Unit Two Culture Shock

1. Unit TwoCulture Shock

2. Unit Two Culture Shock • Objectives • Hospitality • Privacy • I/C  Theories • Adjustment and Acculturation • American Values versus Eastern values • Language Appropriateness • Group Tasks

3. Thanks!

4. Your Objectives

5. By the end of this unit, you should be able to • recognize the cultural differences in terms of hospitality, modesty, privacy, and politeness; • identify some contrasting values in Western and Eastern cultures, especially individualism versus collectivism theories; • identify and avoid taboo subjects in Western cultures; • learn how to successfully manage acculturation.

6. Hospitality

7. Hospitality Questions for group discussion: • What was Lisa, the British girl’s problem when visiting the Chinese family? • What did she think of Chinese hospitality? • What might be British hospitality in treating the guests a meal?

8. How to analyze Lisa’s problem? Lisa was taken aback by her host putting food onto her plate because this seldom happens in her country. Lisa kept finishing all the food on her plate because she wished to be polite. That was a big mistake because she found her plate refilled and many more dishes following. In the west, even if it was a formal dinner, there would be usually just three courses: soup, main dish, and dessert. But in China, an informal dinner would have four dishes and a soup; a formal dinner would have at least eight dishes and a soup.

9. British Hospitality In Britain, hospitality is not measured by how many dishes are provided as in China. It is shown by giving you freedom to choose whatever you really want. People never press you. They hardly put food on your plate but just ask you to help yourself. So if you, as a guest, are shy or modest, waiting for the food to be put on your plate, you will be disappointed.

10. Your Task Please briefly compare the Chinese hospitality with that of British in the way of treating their guests a meal.

11. Reference In China, people’s hospitality is shown by the number of the dishes offered, as well as by the eagerness to impress the guest with the most expensive and nutritious food. While in Britain, people value equality.Their hospitality is shown by treating the guest as an equal with the host. Believing insimplicity and frugality regarding food, they may offer their guest the same type of meal they usually eat. Part of the reason is theiregalitarianism, and other reason is that the host wants to introduce the foreign guest to British food and eating customs.

12. Questions for further discussion: • How do most Chinese show their hospitality? • How do most Westerners show their hospitality?

13. Chinese Hospitality Most Chinese people are hospitable to their guests, friends and relatives who are called “in-group members”  but tend to be indifferent to the strangers who are labeled “out-group members”. 

14. Western Hospitality On the contrary, in the eyes of Westerners', strangers are not always treated with indifference. Believing in equality and showing respect for individual rights, they are hospitable to their guests, friends and relatives, but may also be hospitable to strangers. There can also be situations when a Westerner seems to be very polite and nice to the strangers but not polite to friends or relatives.

15. Privacy

16. Differences in Privacy Questions for group discussion: • What are the most common topics in China? Why? • Are they also the most common topics in the West? If not what are they? • What are some Chinese taboo topics? • What are some Western taboo topics?

17. Common Topics in China Proper topics: age, income, property, the price of the purchase, general questions about one’s family life, especially children, sports, weather, news, traveling, interests and hobbies, politics and religion… Improper topics: very intimate questions about one’s family life, topics concerning death, addressing the senior’s given name only…

18. Common Topics in the West Proper topics: weather, sports, news, work, traveling, interests and hobbies… Improper topics: personal questions about age, weight, illness, income, property, religion and politics…

19. I/C Theories

20. I/C Theories Questions for group discussion: • What is Individualism? • What is Collectivism?

21. Specific Terms individual: a.of or relating to an individual, especially a single human being 个体的, 尤指个人的； n.个体 individualism: the habit or principle of being independent and self-reliant; a social theory favoring freedom of action for individuals over collective or state control 独立自主的行为或原则; 个体观 individualist:one that asserts individuality by independence of thought and action 强调个性的人, 主张通过思想和行动的独立来保持个性的人

22. Specific Terms collective: a.& n.done by people acting as a group , belonging or relating to all the members of a group 团体的, 集体的; 集体 collectivism:the practice or principle of giving a group priority over each individual in it 强调集体/ 团体利益优于其中的个体利益的行为方式或原则 collectivist: one that asserts the principle or the practice of giving a group priority over each individual in it 强调集体利益(高于个体利益)的人, 强调团体的人, 集体主义者

23. Specific Terms Individualism (个人观): In some countries, people are most likely to value individual identity, which means the social unit is the individual and the interests of the individual are considered to be more important than those of the group. These countries are individualist cultures, and can also be described as “I” cultures. Individualist culture 强调个体利益/个性化的文化群体,这里可简称 “个体文化”

24. Specific Terms Collectivism (集体观): In other countries, people tend to place high value on group identity rather than individual identity, which means quite contrary to the individualist cultures, the interests of the individual are less important than those of the group. The social unit is the group. These countries are collectivist cultures, and can also be described as “We” cultures.   Collectivist culture强调集体利益的文化群体, 这里可简称 “集体文化”

25. Group Work Please use the following worksheet to tell the difference between individualism (“I” cultures) and collectivism (“we” cultures).

28. the philosophy of liberalism Confucianism duty and loyalty to the group: high in face value, special concern and care, self-abnegation and sacrifice, etc. egalitarian rules and regulations of the individualist society: equality, non-interference, etc.

29. Collectivist Ways of Competing Questions for group discussion: a.How do you usually compete or negotiate with each other in the group? b. How do people in a collectivist group such as in China usually compete with each other?

30. Collectivist Ways of Competing Conflict threatens social stability; the expression of contrary opinions risks face, potentially disgracing all involved; openly speaking one's mind appears distasteful, even unseemly and downright dangerous in a hierarchical world of tangled ties. “冲突会威胁社会的稳定，说出相反的意见，会有面子的危险，很有可能会冒犯所有有关的人；要在一个关系错综复杂、等级森严的世界里，公开说出心里话，是会让人很不愉快的，甚至不合适宜, 而且相当危险的。

31. Collectivist Ways of Competing Chinese group members instinctively avoid open competition in a group unless there is a high level of trust among group members, but that does not mean there is no competition. Many of them vie for power by talking about their children, by praising someone’s virtue, and by making jokes. To see the competition, one has to be able to see the context in which these seemingly harmless statements are made.

32. Collectivist Ways of Competing There is likely to be a debate about what the group should do and the decisions made have implications who wins and who loses in terms of  status and prestige in the group. Because status in hierarchies carries relatively more weight than in individualist groups. In other words, openly speaking one's mind appears distasteful, even unseemly and downright dangerous in the group. The disadvantage is that conflict is usually disguised and often occurs behind the scenes. This can make it more difficult to resolve.

33. Collectivist Ways of Competing Collectivists, including Chinese, sometimes compete with others by creating problems for rivals rather than by trying to outperform them. This strategy maintains a harmonious surface for group life but often inhibits the initiative of group members. Over time it can drain off the energy of the group.

34. Individualist Ways of Competing Question for group discussion: How much do you know about the people’s ways of competing in an individualist group such as in America?

35. Individualist Ways of Competing Individualists prefer to compete and negotiate openly. In an individualist group, members will say things like: “I don’t agree with you”; “It won’t work”; “What we need to do is …” or “Your analysis doesn’t go far enough.” Such comments are said politely most of the time, but the words carry messages of disagreement or even conflict.

36. Individualist Ways of Competing The debate goes back to Aristotle, the idea that opposition is the best way to think about anything. The seeds of it can be found in our classrooms. A teacher will introduce an article or an idea and rather than asking students to explore the idea to find what’s good and useful in it will only ask how we can attack it. This sets up debates where people learn not to listen to each other because they’re so busy trying to win the debate.

37. Adjustment and Acculturation

38. Adjustment and Acculturation People go through different stages in getting used to life in a new country. stage ofEuphoria depression adjustment acceptance

39. American Values versus Eastern Values

40. American Values versus Eastern Values 1. Personal control over the environment: People can alter nature, and, to a large extent, can determine the direction of their lives. Contrasting value --- Fate: What happens in life is a result of a grand plan or destiny.

41. American Values versus Eastern Values 2. Change: Change is healthy. People stagnate if they don't make enough changes. Contrasting value --- Tradition: Preservation and emphasis of rituals, customs, and beliefs from the past.

42. American Values versus Eastern Values 3. Control over time: Time flies. People are pressured and constrained by time because they are trying to control it. Contrasting value --- Time walks. There is no need for people to feel so pressured. They should take it easy.

43. American Values versus Eastern Values 4. Equality and egalitarianism: All people are created equal. Contrasting value --- Hierarchy, rank, status: People’s roles are defined in terms of their relationships to other people; people are mostly either subordinate to or superior to someone else.

44. American Values versus Eastern Values 5. Individualism and privacy: Individual needs are considered primary. Contrasting value --- Group orientation: The individual sacrifices his or her needs to those of the group.

45. American Values versus Eastern Values 6. Self-help: People can and should try to improve their own lives. Many middle-and upper-class Americans have the belief that people can “pull themselves up by their own bootstraps”. Contrasting value --- Birthright inheritance: People are born into either wealth or poverty; they can’t change their status in life.

46. American Values versus Eastern Values 7. Future orientation: Look to the future and not to the past. Contrasting value --- Past or present orientation: People should live for today or for their ancestors; they should live according to tradition.

47. American Values versus Eastern Values 8. Action and work orientation: Work often defines (characterizes) identities come from what they do. Contrasting value --- “Being” orientation: Work is not the center of people’s identity; it is acceptable not to focus on work, accomplishments, and achievements.

48. American Values versus Eastern Values 9. Informality: First name usage (Just call me “Bob.”), casual clothes, and the lack of formal ritual are typical in American life. Contrasting value --- Formality: Use of titles and last names are common. People are restrained and polite with each other.

49. American Values versus Eastern Values 10.Directness, openness, and honesty: Honesty is the best policy. People should express themselves openly. It is not considered good to “beat around the bush”. Contrasting value --- Indirectness and “saving face”: People should consider one another’s feelings when deciding what to say. Honesty is not always the best policy.

50. American Values versus Eastern Values 11.Materialism: Tendency to be more concerned with material than with spiritual or intellectual goals. Contrasting value ---Spiritualism: The philosophy that all reality is spiritual and that nothing material is as important.