Tai Lieu

WHAT IS “NORMAL”? Respond to each of the following 10 items by indicating the extent to which you would find such a behavior or custom “quite ordinary” or “quite strange.” Use the scale below to indicate your responses. Write a comment about your response after each item. Why did you respond the way you did? Quite Ordinary Strange 1

Ordinary 2

Neutral 3

Strange 4

Quite 5

Rating: Comment: Gut-level reaction: 1. A man wearing a skirt.

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Gut-level reaction: 2. Eating meals without utensils.

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Gut-level reaction: 3. A family taking a communal bath.

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Gut-level reaction: 4. Haggling over the price of a T-shirt in a department store.

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Gut-level reaction: 5. Slurping your soup loudly in a restaurant.

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Gut-level reaction: 6. Sticking out your tongue to say, “Hello.”

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Gut-level reaction: 7. Giving a nice, tasteful clock as a housewarming gift.

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Gut-level reaction: 8. Bringing an item with a company logo as a nice souvenir for your host. Gut-level reaction:

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9. I greet you by saying, “I salute the godlike qualities within you.”

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Gut-level reaction: 10. Seeing someone walking while eating at the same time.

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Source: Adapted from Ron Lustig & Jolene Koester (2003). Intercultural Competence (4th ed). Boston: Allyn & Bacon. PDA: PUBLIC DISPLAY OF AFFECTION? Sophia is from a large, full-blooded Italian family where everybody kisses and hugs each other each time people enter the house. It is no big deal for her. However, she has been dating a Korean guy named Lee. Lee and Sophia are compatible, get along great, and are getting serious about each other. It took about nine months for Sophia to introduce him to her entire family. Coming to the house for a barbeque, Sophia’s family bombarded Lee with kisses and hugs from everyone, including five uncles. Lee was very taken aback by these gestures and appeared rude when he did not return the kisses and hugs. Instead, he stood awkwardly, like a bump on a log, and did not move the entire night. Sophia was surprised by his reaction. She warned him about her affectionate family but his behavior was making her look bad, especially when her sister, mother, and brother asked if there was something “wrong” with Lee. The following week, Lee invited Sophia over to his house to meet his parents. Upon arrival, Sophia started to kiss his mother on the cheek when Lee pulled her back and bowed to his mom. His parents did not offer a handshake at all. They smiled very slightly to Sophia and asked her if she wanted some tea. She said, "no," since she had just finished sipping her Diet Coke. Lee's parents excused themselves and went back to their bedroom. Sophia was visibly upset by this “cold” reaction. What happened in this critical incident?

1. A man wearing a skirt is “normal” in Sri Lanka and Scotland. 2. Eating meals without utensils is “normal” in the Philippines and Morocco (and in the U.S. for millions fast-food customers!) 3. A family taking a communal bath is “normal” in Japan. 4. Haggling over the price of a T-shirt in a department store is “normal” in Iran and China, among other cultures. 5. Slurping your soup loudly in a restaurant is “normal” in Korea and China. 6. Sticking out your tongue to say, “Hello,” is a “normal” traditional greeting in Tibet. 7. Giving a clock as a housewarming gift is “normal” in many cultures, but definitely not normal in China, where giving a clock would have the connotation of death! 8. Bringing an item with a company logo as a nice souvenir for your host is “normal” in many cultures, but not normal in France. 9. Greeting someone by saying, “I salute the godlike qualities within you,” is “normal” in Nepal and India. 10. Walking while eating food is “normal” in the U.S., but not normal in many cultures such as Sweden and Japan, where it would make them feel uncomfortable--meals are eaten sitting down, not “on the run.”

NAME: ___________________________________ INTERACTIVE PROBES FOR “PUBLIC DISPLAY OF AFFECTION?” (Ask yourself and probe your classmates) 1. Using the concepts in Unit 5, how would you explain Lee’s awkward reaction in Sophia's house?

2. How would you analyze Sophia's treatment by Lee's parents?

3. Have you or your friends had similar "culture-bump" experiences that created nonverbal awkward moments or interactions?

4. If you have done some overseas or cross-country travel, do you have any interesting nonverbal stories to share with a classmate? Think of an example in which nonverbal gestures actually helped you in your travel. Think of another example in which nonverbal behaviors actually created intercultural misunderstandings.

Let’s apply some concepts from Unit 5 to the scenario: 1. With regard to haptics, to what kind of family does Sophia belong? *a. High contact (Remember that haptics refers to touch.) b. Low contact c. Monochronic d. Polychronic 2. With regard to haptics, to what kind of family does Lee belong? a. High contact *b. Low contact (Remember that haptics refers to touch.) c. Monochronic d. Polychronic Let’s apply some concepts from Chapter 7 to this scenario: 3. What types of verbal styles are used by Lee’s parents? *a. High context and formal (In this high-context and formal family, Sophia’s direct refusal of an offer of tea may have indicated more than Sophia intended.) b. High context and informal c. Low context and formal d. Low-context and informal 4. What type of verbal style is used by Sophia’s family? a. Formal *b. Informal