Essential Cultural Value Patterns

Analyzing Cultural Values

Identity Meaning Function

Explanatory Function

Boundary Regulation Function

Adaptation Function

Functions of Cultural Values

“Cultural value patterns form the basic criteria through which we evaluate our own behaviors and the behaviors of others. They cue our expectations. . .They serve as implicit guidelines for out motivations, expectations, perceptions, interpretations, and communicative actions.”

Cultural values patterns serve functions, i.e. there is a reason we develop cultural value patterns.

(Ting-Toomey & Chung, 2005, p. 54).

Analyzing Cultural Values

Cultural beliefs and values provide the anchoring points to which we attach meanings and significance to our complex identities.

The identity meanings we acquire within our culture are constructed and sustained through everyday communication.

Analyzing Cultural Value Functions: Identity

“It’s just what we do.”

Cultural values explain “why.” When we are with our own groups, we fill-in the blanks about “why” we do what we do. . .when we are with people not of our own culture, we need to be able to explain “why” we believe or behave in a certain way.

Analyzing Cultural Value Functions: Explanation

Boundary regulation function shapes our in-group and out-group attitudes in dealing with people who are culturally dissimilar.

In-groups are groups with whom we feel emotionally close and with whom we share an interdependent fate.

Out-groups are groups with whom we feel no emotional ties, and at times, we may experience great psychological distance from them and even feel competitive against them.

Analyzing Cultural Value Functions: Boundary Regulations

Cultural values or principles facilitate the adaption processes among the self, the cultural community and the larger environment.

Analyzing Cultural Value Functions: Adaptation

Discovering Cultural Values

Identity

Power

Uncertainty

Sex Roles

Analyzing Cultural Value Dimensions

Cultural values form the implicit standards by which we judge appropriate and inappropriate behaviors in a communication episode.

While cultural values exist on a large scale, they do not explain all the behaviors of every member of the culture. Family socialization, individual life experiences, popular culture, and immigration or intergroup contact experience will all have differential effects on the value formation process of the individual in a society.

The question: WHO ARE YOU? WHAT DO YOU VALUE?

Analyzing Value Dimensions: Discovering Cultural Values

The first and most important dimension that shapes our sense of self is the individualistic/collectivist value pattern.

Individualism refers to the broad value tendencies of a culture in emphasizing the importance of individual identity over group identity, individual rights over group rights, and individual needs over group needs. Individualism promotes self-efficiency, individual responsibility, and personal autonomy.

Examples: North America & Europe (1/3 of the world population)

Collectivism refers to the broad value tendencies of a culture in emphasizing the importance of the “we” identity over the “I” identity, group rights over individual rights, and in-group needs over individual wants and desires. Collectivism promotes relational interdependence, ingroup harmony, and ingroup collaborative spirit.Examples: Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Central America, South America, and the Pacific islands (2/3 of the world population)

Individualism / Collectivism Value Pattern

Situations Individualistic Cultures Collectivist Cultures

General “I” Identity “We” Identity

Family Nuclear Family Extended Family

Relationships Privacy Relational Harmony

School Individual Competition Teamwork

Workplace Personal Competence Ingroup Emphasis

Communication Direct Indirect

Personality Independent Self Interdependent Self

Individualism / Collectivism Value Pattern

Power distance refers to the extent to which individuals subscribe to the ideology of equal power distributions and the extent to which members adhere to unequal power distributions in an interaction.

Small Power Distance cultures tend to value equal power distributions, equal rights and relations and equitable rewards and punishments on the basis of performance.

Large Power Distance cultures tend to accept unequal power distributions, hierarchical rights, asymmetrical role relations and rewards and punishments based on age, rank, status, title, and seniority.

Small and Large Power Distance Value Pattern

Situations Small P.D. Cultures Large P.D. Cultures

General Emphasize Interpersonal Emphasize Statues-Based Equality Difference

Family Children May Contradict Parents

Children Should Obey Parents

Relationship Younger People are Smart Older People are Wise

School Teachers ask for Feedback Teachers Lecturer

Workplace Subordinates Expect Consultation

Subordinates Expect Guidance

Communication Informal Formal

Personality Horizontal Vertical

Small and Large Power Distance Value Pattern

Weak (or Low) uncertainty avoidance cultures encourage risk taking and conflict-approaching modes.

Strong (or High) uncertainty avoidance cultures prefer clear procedures and conflict-avoidance behaviors.

Uncertainty Avoidance Value Pattern

Uncertainty Avoidance Value Pattern

Situations Weak U.A. Cultures Strong U.A. Cultures

General Uncertainty is Valued Uncertainty is a Threat

Family Dynamic & Changing Reinforce Family Rules

Relationship High Mobility Low Mobility

School Challenges are welcome Routines are welcome

Workplace Encourage Risk Taking Encourage Clear Procedure

Communication Conflict + Conflict -

Personality High Tolerance for Ambiguity Low Tolerance for Ambiguity

Feminine / Masculine Value Pattern

Situation “Feminine” Cultures “Masculine” Cultures

General Flexible Roles Complementary Roles

Family Emphasize Nurturance Emphasize Achievement

Relationship Both Initiate Males Initiate

School Social Adjustment is Vital Academic Performance

Workplace Work to Live Live to Work

Communication Fluid Gender Communication

Male Toughness & Female Softness

Personality Overlapping Gender Roles

Clear Masculine / Feminine Gender Roles

Meaning

Destiny

Time

Space

Additional Cultural Value

Dimensions

Orientation Value Spectrum

Meaning Doing(Action Oriented)

Being-in-Becoming(Inner Development)

Being(Emotional Vitality)

Destiny Controlling Nature(Mastering)

Harmony w/ Nature(Flow)

Subjugation to Nature(Yielding)

Time Future-Oriented(Schedule-Bound)

Present-Oriented(Here-and-Now)

Past-Oriented(Tradition)

Space Privacy-Centered Moderate Privacy Communal-Centered

Additional Value Orientation Patterns

Independent v. Interdependent Self

Horizontal v. Vertical Self

Internal v. External Locus of Control

Individual Socialization

Development

The terms independent self-construal or interdependent self-construal refer to the degree to which people conceive of themselves as separate or connected to others.

Independent construal of self involves the view that an individual is a unique entity with an indivdiuated repertoire of feelings, cognitions, and motivations.

Interdependent construal of self involves an emphasis on the importance of fitting in with relevant others and ingroup connectedness.

Independent v. Interdependent Self

Horizontal self-construal prefers informal-symmetrical interactions regardless of people’s position, status, rank, or age.

Vertical self-construal prefer formal-asymmetrical interactions with due respect to people’s positions, titles, life experiences, and age.

Horizontal v. Vertical Self

Locus of control reflects the destiny value orientation.

Internal locus of control tend to emphasize free will, individual motivation, personal effort, and personal responsibility over the success or failure of a task.

External locus of control emphasize external determinism, karma, fate and external forces shaping a person’s life happenings and events.

Internal v. External Locus of Control

Ting-Toomey, S. & Chung, L.C. (2005). Understanding Intercultural Communication. New York: Oxford University Press.

References