypical version or initial definition might stem from your first experience as a small child when you are forced or convinced to share a toy. This first initiation to sharing may have a negative connotation that only consists of giving up something you want. As you experience sharing again, you will eventually be on the receiving end and will now connect both a negative and a positive characteristic to sharing toys. As you grow older, the negative and positive aspect of sharing toys conceptually grows to include sharing other things such as food, living space, and the concept of turn-taking. From there, your schema continues to build to even more complex and intangible concepts such as the greater good, mutual benefit, fairness, and the idea of giving now to get later (future reciprocity) to name a few. Schemas are built from knowledge and experiences weve previously encountered, as shown in the examples above, and they guide our perceptions and behavior. Schemas, very much like culture, are fluid and constructed (built), and help us make sense of new situations and information we come across. 10/17/21, 10:04 PM Understanding Culture and Your Identity https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/25105_26263/Lesson_2_print.html 5/30 Since our knowledge and experiences are based in our cultures, schemas are inherently related to culture. We build schemas throughout our lives to include everything we know and understand about our world. Schemas help us to categorize, understand, and interpret new phenomena we encounter every day. Challenge Coins Lets try another example from your own experience, using an exercise related to challenge coins. How do you know a challenge coin when you see one? What does it look like? How is it related to other coins? What is its value? How do you use it? What challenge coins do you have and how did you get them? Cultural Log Exercise 2.1: Your Schema for Challenge Coins Here is this exercise which you can download or print and use to record your responses for future reference. Remember that schema guides our perceptions and behavior - and defines our reality. This is absolutely critical to successfully understanding yourself, and to successfully interact with, and interpret behaviors in different cultures. Schema Construction 10/17/21, 10:04 PM Understanding Culture and Your Identity https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/25105_26263/Lesson_2_print.html 6/30 When we encounter something new, our minds automatically try to make connections between a schema for a concept we know to a concept we dont know: from coins that we use for money to a round, flat, colorful object displayed prominently or carried in a pocket. A new employee who began work at the AFCLC several years ago hadnt heard about challenge coins. When she saw them on her colleagues desks, her cultural schemas brought three thoughts to mind. Military Coins these look like important objects, since they occupy an important place on my neighbors desk the images and words on them indicate a connection to the Air Force and military service they are round, flat, somewhat heavy, and fit in the hand, like 50-cent pieces or dollar coins, but larger Her schemas categorized these objects as different since they didnt fit any particular item she had already encountered in her life. However, cultural schemas were activated for the items worth, their military origin, and for other objects of similar size and shape, especially money. She used her schemas to interpret the objects meaning even before someone told her what they are. When she asked someone about the objects and heard their description, she added them to her cultural schema for coins, and created a new schema for challenge coins. This example demonstrates the ideas of fluid (adaptive) and constructed (increased understanding) as they relate to a personal and cultural schema. Thus, schemas help you understand and synthesize new information (i.e., to combine with what is already known into a brand new unified element). Since you can compare and interpret items, decisions, and actions, schemas fit into every stage of the OODA Loop. You will see how this is done later in the lesson. Can you think of a time when you learned a new concept for something at work? How did your mind process that information? What did you compare it to from your past experience? Shared Culture = Shared Schemas Our culture is reflected in our schemas, in all of the mental associations we make. Your schemas include everything your culture has taught you about a concept in addition to everything you have personally experienced related to that concept. Therefore, an exercise like the challenge coin description on the 10/17/21, 10:04 PM Understanding Culture and Your Identity https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/25105_26263/Lesson_2_print.html 7/30 previous pages helps you to identify your own cultural perceptions of a topic, which is influenced by your values and beliefs. As you learned in Lesson 1, culture is shared. That means schemas are also shared among people of the same or similar cultures. Such schemas extend not only to objects and concepts, but to institutions, like schools and hospitals, and to the roles people play in those institutions. Thus, culture and your cultural schemas help you understand what to do and what to expect in known environments. For example, when you go to a classroom in the U.S., there are two parts to your schema about the place: 1. Your shared cultural knowledge, built up over the course of your life, and 2. Your unique past experiences. In a U.S. classroom you probably expect to see places to sit, something to write on, and a person who leads the instruction. As for interacting, you have come to expect a type of education where the instructor leads the flow of discussion in the classroom, students usually have the freedom to speak their minds during the class, but students are taught to be respectful of the instructor and the other students. What happens when even one part of your cultural schemas for classroom education is challenged? This could be in the setting… in the style of instruction… 10/17/21, 10:04 PM Understanding Culture and Your Identity https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/25105_26263/Lesson_2_print.html 8/30 …or in the language or content of instruction. What was your mental reaction to the photos? How would you feel if you walked into one of these classrooms? Would you feel mostly at home or out of place? Would you know what to do first or how to act? Even if you do not know the best course of action at first, your mind is always working to build your understanding through schemas. You can assist in that process by consciously working through the stages of the OODA Loop. 10/17/21, 10:04 PM Understanding Culture and Your Identity https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/25105_26263/Lesson_2_print.html 9/30 Walking Through the OODA Loop Lets go back to the first photo and walk our thought process through the OODA loop. Now its your turn to apply OODA to this scenario. Type the correct stage of the OODA loop (Observe, Orient, Decide, or Act) to the corresponding individual thought as you consider the image above. 10/17/21, 10:04 PM Understanding Culture and Your Identity https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/25105_26263/Lesson_2_print.html 10/30 Our OODA match-up How well did you match up with ours? If it was significantly different, try to figure out why we mapped our thoughts where we did. As you can see, the provided thoughts are related to a typical American schema. The OODA loop is a series of thoughts and questions that do not necessarily form in a perfectly linear loop, but rather go forward and backwards as a situation unfolds and as more information is learned or oriented. By taking in as much relevant information as you can, using the OODA loop can help you keep your cultural schema from being the sole influence on your decision-making and on your behavior. 10/17/21, 10:04 PM Understanding Culture and Your Identity https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/25105_26263/Lesson_2_print.html 11/30 Using the OODA loop helps determine the best course of action by helping you to focus on the current environment or culture. As we consider our own shared cultural schema, we also need to understand the various conflicts that can exist within our individual schema, based on the myriad of cultures we may associate with. Macro-cultures and Micro-cultures The Omohundro reading stated that Culture is expected to be mixed.[3] We all take part in many cultures, whether they are related to… Geography: national (American), regional (Southern, Gulf Coast), or local (Bronx), etc. Ethnic heritage and/or language: Latino/Hispanic, Swedish, Chinese American, African, etc. Organizations and/or activities: Air Force, online gamers, knitters, hospital staff, etc. Generations: Baby Boomers, Generation X, Generation Y, etc. The multitude of cultures in our lives brings up several questions: • How do we know where one culture ends and another one begins? • How do we describe overlap between cultural values, beliefs, and behaviors? • What do we mean when we talk about American culture and then also mention Air Force culture? We use the terms macro-culture and micro-culture to help solve the issues raised by these questions. A macro-culture is the most powerful culture of a particular society because large numbers of people ascribe to it. We generally equate it with the culture of a country. In the U.S., American macro-culture would be described as predominantly Euro-American and Christian, since those are both the most powerful and most 10/17/21, 10:04 PM Understanding Culture and Your Identity https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/25105_26263/Lesson_2_print.html 12/30 numerous groups in our society. A macro-culture will share values and beliefs that form the overall cultural schema that guide the way the members of it think and act, without actually realizing that the culture is responsible. For example, many Americans are used to curtailing their shopping on Sundays, due to many businesses either staying closed or opening for just a few hours. This custom stems from the traditional Christian value of honoring Sunday as a day of rest. Whether you are Christian or not, this Christian value very likely impacts your cultural schema if you tend to expect less availability of shopping opportunity on Sundays. This exemplifies how a culture can affect your thinking and behavior whether you agree with its value or not. A micro-culture is also called a subculture. It is the culture of a group of people living within a society who share cultural values, beliefs, and behaviors that are different in some ways from the macro-culture or the rest of society. Most Americans share affiliations with numerous micro-cultures. As with the integrated system of culture we learned about from the Omohundro reading, the micro-cultures you belong to can fit seamlessly with your macro-culture, or they can differ or even conflict. One way to understand how your macro-culture compares to your micro-cultures is to use Petersons Five Basic Cultural Scales you learned about in Lesson 1. In Lesson 1, you practiced rating different countries on the scale according to the five dimensions of culture identified by his model. Now try comparing the American macro- culture to some of the micro-cultures you belong to according to these five basic dimensions. 1. Choose one of your personal macro or micro-cultures, then assign it to each of Petersons five basic dimensions. 2. Next, thinking back to Lesson 1, how similar is your chosen micro-culture to the American macro-culture? 10/17/21, 10:04 PM Understanding Culture and Your Identity https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/25105_26263/Lesson_2_print.html 13/30 Military members as a micro-culture have a shared schema about military life, customs, traditions, protocol, etc. that is most certainly different from the general macro-culture of America. That shared schema guides us as to what to expect as far as what is right or normal. That doesnt, however, preclude one from pushing the envelope and doing things outside of what is normal! Macro and micro cultures (Continued) More often than not, non-specialists tend to equate a culture with a country (American culture, Iraqi culture, Italian culture) or with ethnic groups—Hispanic culture. However, we often forget that there is as much diversity in other countries as we have in our own. For this reason, we use macro-culture and micro-culture to distinguish between broader and more specific cultural groups. We can talk about a culture, office culture, Chinese culture, etc., with the knowledge that these are macro- or micro-cultures in the wider societal context. We use the terms macro and micro to describe the larger or smaller culture in a context. As mentioned earlier, in the context of United States culture, the military culture would be a micro-culture. But if the context is military culture versus Air Force culture, then military culture would be the macro-culture, and Air Force would be a micro-culture of the military culture. Here are some more examples. MACRO CULTURE MICRO CULTURE United States U.S. Air Force U.S. Air Force Aircraft maintenance career field Aircraft maintenance career field Backshop/flightline/air/ground In the example above you can see how your similarities and shared values start to become more or less aligned with the culture as it gets more specific. It follows naturally, then, that all of these overlapping and mixed cultural influences have a 10/17/21, 10:04 PM Understanding Culture and Your Identity https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/25105_26263/Lesson_2_print.html 14/30 large impact on your identity and various roles you may play. Before we go on to explore identity and roles, lets answer one more question about culture: Identity Consider these four individuals. 1 black female married unemployed mother of two children 2 white female single unemployed 3 black female single works full-time 10/17/21, 10:04 PM Understanding Culture and Your Identity https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/25105_26263/Lesson_2_print.html 15/30 4 white female divorced works part-time mother of two children As you see by the descriptions, the females all have mixed micro-cultural influences. For example, they are influenced by life experience of being female, being a parent, being employed, and being married. They also all have overlapping circumstances with one or more of the other females. Who has more in common? When you consider the various experience factors adding to these influences above; such as age, education, financial or economic status, etc., it is easy to see how schema can both overlap and contradict the need to accommodate or adapt. Now, think about yourself and which macro- and micro-cultures you belong to. What values are shared or conflict? How do you accommodate conflicting values or beliefs? Consider how this impacts your cultural schema and helps to create your individual identity and cultural identity. Cultural Log Exercise 2.2 - Who Are You? Here is this exercise which you can download or print and use to record your responses for future reference. The ultimate value of understanding your cultural identity is to realize that it affects what, and how, you automatically observe, orient, and act - its like a default setting. Your identity is also related to your beliefs and values, and the roles you play in your cultural groups and in society. Well look at roles next. Roles 10/17/21, 10:04 PM Understanding Culture and Your Identity https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/25105_26263/Lesson_2_print.html 16/30 You play different roles in society, according to your regular interactions with various groups of people or institutions. There are two factors that influence the roles you play: the situation and the people around you. Nearly everyone in the world shares one kind of role: that of a family member, a parent, child, sister or brother, etc. that is primarily static and unchanging. Other more dynamic, transitional, or temporary roles from your daily life might be a customer, student, NCO, or knowledge operations manager. Your behavior changes in each role you play because different activities and attitudes are expected of you. Do you speak to your children like you speak to your co- workers? Probably not! Which parts of your identity influence the way you introduce yourself to a new person at work? What if your boss or spouse is watching? How do you introduce yourself to someone you meet at a bar versus at work? To a customer versus someone providing service to you? Your roles in these situations and the people you are with make a difference. Understanding these parts of your identity is important because it helps you see not only how versatile your roles are, but also how culture influences the way you enact your roles. Take, for example, parenting roles in different cultures. Being a mother carries some similar activities world-wide, but also many differences. In India, mothers see it as their responsibility to find suitable marriage partners for their children. In the U.S., most mothers expect their children to choose their own partners. In Sri Lanka, a mother would never scold a child in public, in essence shaming him and scarring him for life; whereas many American mothers wont think twice about correcting their child in public in order to ensure an immediate behavior improvement. Even within the U.S. there is variation in the ways people enact their parenting roles. Some American parents believe the best education their children can get is that which the parents themselves provide in the form of home-schooling. Other parents are only too happy to hand off their kids to a series of veritable strangers over 12 years of successive classrooms, entrusting those people to lead the children to an acceptable level of civic and educational proficiency. These two parenting groups make up different micro-cultures within the U.S. REVIEW THE LAST TWO TOPICS 10/17/21, 10:04 PM Understanding Culture and Your Identity https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/25105_26263/Lesson_2_print.html 17/30 Your identity includes a fairly stable set of characteristics, roles, and behaviors that you value or that you simply cannot change. Roles are sets of behaviors and beliefs based on a setting and the people in the setting. They are often only situational, as in being a customer at the grocery store. While in the store, you are in the role of customer, but you certainly dont count it as part of your identity. Roles may or may not be part of your identity. Using the grocery store example, a manager at the grocery store may play the role of the manager and consider that responsibility and role as a part of her identity. Role, Identity, and Culture Think back to your cultural log exercise 2-2 on slide 12 in Lesson 2 and all the different micro- and macro- cultures you belong to. Within each culture, your behaviors and attitudes are guided by the underlying beliefs and values that unite the members of this culture. Each of these cultures is a part of your identity, some more influential than others. Finally, within each of these cultures, you play different roles depending on the situation. For example, David is an Airman who retired to Denver, Colorado to be near his grandchildren, who live with his daughter, a single mother. He likes the city and has made friends with several other retired men in the neighborhood. They meet weekly to play poker, each week at another persons house. David spends a lot of time taking care of his grandchildren, picking them up from school every day and watching them in the afternoon while his daughter is at work. Being a grandfather is a large part of his identity: accordingly, he is part of a culture of parenting. The values that define this culture place a high priority on the well-being and proper education of children. His identity as a grandparent is expressed through his kindness and compassion with his grandchildren, and also his firmness when teaching them good manners and ensuring that they do the chores they need to do around the house. These values influence David in his behavior with the children: he tries to be patient, calm, and organized. David plays various roles when watching his grandchildren: protector, teacher, chef, and too often, he feels, a maid! He expresses these roles by keeping an eye on the kids when they are outside, helping them with their homework, preparing an afternoon snack, and, unfortunately, cleaning up after them when they leave. 10/17/21, 10:04 PM Understanding Culture and Your Identity https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/25105_26263/Lesson_2_print.html 18/30 After a week of watching his three grandchildren, he looks forward to meeting up with his friends to play poker. The values that define this culture are very different. David and his friends value the camaraderie that they all feel when they are together, but everyone there is also out to win the game. Each player is competitive, and tries to outsmart the others through clever bluffing. Davids identity as an accomplished poker player is expressed though a playful, but slightly aggressive attitude, often mysterious and secretive. David plays various roles in these weekly meetings: competitor, friend, occasionally host and chef, and, unfortunately, at times again a maid! He expresses these roles through his attentiveness to the game and skill at bluffing, friendly teasing and joking, preparing the poker table, and buying beer and making snacks for everyone when it is his turn to host. And of course, cleaning up the mess when everyone goes home. When in Rome... Just as you have certain role expectations imposed upon you in your home country, you will need to assume the roles expected of you when you are interacting with people from other cultures. These expectations may differ exceedingly from those you grew up with, and can degrade mission accomplishment if you do not fully understand them. The good news here is that you have already shown yourself to be very culturally adaptable because you can navigate through the day acting appropriately within a role and transitioning between roles as needed. This indicates your … 10/17/21, 10:07 PM Understanding Others https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/20210920T172155_Lesson_3_sco2004/Lesson_3_print.html 1/39 Understanding Others Lesson 3 SITUATIONAL JUDGMENT TEST Read the SJT below and keep it in mind as you go through this lesson. When the lesson is complete, you will get a chance to respond to the questions and check your comprehension before taking the quiz. The SJT is a cumulative exercise that incorporates all lessons so far, so the response choices may also reference previous lessons. Dierdre is an American worker in a developing country; she is also an avid animal lover and supporter of animal rights. Shortly after her arrival in country, Adan, a local co-worker, takes her out to see the sights. Toward the middle of the day, he steers her to a small arena filled to the brim with people around a sandpit. When roosters are thrown into the middle of the arena and begin tearing at each other, Dierdre realizes this is a cock-fight. Horrified, she quickly retreats to the street. Adan follows her, asking what is wrong. Dierdre accuses Adan and his culture of being uncivilized savages, then storms off to go home. Afterward, their work relationship becomes severely strained. Questions 1 What is the root of the different reactions displayed by Dierdre and Adan regarding cock-fighting? 2 Whereas Adan considers this a sporting event, Dierdre considers it animal abuse. What explainsthe difference in how they categorize the same experience? 3 By calling Adan an uncivilized savage, Dierdre assigned to him an unflattering characteristic basedon her limited perception of one situation. What specific cultural barrier does this illustrate? 4 How did Dierdres cultural schema interfere with her objectivity? 5 What strategies might be the best way to try and recover the relationship? 10/17/21, 10:07 PM Understanding Others https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/20210920T172155_Lesson_3_sco2004/Lesson_3_print.html 2/39 Introduction In lesson 2 you read a short scenario about an Airman who was helping to improve a rural South American community and who saw himself as a Rescuer. The locals, however, had entirely different views of him! As humans, we all form opinions and make judgments about other people based on their actions and behaviors and our own pre- existing, personally held ideas or stereotypes. Far too many times, especially in unfamiliar environments, our judgment tends to be too simplistic or wildly inaccurate because it is based on our limited personal or cultural schemas. Our schemas are essential to successfully navigate our own culture, but can stand in the way of understanding or objectively learning about other cultures. This can make cross-cultural interactions humorous, exasperating, confusing, or even deadly. In this lesson, we help you focus on strategies to effectively interact with others who are very different from you, in part by recognizing and overcoming the natural tendency to judge based on your own cultural schema. We will go into more detail about what happens when different cultural schemas come into contact and most importantly, build your awareness of the impact that our individual cultures have on how we think, observe, and process information. We will talk about what could go wrong in interactions and how to look out for behaviors that can undermine your success. Finally, we will delve again into the OODA Loop, improving your skills of observation and orientation to new situations, by breaking down some interactions step by step. 10/17/21, 10:07 PM Understanding Others https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/20210920T172155_Lesson_3_sco2004/Lesson_3_print.html 3/39 All of this will give you a much stronger chance of effectively interacting with others, successfully accomplishing whatever mission or task is at hand, and ensuring positive, lasting results. Lesson Objectives Its important to keep Lesson Objectives in mind as you go through the rest of this lesson. All of your exam questions - and improved life skills - are built around understanding these objectives: 1. Explain how cultural schemas filter information and may interfere with objective observation. 2. Define and recognize ethnocentrism, attribution, and attribution error. 3. Identify concepts and strategies that help to overcome ethnocentrism and understand cultural Others. 4. Describe the mental processes that take place during the Observe and Orient phases of the Cultural OODA Loop (these are describe, categorize, compare, question, interpret). 5. Identify appropriate actions or sources of misunderstanding in a sample cross-cultural situation. Understanding Others Improves Cross-Cultural Competence Lesson 1 talked about the different definitions people have of culture and the way we use the term in this course. We also discussed the iceberg model of culture and how it represents the more visible and less visible elements of culture. You might ask, however, How does just knowing the definition or seeing a model help me learn about other cultures or improve my cross-cultural competence? Well, now you have a place to start. The key is to remind yourself to look below the surface. You are aware that common definitions of culture include above the water activities and artifacts like food, dancing, folk arts, music, performance, and celebrating traditions. They are more visible, and are things people are usually proud to show off, so they provide you with an entry into learning about that culture. 10/17/21, 10:07 PM Understanding Others https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/20210920T172155_Lesson_3_sco2004/Lesson_3_print.html 4/39 Since you know people usually like to show you parts of their culture that are above the surface, you can use those opportunities to deepen your cultural knowledge in areas that are usually below the water. Such knowledge would include why people act or communicate a certain way, and how their beliefs and values are transmitted through the activities you can observe. HERE is an example of how African Partnership Flight (APF) Rwanda 2019 entailed a series of multi- disciplinary courses and workshops which focused on various aspects of aviation safety. It also included a number of cultural exchanges and engagements which promoted goodwill through mutual interests. It took place in Kigali, Rwanda from 4-8 March, 2019 and was co-hosted by the U.S. Air Force and the Rwanda Defence Force. Understanding others means learning how to build relationships, how to manage conflict, and how to communicate effectively in another cultural context. Our cultural schemas both help and hinder this process! How Cultural Schemas Filter Information You should remember from lessons 1 and 2 that your cultural schemas help you categorize and understand phenomena you encounter every day. They also help you decide how to act in particular situations. Schemas help you when you encounter both familiar and unfamiliar phenomena. The examples we discussed in lesson 2 - the challenge coins and the concept of sharing - illustrated how your brain builds your schema in a familiar environment. 10/17/21, 10:07 PM Understanding Others https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/20210920T172155_Lesson_3_sco2004/Lesson_3_print.html 5/39 It builds from the known such as what a coin is, by bridging to the unknown such as a colorful version of a coin specific to a military meaning. Take a look at the image below. Who is this person? What can you assume from her outfit? What can you assume from where she is and what she is doing? If this image offers you information that is new to you, such as the existence of a female lifeguard wearing what looks like Muslim clothing (as opposed to smaller swimsuits), then that bit of information was not in your schema before. It surprises or shocks you. In terms of the Cultural OODA Loop, you have Observed a phenomenon, but now must successfully Orient it. We often interpret things that surprise us or dont make sense to us as not normal, or undesirable or not making sense. In most cases, they simply arent yet part of our cultural schemas, but they are part of other peoples schemas. The people on the beach in Australia in the photo above have probably already seen a Muslim woman in a full-body lifeguard uniform. Muslim women lifeguards in special uniforms are already part of their schemas. The following text explains a bit more about these groundbreaking women: Its not just Germany thats getting creative in trying to integrate its Muslim population. The Australian state of New South Wales has launched a training initiative called On the Same Wave designed to integrate Australians of different ethnic backgrounds into its iconic Surf Live Saving program. Seventeen young Muslim men and women have graduated, after a rigorous, eight-week training course, to become Australias first Muslim lifeguards. Women were encouraged to participate, and could wear the Islamic Council of Australia-approved burqini, a full-body swimsuit that covers the hair. The suit was designed by a local fashion entrepreneur, Aheda Zanetti, and over 9,000 have been sold. Her label, Ahiida, offers dynamic swimwear and sportswear for todays Muslim female. Its heartening to think that Cronulla beach (south of central Sydney), the site of Australias deeply disturbing race riots in December 2005, will be host to the first successful contingent of Australian Muslim lifesavers. [1] 10/17/21, 10:07 PM Understanding Others https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/20210920T172155_Lesson_3_sco2004/Lesson_3_print.html 6/39 Next well talk about what happens when your schema overlaps with others schemas. How Cultural Schemas Filter Information (continued) Schema Overlap: In lesson 2 we talked about shared schemas equating with a shared culture. Another way to think of shared schemas is as overlapping schemas. Even though not everyones schemas are exactly alike, most Americans share particular parts of the broader American macro-culture with a majority of people in our society. These shared elements give us the impression of sharing a common culture. We understand the woman in the first photo below is a lifeguard because of the colors she is wearing and the words on her uniform and surfboard, as well as the setting on the beach. Those parts of the scene that are familiar to most Americans overlap with the schemas of the people on the beach for whom a Muslim female lifeguard in a special uniform is not new. If you felt a bit of culture shock from the first photo, that was the part of your schema that didnt yet overlap with Australians versions of lifeguards on a beach. The good news is that there was still some overlap! What sort of impression do you think cultural Others form of Americans/American lifeguards when they see an image such as the one on the right above? Remember that they will interpret clothing and behavior from their cultural perspective, not from ours. 10/17/21, 10:07 PM Understanding Others https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/20210920T172155_Lesson_3_sco2004/Lesson_3_print.html 7/39 Cultural schema differences can be cultural speed bumps; they slow us down, but they dont prevent us from proceeding. If you Stop at the known or familiar limits of your schema, you will limit your effectiveness in interacting with others. In this simple example, that didnt happen! You were able to continue interpreting the photo even though you were slowed down by the image of something new. You would certainly be able to interact appropriately on that beach based on the original overlapping parts of your schemas, along with the new overlap created by the mental bridge you just made to a new image of lifeguard. Now apply this to a work situation or an unfamiliar cultural interaction. When encountering a conflict or obstruction that makes you feel frustrated, try to step back from your emotions and think in terms of building your schema. Then you can continue to gather information, orient to the situation, and build relationships that will help you understand others. How Cultural Schemas Filter Information (continued) Categorization: The idea of overlapping schemas also dovetails nicely with the idea of Cultural Domains and helps understand another way our schemas filter information which is by categorization. Whereas schema is your mental mechanism for comparing and categorizing, Cultural Domains are one tool you might use to begin your comparing and categorizing of something you are seeing. For instance, lifeguards on a beach might fall under the overarching domain of Sustenance & Health (protection of life). You were familiar with the idea of a person on the beach whose job it is to watch swimmers and prevent or overcome emergencies. 10/17/21, 10:07 PM Understanding Others https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/20210920T172155_Lesson_3_sco2004/Lesson_3_print.html 8/39 That familiarity of the concept of lifeguards you used to interpret what you saw represented the presence of shared or overlapping schemas. Lesson 1 showed the example of a religious school. All children need to be educated to be good members of their society, and that universal need to educate children provides an initial schema overlap - in other words, a similarity to your own culture. That particular overlap falls into the cultural domain of Learning & Knowledge. From there, we expand our understanding of others by looking at why this particular domain is expressed in the way it is in relationship with other domains, such as History, Resources, etc. For example, in an area without much technological development or infrastructure, where peoples livelihood depends on crops and livestock, a high emphasis on advanced mathematics in school may seem counterintuitive and unnecessary. In a culture such as the United States, with advanced technological infrastructure and livelihoods that depend more and more on specific technological knowledge, emphasis on advanced math in school is understandable and highly desirable. Therefore, if you observe a classroom where students are learning ways to gather, conserve, and use local water sources, you might be tempted to make a comment such as These people might go further in life if they spent some time on simple math. That would be a failure to correctly categorize local environmental realities and priorities for daily living in that environment, and would be based on your personal schema. 10/17/21, 10:07 PM Understanding Others https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/20210920T172155_Lesson_3_sco2004/Lesson_3_print.html 9/39 Challenge Coin Scenario Click on the image to begin! Note--the following activity may not work in all web browsers. If you see nothing after clicking, then try another browser. 1 What role did schema play in the conflict between Susan and her Aunt? 2 What could Susan have done differently to prevent the conflict? 3 What could Susans Aunt have done differently to prevent the conflict? 4 What would you do in this situation? In summary, youve learned your cultural schema filters information in different ways from known to unknown or from recognizable to unrecognizable (sometimes resulting in a failure to 10/17/21, 10:07 PM Understanding Others https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/20210920T172155_Lesson_3_sco2004/Lesson_3_print.html 10/39 see) via Self versus Other comparisons that may extend into good versus bad, normal versus unusual, etc. through overlapping schemas with others in your culture. That same schema overlap is a good starting point for relating to cultural Others. However, schema overlap can also cause misunderstandings, conflicts, and incorrect categorizations if you assume too much commonality with others. via Categorization You can also see how the Cultural Domains can be used as a starting point for making those comparisons. All of these concepts relate closely to, or are part of, another way your cultural schema manifests itself and filters everything you see, do, and think. It is called Ethnocentrism. Cultural Barriers While cultural schema are cognitive structures that are universal to individuals in all cultures and an essential way humans navigate everyday life, they can be the source of problems, confusion, and even conflict when you apply your own cultural schemas to another culture. Our schema can in fact create Cultural Barriers that prevent or impede you from understanding and participating in another culture, which, ultimately, can interfere with mission success. Common cultural barriers include: 1. Failure to see 2. Self versus Other. 3. Ethnocentrism 4. Stereotyping 5. Attribution Error Failure to See: An example of failure to see is what you learned in lesson 1. Remember the Army soldiers and the little yellow boxes? 10/17/21, 10:07 PM Understanding Others https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/20210920T172155_Lesson_3_sco2004/Lesson_3_print.html 11/39 Because the yellow boxes were so foreign to the Americans cultural schema, they managed to dismiss them from their thoughts entirely. One way our cultural schemas may filter information is by a total failure to see. Self versus Other: Another way your cultural schema filters information is by thinking in terms of Self and Other, which can also extend into ideas such as normal versus unusual, good versus bad, attractive versus ugly, etc. How many times have you heard about a behavior in a different culture and thought, Wow, thats not normal, or Ew, how can they do that? We all do this, but we can learn to consciously notice our tendency to think in terms of Self and Others. Doing so will help us look at other cultures with more understanding and less judgment. Ethnocentrism Have you ever heard the term, Arrogant American? Do you really think Americans are all arrogant? Probably most people you know are not, but you can be almost certain they are ethnocentric! Thats because all humans are ethnocentric, and without meaning any harm, we simply think our way is best. This is another way your cultural schema manifests itself and filters everything you see, do, and think. Although it may seem like an easy thing to identify and overcome in yourself, ethnocentrism is reflexive, natural, and unconsciously exerted. It is very likely the usual source of the perception of Arrogant American, and is a huge barrier to individual cross cultural competence. Ethnocentrism is the tendency to view your own culture as superior to all others, and to think of peoples behaviors and beliefs in your own culture as natural. Other cultures and people seem to be less important in comparison, or uneducated, unnatural, or illogical in their behaviors and beliefs. When we observe other people and try to orient ourselves to a new environment, we often categorize other peoples behaviors and beliefs as good or bad. This categorization often depends on how closely the other people seem to compare to our own cultural values and practices. Ethnocentric thoughts are usually rooted in or focused on comparison to what we think is normal or best. 10/17/21, 10:07 PM Understanding Others https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/20210920T172155_Lesson_3_sco2004/Lesson_3_print.html 12/39 Here are examples of ethnocentric thoughts After we show them our air medical transport, theyll finally understand why they need one. If they put ice in their sodas, they would be more modern like us. They need to teach math in that school if they ever want to catch up in the world. Look at that idiot just digging a trench alongside the street! Those poor women are so subjugated by being forced to wear those veils. Ethnocentrism is a tendency that all people have. You cannot stop your initial reactions to any new experience or different culture, but you can recognize ethnocentrism and minimize its effects. Recognizing ethnocentrism when it happens to you will help you avoid the mistake of assuming everyone thinks like an American and shares the same values. We can more accurately calibrate our opinions and judgments about other cultures through careful observation, orientation, and reflection. Later in this lesson, you will do just that. Ethnocentrism in Action : Stereotyping and Attribution Error Ethnocentrism is a natural extension of the Self versus Other way we categorize people in our world. As you learned in lesson 2, your concepts of self and other can be a source of pride (as with a sports team, or your nationality), but they can also lead to stereotyping (to assume that all people or things that share a certain characteristic are the same in all other ways). Frequently in U.S. society, we hear negative stereotypes based on peoples ethnicity/heritage, body size, hair color, skin color, socio-economic status, etc. The connotations generally associate these characteristics with negative attributes such laziness, stupidity, or greed, to name a few. Stereotyping within your own familiar culture is bad enough and can cause hurt feelings and lost opportunities. Stereotyping in a foreign culture can have the same impact and more. It will interfere with your ability to objectively observe and effectively orient; in addition to your overall cross- cultural competence. 10/17/21, 10:07 PM Understanding Others https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/20210920T172155_Lesson_3_sco2004/Lesson_3_print.html 13/39 Cultural Log exercise 3.1 — Stereotypes Click on the video below. It brings up issues of stereotypes about Asians and Asian-Americans. The video shows that stereotypes can range from very subtle to very obvious. Next, complete the following worksheet which you can download or print and use to record your responses for future reference. To reveal our picks, scroll down. After asking an Asian what stereotypes about Asians bother them the most, have them suggest their least favorite stereotypes before you talk about the ones you saw. How close were you in your continuum? One way to overcome stereotyping others is to build awareness through Observation and Orientation skills. Another way is to reflect on what you have said and done in any cross-cultural situation, and identify any tendencies toward stereotyping. Attribution Attribution is similar to stereotyping but more judgmental and based more on your personal reasoning or perceptions. Attribution means simply 10/17/21, 10:07 PM Understanding Others https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/20210920T172155_Lesson_3_sco2004/Lesson_3_print.html 14/39 assigning a characteristic or a motive to a person or people based on your interpretation of something they say or do. For instance, you might be driving down a busy road, and observe someone driving too slowly and blocking traffic. You think Stop texting and drive, you jerk! You are attributing rudeness or stupidity as the reason the person is driving too slowly. When you finally get the opportunity to go around the driver, you see that it is a little old lady who can barely see over the wheel. You may be just as annoyed, but you realize there is an entirely different reason she is driving so slowly. Your original attribution was incorrect. This is called Attribution Error--a very common cause of intercultural and interpersonal misunderstandings! Consider arguments youve had with a significant other. How many were based on the wrong idea about something they or you said or did! Attribution errors may occur from relying on your own cultural perspective or your own opinion, to include popular stereotypes, rather than on a process of observation and orientation to the culture or circumstances you are in. Whereas attribution may assign a characteristic to a person or group, stereotypes are usually based on characteristics, such as appearance or nationality. However, Stereotypes become a kind of attribution when we take popular beliefs (not necessarily true) about a group of people and use them as if they were true. Stereotypes are based on a simplified view of the target group, and are usually negative or hurtful. The map below is a good example. It is intended to be humorous, but the people in those countries might not think the stereotypes used are very funny. 10/17/21, 10:07 PM Understanding Others https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/20210920T172155_Lesson_3_sco2004/Lesson_3_print.html 15/39 Attribution Error Lets take a look at some actual examples of Attribution Error made by American military personnel. All of these statements assign characteristics to a whole group of people based on limited interactions with a few people, and without considering differences in cultural perspectives. After reading the statement, rollover the associated image for cultural perspectives. Roll your cursor over the bottom of the images below and you should see an explanation pop up. Afghans are lazy. They dont want to do anything for themselves. 10/17/21, 10:07 PM Understanding Others https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/20210920T172155_Lesson_3_sco2004/Lesson_3_print.html 16/39 Africans always lie and I cant believe anything they say. You know theyre all gay because the guys dance with guys, and the girls dance with girls! If the rollover feature does not work scroll down below. All of the various cultural values and practices listed in these examples will be covered in depth in future lessons. As we move forward in this lesson we will consider some strategies for overcoming ethnocentrism, along with our tendencies to attribute and stereotype. But first, lets check what weve learned so far. Knowledge Check 10/17/21, 10:07 PM Understanding Others https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/20210920T172155_Lesson_3_sco2004/Lesson_3_print.html 17/39 Now lets reflect on what weve covered so far and how it applies to our opening SJT. Dierdre is an American worker in a developing country; she is also an avid animal lover and supporter of animal rights. Shortly after her arrival in country, Adan, a local co-worker, takes her out to see the sights. Toward the middle of the day, he steers her to a small arena filled to the brim with people around a sandpit. When roosters are thrown into the middle of the arena and begin tearing at each other, Dierdre realizes this is a cock-fight. Horrified, she quickly retreats to the street. Adan follows her, asking what is wrong. Dierdre accuses Adan and his culture of being uncivilized savages, then storms off to go home. Afterward, their work relationship becomes severely strained. Overcoming Cultural Barriers You cannot prevent ethnocentric reactions from occurring. However, you can recognize them for what they are, and then mitigate them by using tools youve learned (e.g., OODA Loop, cultural domains, and Iceberg model), along with the methods well talk about next. These following methods will directly improve your Observing, Orienting, Decisions and Actions in unfamiliar cultures. 10/17/21, 10:07 PM Understanding Others https://rustici.au.af.edu/courses/26263/20210920T172155_Lesson_3_sco2004/Lesson_3_print.html 18/39 Strategies to counter cultural barriers Suspend Emotion Avoid Stereotyping and Attribution Perspective Taking Withhold Judgment Ask Questions / Seek Alternative Explanations Reflect on experiences and outcomes Suspend Emotion Suspending emotion can be difficult, but becoming angry or upset interferes with your objectivity. Sometimes you cannot avoid being shocked or surprised. You know yourself best - do your best to remain alert. When you feel your emotions rising, grab hold and keep control! Avoid Stereotyping and Attribution Even if it presents a positive picture of something, stereotyping could block out closer consideration or relevant factors in a situation. A quick attribution without consideration of the local environment, culture, or background of the person you are attributing to, may also preclude closer consideration of relevant factors and could hinder your use of the remaining strategies. Both of these practices are based on personal or cultural schema and involve very little, if any, thought. Avoid these quick and thoughtless practices by carefully keeping your mind on what you observe (see, hear, feel) and not thinking about whether it is good or bad. Overcoming Cultural Barriers (continued) Perspective Taking This is probably the one skill that will most lead to improved interpretations and better understandings of people you are dealing with. Being able to walk a mile in anothers shoes is a recommendation most of us have heard since childhood: try to put yourself in another persons situation and ask yourself what you would do. Taking others perspectives in cross-cultural situations requires being observant and open to new information, and being aware of our own cultures influences on …