Culture Matters

The Peace Corps would like to acknowledge the special efforts of the following people for their assistance in the writing, editing, design, and production of Culture Matters Trainer’s Guide : Raquel Aronhime, Laurette Bennhold-Samaan, Sally Collier, Mark Davis, Lisa Frye, Steve Jacobs, Anne Jorgensen, Anne Jorjorian, Anne Latimer, Jennifer McGowan, and Craig Storti. The Center's Information Collection and Exchange (ICE) makes available the strategies and technologies developed by Peace Corps Volunteers, their co-workers, and their counterparts to development organizations and workers who might find them useful. ICE collects and reviews training guides, curricula, lesson plans, project reports, manuals, and other Peace Corps- generated materials developed in the field. Some materials are reprinted "as is"; others provide a source of field-based information for the production of manuals or for research in particular program areas. Materials that you submit to ICE become part of the Peace Corps' larger contribution to development. Information about ICE publications and services is available through PART ONE: Using Culture Matters in Pre-service Training Introduction...................................................................................................................................1 What is Culture Matters?.................................................................................................................1 Is Culture Matters Supposed to Replace My Current Cross-Cultural Training?...............................2 What’s in Culture Matters?.............................................................................................................2 How Do I Incorporate Culture Matters Into My PST?.....................................................................3 Other Uses of Culture Matters ........................................................................................................4 PART TWO: Trainer Notes for Selected Exercises from Culture Matters Introduction...................................................................................................................................5 A Guide to the Format of the Trainer Notes...................................................................................5 Presenting Culture Matters—An Introductory Activity...................................................................7 Cross-Cultural Quiz........................................................................................................................8 1.3—What is Culture?..................................................................................................................10 Defines culture and gives examples of various kinds of beliefs, customs, values, and practices that are included in this concept. 1.5—Linking Values to Behavior.................................................................................................12 Shows the relationship between the values and beliefs people hold and the way they behave, thus making the important point that people with different values and beliefs are going to behave differently. 1.6—Universal, Cultural, or Personal............................................................................................14 Puts cultural behavior into context, showing that many things people do are universal (the same in all cultures) and that some others are personal (not the same even for people from the same culture). 1.9—In the Mind of the Beholder................................................................................................16 Gives concrete examples of how people from different cultures can interpret the same behavior in very different ways; shows, therefore, how and why people often misinterpret/misunderstand each other in a cross-cultural situation. Fundamentals of Culture I—The Concept of the Self Exercise I.2: Individualism and Collectivism................................................................................19 Identifies differences in self-concept, therefore in behaviors, of people who are more individualist (like many Americans) and more collectivist/group oriented (like many host-country national societies.) 2. 2—The Things We Say............................................................................................................21 Identifies important American and host-country values through an analysis of typical expressions people use in everyday conversation. i 2.3—Thirteen Cultural Categories................................................................................................23 Presents 13 key cultural categories (Attitude Towards Age, Concept of Fate and Destiny, Attitude Towards Change, Concept of Face, Source of Self-Esteem, View of the Natural World, etc.) and compares the American and host-country views of these issues; considers implications of any cultural differences. 2.4—Thinking About My Job......................................................................................................25 Looks at 5 categories of culture—Attitude Toward Age, Attitude Towards Change, Concept of Equality, Attitude Towards Taking Risks, and View of the Natural World—and examines the impact of cultural differences in these areas for Americans working in the local culture. 2.8—Now What? Diversity Critical Incidents................................................................................27 Looks at other, non-cultural aspects of personal identity—age, gender, race, sexual orientation, etc.—and how these characteristics are viewed in the local culture. Fundamentals of Culture II—Personal vs. Societal Obligations Exercise II.3—Score Yourself: Universalist or Particularist...........................................................29 Examines cultural differences regarding how people balance obligations to their in-group (family, close friends) and to the rest of society (out-group). Cultural differences here have significant impact on interpersonal relations, especially friendship, and also relations with coworkers. 3.1—Dear Gavin..........................................................................................................................31 Presents examples of differences between direct and indirect styles of communication in specific situations. 3.2—Styles of Communication: Indirect and Direct.....................................................................33 Defines key features of indirect/high context communication and direct/low context communication and gives examples of typical behaviors. 3.4—Culture and Communication Styles: American and Host-Country Views Compared............35 Presents four dimensions of communication—Degree of Directness, Role of Context, Importance of Face, and The Task or the Person—defines alternative outlooks/world views for each, asks participants to place U.S. and host-country culture on four continuums, compare the results, and discuss implications of key differences. 3.5—Nonverbal Communication: Gestures, Eye Contact, and Conversational Style......................39 Has participants observe the local cultural norms for the three categories named and identify differences with American culture. 3.6—Dialogues............................................................................................................................41 Presents 5 examples of common techniques of indirect communication in workplace conversations. 3.8—Practicing Indirectness.........................................................................................................44 Presents 7 direct statements which participants are asked to rephrase in a more indirect manner. ii Fundamentals of Culture III: The Concept of Time Exercise III.3: Score Yourself—Monochronic and Polychronic...................................................45 Examines how people’s view of time—there’s always more time (polychronic) or often not enough time (monochronic)—affects how they interact with others and structure their lives. 4.2—Concept of Power and 4.4—Dialogues................................................................................47 4.3 Examines differences between how people in high power distance cultures (centralized authority, autocratic management, little delegation of responsibility) and low power distance cultures (shared authority and responsibility, democratic management, less distance between manager and subordinates) interact in the workplace; looks at implications for the proper role/behavior of the boss and the worker. 4.4 Presents four examples of cultural differences in power distance relationships in the workplace. 4.8—The Source of Status: Achieved or Ascribed........................................................................50 Presents four incidents illustrating cultural differences between cultures where status and rank are ascribed (based on class, family name, profession and where it’s very difficult to change your status) and where they are achieved (based on personal effort and where rank and status are de-emphasized and it’s easier to move up the ladder of status). 4.9—Workplace Values and Norms: Comparing American and Host-country Views...................52 Examines 8 dimensions of work—Power Distance, Uncertainty Avoidance, Source of Status, Concept of Work, Personal and Professional, Motivation, Key to Productivity, and The Ideal Worker—defines alternative outlooks/world views on these issues, asks participants to place U. S. and the host culture on continuums, compare the results, and discuss implications

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