Chapter 2

Cultural Patterns

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

Cultural Patterns

No object is mysterious. The mystery is in your eye.

Elizabeth Bowen
Human beings draw close to one another by their common nature,
but habits and customs keep them apart.
Confucius
There never were, in the world, two opinions alike, no more than
two hairs, or two grains; the most universal quality is diversity.
Montaigne

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

Learning Objectives
identify the distinctions between high and
low context cultures
identify Kluckhohn and Strodtbecks
value orientations
identify Hofstedes cultural dimensions
understand the implications of cultural
values for international communication

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

Case 1 Wood and Food

Why did the farmer do that?

What values are reflected in this story?

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

Cultural Patterns
A

An Introduction to Cultural Patterns

Components of Cultural Patterns

Halls High-Context and Low-Context Dimensions

Hofstedes Value Dimension

Kluckhohn and Strodtbecks Value Orientation

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

While-Class Learning: Text A

An Introduction to Cultural Patterns
Members of a culture generally have a
preferred set of responses to the world.
People from other cultures differ in both
obvious and subtle ways.

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

While-Class Learning: Text A

An Introduction to Cultural Patterns
1. obvious: food

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

While-Class Learning: Text A

An Introduction to Cultural Patterns
1. obvious differences:
clothing

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

While-Class Learning: Text A

An Introduction to Cultural Patterns
2. subtle, less visible differences:
cultures collective assumptions: what the world is
shared judgments: what it should be
widely held expectations: how people should behave
predictable behavior patterns

Cultural Patterns:
beliefs, values, norms, and social practices
Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

Case 2 Enquiry
Kim: an immigrant
Judy: an American neighbor
Why did Judy feel that was something
strange about the conversation?

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

While-Class Learning: Text B

Components of Cultural Patterns
1. Beliefs
2. Values
3. Norms
4. Social Practices

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

B.1 Beliefs

Ideas people assume to be true about the

world

1) a set of learned interpretations: basis to decide

what is and what is not logical and correct
2) difficult to discuss: people are usually not
conscious of them
3) much of what you consider to be reality may, in
fact, not be reality to people from other cultures

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

B.1 Beliefs
Different cultures, different realities and
beliefs
Christian: Christianity
Islamist: Islam
Buddhist: Buddhism
Jew: Judaism
Hindu: Hinduism

Shintoist: Shinto 1945

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

B.1 Beliefs
Different cultures, different realities and beliefs

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

B.2 Values
involve what a culture regards as good or
bad, right or wrong, fair or unfair, just or
unjust, beautiful or ugly, clean or dirty,
valuable or worthless, appropriate or
inappropriate, and kind or cruel.
transmitted by a variety of sources
family, proverbs, school, church, state

provide the foundation that underlies a

peoples entire way of life
broad based, enduring, relatively stable
Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

B.2 Values
Different expression of emotion
Americans
express feelings outwardly;
taught not to be timid
about letting people know
they are upset

Chinese
not to openly express their
own personal emotions,
especially strong negative
ones

The squeaky wheel gets the

grease.

A harsh word dropped from

the tongue cannot be
brought back by a coach and
six horses.
Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

B.3 Norms
Socially shared expressions of appropriate
behaviors
Vary within a culture
Change over a period of time
A wide variety of behaviors: greetings, good
manners, interactions

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

B.4 Social practices

Predictable behavior patterns that members
of a culture typically follow
Outward manifestations of beliefs, values,
and norms
Country
The United States
Italy

Lunch

Gifts

Malaysia
China
Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

B.4 Social practices

Two types: informal, formal
Informal Everyday Eating, sleeping, dressing, working,
tasks
playing, and talking to others
Formal

Social
practice

Rituals, ceremonies, and structured

routines

all members of a culture do not necessarily

follow that cultures typical social practices

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

Case 3 DVD Player

Ellen: a graduate student
Alice: an American classmate and
friend
Why do you think Alice refused to loan
her DVD player to Ellen?

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

While-Class Learning: Text C

Halls High-Context and Low-Context Dimensions

context: setting or environment

meanings: not come from the verbal language
alone, also implied from the context
context determines:
1) the words and actions we generate;
2) the meanings we give to the words and actions
of other people
continuum: cultures differ ranging from high to
low context
Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

While-Class Learning: Text C

High-context cultures
prefer to use high-context messages
most of the meaning is either implied by the
physical setting or presumed to be part of the
individuals internalized beliefs, values, norms, and
social practices;
very little is provided in the coded, explicit,
transmitted part of the message
Low-context cultures
prefer to use low-context messages
the majority of the information is vested in the
explicit code
Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

High-context and Low-context

Meaning: implied by setting or in explicit
code

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

Asian

Mode of Communication
Indirect, implicit

Western Direct, explicit

Misunderstandings:
Japanese
Americans

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

Case 4 Wrong Signal?

Ning Tong: a Chinese student
Tom: an American student
What is the problem shown in this case?
Why did Ning Tong keep silent? What
information do you think he wanted to convey?
What is Toms interpretation of Ning Tongs
silence?

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

While-Class Learning: Text D

We do wish to allow the humbled man

an equal chance to get rich with everyone
else. When one starts poor, as most do in
the race of life, free society is such that he
knows he can better his condition; he
knows that there is no fixed condition of
labor for his whole life.

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

While-Class Learning: Text D

Hofstedes Value Dimensions
1. Individualism versus Collectivism
2. Uncertainty Avoidance
3. Power Distance
4. Masculinity versus Femininity
5. Long-term versus Short-term Time Orientation

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

D.1 Individualism versus Collectivism

Individualism

Collectivism

take care of themselves,

immediate families

loyalty to group, group take

care of individual members

autonomy

obligations to group

independence, privacy, self

dependence, belonging

decisions based on individual

decisions based on group

competition

cooperation

personal goals

group goals

right to private property,

thoughts, opinions

indirect, saving face, concern

for others

individual initiative, achievement

harmony

I consciousness

We consciousness
Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

D.2 Uncertainty Avoidance

High Uncertainty Avoidance

Low Uncertainty Avoidance

avoid uncertainty, ambiguity

accept uncertainty, tolerate

unusual

provide stability for members

prize initiative

establish more formal rules

dislike structure associated with

hierarchy, few rules

seek consensus

take risks, more flexible

higher level of anxiety, stress

less tense, more relaxed

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

D.3 High versus Low Power Distance

High Power Distance

Low Power Distance

Power and authority: part of society

Power: close to people

People: not equal, rightful place

People: same kind

Social hierarchy: prevalent

Inequality: minimized

Actions of authorities: not be

challenged, questioned

People in power: interact with

constituents, less powerful

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

D.4 Masculinity versus Femininity

Masculinity

Femininity

Dominant values in society are

material success and progress

Dominant values in society are

caring for others and preservation

Money and things are important

People and warm relationships are

important

Men are supposed to be assertive,

ambitious, and tough

Everybody is supposed to be
modest

Women are supposed to be tender

and to take care of relationships

Both men and women are allowed

to be tender and to be concerned
with relationships

Sympathy for the strong

Sympathy for the weak

Big and fast are beautiful

Small and slow are beautiful

Sex and violence in newspapers and

on TV

Sex and violence in the media are

taboo

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

D.5 Long-Term versus Short-term Time Orientation

Long-Term

Short-Term

Admire persistence, thriftiness,

humility, sense of shame

Deep appreciation for tradition,

personal steadiness and stability

Status differences

Maintain face of self and others

Linguistic and social distinctions

Balance or reciprocity when

greeting others

Strong work ethic, great respect to

employers

Not place high priority on status

Value social order

Try to postpone old age

long-range goals

Short-term results, seek immediate

gratification of needs

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

While-Class Learning: Text E

Clyde Kluckhohn (1905-1960)
American anthropologist
known for his field work among the Navaho
Indians, his contributions to the theory of culture

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

While-Class Learning: Text E

Kluckhohn and Strodtbecks Value Orientation
Orientation

Values and Behavior

Human
Nature

Basically evil

Mixture of good and Basically good

evil

Humankind
and Nature

People
subjugated to
nature

People in harmony
with nature

People the
master of nature

Sense of Time Past oriented

Present oriented

Future oriented

Activity

Being

Being in becoming

Doing

Social
Relationship

Authoritarian

Group oriented

Individualism

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

E.1 Human Nature Orientation

a. Evil
1. traditional Western belief
2. Original Sin: Adam and Eve
3. can be saved with constant hard
work, control, education, selfdiscipline

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

E.1 Human Nature Orientation

b. Good and Evil

1. evil: cannot be eliminated, natural and necessary
part of universe
2. born with a propensity for evil
3. become good through learning and education

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

E.1 Human Nature Orientation

C. Goodness
1. philosophies of Confucianism and Buddhism
2. Three Character Classic
3. people are good, but their culture often makes
them evil

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

E.2 Man-Nature Orientation

a. Subjugation to Nature
1. powerful forces of life: outside control
2. force (such as: god, fate, or magic): cannot
overcome, learn to accept
3. live in harmony with nature
4. India, parts of South America, China

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

E.2 Man-Nature Orientation

b. Harmony with Nature
1. nature: part of life, not a
hostile force to be subdued
2. live in harmony with nature,
be part of nature and not
control it
3. East Asians (Japan,
Thailand) , Native
Americans
Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

E.2 Man-Nature Orientation

c. Mastery over Nature
1. forces of nature: conquer,
direct, master
2. value: technology, change,
science
3. contribute development of
Western science and technology
4. Greenpeace Organization (
a non-governmental
environmental organization)

: protect

environment
Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

E.3 Time Orientation

a. Past Orientation
1. believe in significance of prior events
2. religions, tradition: extremely important
3. past: guide for decisions and truth
4. respect: ancestors, predecessors, older people
5. time: cycle, repeating

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

E.3 Time Orientation

b. Present Orientation
1. moment: most significance
2. future: vague, ambiguous, unknown
3. enjoyment: in the present
4. time: cycle, repeating

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

E.3 Time Orientation

c. Future Orientation
1. future: emphasize, expect to be grander and nicer
2. If at first you dont succeed, try, try, and try again.
3. time: linear

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

E.4 Activity Orientation

a. Being Orientation
1. stress release, indulgence of existing desires
2. work for the moment
3. satisfied with what they have
4. family background more important

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

E.4 Activity Orientation

b. Being-in-Becoming Orientation
1. stress idea of development and growth
2. emphasize activity contributing to development of
self
3. value spiritual life more than material one

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

E.4 Activity Orientation

c. Doing Orientation
1. stress activity and action
2. a sense of urgency about getting things done
3. accomplishment measured by standards external
to individual
4. believe in action and efficiency

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

E.5 Relational (Social) Orientation

a. Authoritarian Orientation
1. believe some individuals born to lead
2. authoritarian relationships accepted
3. The eyes cannot rise above the eyebrow.

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

E.5 Relational (Social) Orientation

b. Collective Orientation
1. group: most important of all social entities
2. feel dependent on group, safe within it,
proud
3. competitive with other groups
4. group concern for all its members, make
decisions by consensus
5. China, India, Africa, Latin America
Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

E.5 Relational (Social) Orientation

c. Individualism Orientation
1. all people have equal rights and complete
control over destiny
2. individual goals and objectives take
priority over group goals and objectives
3. predominant orientation in United States
4. use first names
5. self-reliance, independence
Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns

Thank You

Chapter 2 Cultural Patterns