《新大學(xué)英語(yǔ)跨文化交際閱讀教程》課件-B2U6 Intercultural Perception and Thinking

InterculturalPerceptionandThinkingInterculturalPerceptionandThinkingInterculturalPerceptionandThinkingUnit6目錄1Understandhowpeoplefromdifferentculturesthinkandcommunicate234UnderstandthatdifferentthinkingpatternswouldresultincommunicationfailurePerceiveothercountriesandtheirpeoplefromaninterculturalperspectiveBeconfidentandcompetentininterculturalcommunicationObjectivesUnit1Unit6CONTENTS1Lead-inScenario234UnderstandingTextAEnhancingGlocalMindsetAssignmentPeriod1Lead-inScenarioLead-inScenario:TothePointQuestionsfordiscussion1.WhatdidtheAmericanprofessorexpectwhenasking“whatstepsshouldtheteamleaderinthiscasestudytaketomanagedifferentattitudestowardsconfrontationintheteam”?Interculturaltips:Theprofessorraisedthisquestioninhopeofgettingaspecificanswerwhichmightconsistofseveralspecificsteps.Ideally,theChineseCEOswereexpectedtofocusonthecasetheyhadstudiedearlierandlistseveralrelevantpoints.Lead-inScenario:TothePoint2.WhydidLillyLi,oneoftheChineseparticipantmention“trust”and“relationship”inheranswers?LillyLi,abird-likewomanwithapleasantsmile,whohadbeenrunningoperationsinHungaryfortwoyears,raisedherhand,“Trusthasbeenabigchallengeforus,asHungariansdonottakethesametimetobuildpersonalrelationshipsaswedoinChina.”?(Para2)Afterseverallongminutesofinterestingcommentsthathad—frommyperspective—absolutelyzerotodowiththequestionI’dasked,Lillycametothepoint,“Iftheteamleaderhadspentmoretimehelpingtheteambuildrelationshipsoutsideofthemeeting,theywouldhavebeenmuchmorecomfortabledealingwithdebateanddirectconfrontation.”?(Para4)QuestionsfordiscussionLead-inScenario:TothePoint2.WhydidLillyLi,oneoftheChineseparticipantmention“trust”and“relationship”inheranswers?Interculturaltips:FortheChineseCEOs,theconceptof“confrontation”bringsupdistinctconnotations.InChineseculture,wherepersonalrelationshipstakeprecedenceoverothermatters,confrontationisgenerallytobeavoided,becauseitposesathreattointerpersonalrelationships.IntheChinesemindset,relationshipsmatteralotintheworkplace.Debateonthewayofdoingthingssometimesmightberegardedaspersonalconfrontation.Sothepriorityinateamisoftengiventomaintainingharmonyamongmembers.QuestionsfordiscussionLead-inScenario:TothePoint3.Howtointerpretthe“similarpattern”inthelastparagraph?References:This“similar”patternactuallyisamanifestationofathinkingpatterncommontotheChinese.Usingthispattern,Chinesepeopletendtogiveunimportantinformationinsteadofansweringthequestiontothepoint.ThisapproachisincontrasttoWesternapproachinwhichdirectanswersarehighlyvalued.QuestionsfordiscussionLead-inScenario:TothePointExtendedinterculturaltipsaboutHungaryandChinaAccordingtoHofestede’sculturaldimensions,HungaryandChinashowastrikingcontrastin“individualism”(80vs.20)andin“uncertaintyavoidance”(82vs.30).Specifically,Hungary,withascoreof80,isanindividualisticsociety.Thismeansthatthereisahighpreferenceforaloosely-knitsocialframeworkinwhichindividualsareexpectedtotakecareofthemselves.PersonalrelationshipsarelessvaluedcomparedtohowtheirChinesecounterpartsviewthem.Moreover,Hungaryscores82onthedimensionof“uncertaintyavoidance”andthushasapreferenceforavoidinguncertainty.Hungariansmaintainthepreferenceforefficiency,believingthattimeismoneyandpeoplehaveaninnerurgetobebusyandtowork.Inbusiness,timeshouldbespentongettingthingsdoneinsteadofbuildingrelationships.QuestionsforInterculturalUnderstanding1WhydidLillyLitalkalotabouttrust,hierarchy,andherexperiencesinHungary,insteadofdirectlydiscussingtheissueofconfrontation?D.Becauseshewantedtofindasofterapproachtothetopicofconfrontationamongteammembers.2Intermsofansweringthequestion,whatisthedifferencebetweentheWesternprofessorandtheChineseparticipants?A.Theprofessorwouldliketogiveadirectanswerfromaspecificperspective.C.TheChineseparticipantswouldliketomentionthepointattheend.D.TheChineseparticipantstendtoofferasmuchinformationaspossiblefromaholisticperspective.Lead-inScenario:TothePointUnderstandingTextAUnderstandingTextAA.GlobalUnderstandingReadthetextandanswerthequestions:ThisessayistoanalyzeorexploretypicalAmericanwaysofthinkingandhowtheyaremanifestedincommunication.1.Whatistheprimaryaimofthisessay?2.WhatcanbeinferredfromtheexamplesgiveninParas.3–4?Differentwaysofthinkingresultindifferentcommunicationstyles.UnderstandingTextAA.GlobalUnderstandingThemostreliablefacts,intheAmericanview,arethoseintheformofquantitieslikespecificnumbers,percentages,rates,rankings,oramounts.?Theseexamplesofreliablefactscanbeunderstoodas“harddata”whichareoftennumerical.NumbersarevaluedintheAmericanculturebecausetheyappeartobeobjectiveandverifiable.ThiscanalsoexplaintheAmericans’concretewayofthinkingbywhichtheveryobviousandvisiblenumbersareusedtoexpressthepoint.(InterculturaltipsV)3.WhatfactsareconsideredreliableforAmericans?Andwhat'sthereasonforthat?Readthetextandanswerthequestions:UnderstandingTextAA.GlobalUnderstanding4.Accordingtoparas8-10,whatdoAmericanstendtodistrust?Alongwiththeirtrustinfactsgoesadistrustofemotions.Americanstendtodistrusttheoryandgeneralizations,whichtheymightlabelimpractical,unrealistic,tooabstract,alotofhotair,orjusttheoretical.Readthetextandanswerthequestions:B.Understandinginterculturalpoints1.The“point”istheideaorpieceofinformationthatAmericanspresumeis,orshouldbe,atthecenterofpeople’sthinking,writing,andspokencomments.?(Para.2)Interculturaltips:Americans’emphasisonthe“point”isrelatedtotheinfluenceofalow-contextculturewheremessagesareexpresseddirectlyandclearly.Intermsofthinkingpatterns,Americanstendtothinkinamorelinearfashion,keepingtothemainideainthediscussion,andspeakinginclearterms.UnderstandingTextAB.Understandinginterculturalpoints2.Americansvalueapersonwhogetsrighttothepoint.Japanesearelikelytoconsidersuchapersoninsensitiveifnotrude.(Para.3)Interculturaltips:Japanesecultureisatypicalhigh-contextculturewheremessagesareusuallyexpressedinanindirectway.Intermsofthinkingpatterns,Japanesetendtofollowaspiralwayofthinking,whichmeanstheirthinkingproceedsfromgeneralideasandgraduallytothespecificpoint.SoadirectwayofcommunicatingisregardedasinappropriateinJapaneseculture.UnderstandingTextAB.Understandinginterculturalpoints3.TheChineseandJapanesepresentationsarecharacterizedbyimplicitness.(Para.4)Interculturaltips:

“Implicitness”istheresultofthenon-linearthinkingpattern.ChineseandJapanesetendtoconsiderissuesfromdifferentaspectsandfindconnectionsfromseeminglyunrelatedinformation,whichmakestheideavagueandambiguousinthelinearthinkers’eyes.UnderstandingTextAB.Understandinginterculturalpoints4.SpeakersofthoselanguagesarethuscompelledtolearnanewwayofreasoningandconveyingtheirideasiftheyaregoingtointeractsatisfactorilywithAmericans.Similarly,AmericansmayneedtounderstandtheChineseapproachiftheyaretobesuccessfulinAsia.?(Para.4)Interculturaltips:Themajorityofinterculturalcommunicationproblemscanbeattributedtoanunfamiliaritywiththedifferentthinkingpatterns.ForAmericansandChinese,thereexistsastrikingcontrastbetweenlinearthinkingandnon-linearthinking.Soagoodinterculturalcommunicatorshouldunderstandthosedifferences.UnderstandingTextAB.Understandinginterculturalpoints5.Ofthevariouswaysofhavingpersonalexperience,Americansregardthesenseofsightasthemostreliable.?(Para.7)Interculturaltips:ThisideacanbereflectedinsomeEnglishexpressions,suchas“seeingisbelieving”.Alsopersonalorfirst-handinvolvementisbelievedtobeconvincinginAmericanculture.UnderstandingTextAB.Understandinginterculturalpoints6.Alongwiththeirtrustinfactsgoesadistrustofemotions.Schoolchildrenaretaught(butdonotalwayslearn)todisregardtheemotionalaspectsofanargumentastheylookforthefacts.(Para.8)Interculturaltips:InAmericanculture,beingemotionalinmostcasesisseenasbeinginoppositiontoobjectivity,whichisthebasisforaconcretethinkerorananalyticthinkertogatherinformation,makedecisionsandexpressideas.UnderstandingTextAB.Understandinginterculturalpoints7.Whenpeoplewithdifferingwaysofreasoningareinteracting,thetypicalfeelingtheybothgetisthattheotherpersonjustdoesn’tunderstandandisnotmakingsense.Eachthentrieshardertobemorelogical,notrealizingthattheproblemistheirdifferingconceptionsofwhatislogical.(Para.12)Interculturaltips:Theprerequisiteforsuccessfulinterculturalcommunicationistounderstandwhypeoplefromothercountriesspeakthewaytheydo.Thisinvolvesrecognizingthereasoningorthinkingpatternthatisbehindwhatisbeingsaid.UnderstandingTextAC.Comprehensionandlanguagepoints1.Theprecision,directness,andclarityAmericansassociatewiththepointcannotbeattained,atleastnotwithanygrace,intheChineseandJapaneselanguages.(Para.4)InEnglish,thephrasalexpression—“withgood/badgrace”means“inawillingandpleasantway/inanunwillingandangryway”.HereitisusedtoshowthatindirectnessandimplicitnessaresodeeplyingrainedinthemindsetoftheChineseandJapanesethatitwouldfeelawkward(againsttheirnature)tospeakdirectly—gettingtothepointrightaway.UnderstandingTextAC.Comprehensionandlanguagepoints2.Americanstendtodistrusttheoryandgeneralizations,whichtheymightlabelimpractical,unrealistic,tooabstract,alotofhotair,orjusttheoretical.(Para.10)TheoryandgeneralizationsmaybeviewedbyAmericansasimpractical,unrealistic,andoverlyabstract.Discussionsthatfocusontheoryorabstractionsmayberegardedasemptytalkhavinglittleornovalue.Therefore,Americanstendtochallengepeopleandaskforconcrete,specific,andpracticalexplanationswhentheymakevague,general,orabstractassertions.UnderstandingTextAC.Comprehensionandlanguagepoints3.Americanswillconsiderthemnotlogical,tooemotional,orfuzzy-mindediftheydonotusespecificfactstosupportorillustratetheirideasandopinions,iftheyspeakmainlyintermsofabstractionsandgeneralizations,oriftheyattributeimportanteventstonon-materialcauses.(Para.12)Whenpeoplepresentmainlyabstractandgeneralideaswithoutusingconcretefactstosupporttheirideasandopinions,Americanswillthinkthatthesepeopleareunabletothinkinalogical,clear,andfactualway.UnderstandingTextAEnhancingGlocalMindsetEnhancingGlocalMindsetThinkingPatternsBeingagoodcommunicatorhasdifferentmeaningsindifferentcultures.Inordertocommunicateeffectivelyacrosscultures,youneedtounderstanddistinctthinkingpatternsbehindthelanguageofcommunication.Thesethinkingpatternsdeterminethewaynativespeakersofalanguageexpressthemselves.Itwillalsoinfluencehowtheyexpecttointerpretinformationpresented.1.Whatroledoesthinkingpatternplayininterculturalcommunication?EnhancingGlocalMindsetThinkingpatterns2.Whatarethemajortypesofthinkingpattern?EnhancingGlocalMindsetThinkingpatterns3.Whatarefeaturesofeachthinkingpattern?English—(includesGermaniclanguagessuchasGerman,Dutch,Norwegian,Danish,andSwedish)Communicationisdirect,linear,anddoesn’tdigressorgoofftopic.Semitic—(forexample,ArabicorHebrew)Thoughtsareexpressedinaseriesofparallelideas,bothpositiveandnegative.Coordinationisvaluedoversubordination.Thinkingpatterns3.Whatarefeaturesofeachthinkingpattern?EnhancingGlocalMindsetAsian—(LanguagesofAsia)Communicationisindirect.Atopicisnotaddressedhead-on,butisviewedfromvariousperspectives,workingaroundthepoint.Romance—(Latin-basedlanguagessuchasFrench,Italian,Romanian,andSpanish)Communicationoftendigresses.Itisfinetointroduceextraneousmaterial,whichaddstotherichnessofthecommunication.Russian—LikeRomancelanguages,Russiancommunicationisoftendigressive.Thedigressionmayincludeaseriesofparallelideas.EnhancingGlocalMindset4.ApposingtypesofthinkingThinkingpatternsEnhancingGlocalMindset4.ApposingtypesofthinkingThinkingpatternsEnhancingGlocalMindset4.ApposingtypesofthinkingThinkingpatternsEnhancingGlocalMindsetTask11.Accordingtoyourunderstandingoftheabovetables,whatdifferencesmightyoufindbetweenaholisticthinkerandananalyticthinkerintheirdailyconversationsordiscussions?ThinkingpatternsReferences:Holisticthinkerstendtousemorereasoninginconversationsanddiscussions.Theywouldliketopresentthingsfromabroadperspective.Analyticthinkers,however,believethateventsaretheproductsofindividualsandtheirattributes.Theyhaveanarrowfocusonobjectsintheforeground.EnhancingGlocalMindsetTask11.Accordingtoyourunderstandingoftheabovetables,whatdifferencesmightyoufindbetweenaholisticthinkerandananalyticthinkerintheirdailyconversationsordiscussions?ThinkingpatternsReferences:Takeaninterculturalbusinessnegotiationasanexample.Aholisticthinkerwilltalkalotabouttherelationshipbetweenthetwopartiesbeforegettingdowntothedetailsofthenegotiation.Ananalyticthinkermayrushtothedetailedprocessofthenegotiationitself.EnhancingGlocalMindset2.Whatsuggestionswouldyoumaketohelppeoplewithdifferentthinkingpatternsworkwitheachothermoreeffectively?First,gettoknowtheworkingpartnerswellbeforestartingtoworkwiththem.Influencedbydifferentthinkingpatterns,theymaydifferinhowtheyweighdifferentaspectsoftheissue.Forexample,aconcretethinkermaypaymoreattentiontowhatisgoingonwithaproject,whereashis/herpartnerwithabstractthinkingmaywellfocusonthecauseforthepresentsituation.Beingwellpreparedforthosedifferencesinthinkingpatternshelpsavoidpotentialconflictsandmisunderstandings.EnhancingGlocalMindset2.Whatsuggestionswouldyoumaketohelppeoplewithdifferentthinkingpatternsworkwitheachothermoreeffectively?Second,bearinmindthatthinkingpatternsdeterminewaysofdoingthings.Whenworkingtogether,peoplewithdifferentthinkingpatternswillmostlikelyapproachissuesandmakedecisionsinadifferentway.Therefore,itisadvisabletoestablishcommongroundonwhichpeoplecanperceiveissuesfromamutuallyacceptableperspective.Third,haveanopendiscussionwhenaconflictoccurs.Rememberthatconflicts,inmostcases,arenotattacksonindividuals;theyareconducivetomovingtheworkprocessforward.Assignment

AssignmentAfterclasspleasereadTextAagain,andfinishtheexercisesinthispart.Reviewtheinterculturaltipsandlanguagepointswehavelearnedinclass.CONTENTS1InterculturalPuzzle234Comprehending&AcademicWritingFollow-upProjectPeriod2UnderstandingCulturalDiversityInterculturalPuzzle

InterculturalPuzzleHowtoPresentYourProposalIdentifytheconflictingpartsbetweentheEuropeanmanagerandtheChinesemanager.1.Afterroundsoftoughnegotiations,afertilizercompanyfromEuropereachedanagreementwithitscounterpartfromAsia.Whentheyproceededtoconstructtheworkshop,Mr.Hong,anAsianmanagerwasassignedtotakechargeoftheconstructionbudgetandwassupposedtoreportdirectlytotheEuropeanmanager,Bob,whosaidinanemailthathehopedtogetaprogressreportofthebudgetassessment.?However,whenthedeadlinewasdrawingnear,Mr.Hongremainedsluggishandevenunresponsiveinhisemailcommunications.Interculturaltips:Bobhopestobeinformedoftheprogress,whichindicateshislinearthinkingpatternbywhichstep-by-stepprogressionisexpected.

InterculturalPuzzle2.Eventually,Bobdecidedtoflytohispartner’scompanytoseewhatwentwrong.Uponarrival,hewentdirectlytotheofficeandorganizedameetingtodiscusstheproblem.?AtthemeetingMr.Hongpresentedhistotalbudgetproposalforapprovalandexplainedthatthedelaywascausedbyanenvironmentalissuethathewasworkingwiththelocalgovernmenttoresolve.?Interculturaltips:Mr.Hongtendstoapproachtheissuefromadifferentperspective.Inhisunderstanding,theenvironmentalproblemisimportantandrelatedtothebudget.Soheshoulddealwiththemtogether,andheassumesBobwouldagreetohiswayofdoingthings.HowtoPresentYourProposalIdentifytheconflictingpartsbetweentheEuropeanmanagerandtheChinesemanager.

InterculturalPuzzle3.Afterapauseofafewseconds,Bobasked,“Whenwillitbesolved?”

“Hopefullyverysoon!”?Interculturaltips:“Verysoon”isvagueinmeaning,whichisdefinitelyunacceptableforBobwhoisafirmbelieverinthe“point”.HowtoPresentYourProposalIdentifytheconflictingpartsbetweentheEuropeanmanagerandtheChinesemanager.

InterculturalPuzzle4.“Andcouldyoupleasetellmehowthistotalbudgetisworkedout?”Mr.Hongrepliedwithadetailedaccount,whichheconsideredjustifiedashewasaspecialistinprojectbudgetassessment.?

BobseemedimpatientandinterruptedMr.Hongbyaskingthesamequestion,“Howisthistotalbudgetworkedout?”?Interculturaltips:Mr.Hong’sanswerdemonstratesatypicalnon-linearthinkingpattern.Hebelievesthathisexperienceinthisareacanguaranteethefeasibilityofthebudget,whileBobfindsitunrelated.WhatBobneedstoknowishowMr.Hongworkedoutthebudgetproposal.Inthiscase,Mr.Hongneedstomakealistofstepstobackupthebudgetproposal,ratherthanthetotalbudget.HowtoPresentYourProposalIdentifytheconflictingpartsbetweentheEuropeanmanagerandtheChinesemanager.

InterculturalPuzzle5.Thoughthemeetinglastedthewholeday,theyhadnotreachedasatisfactoryresult.What’sworse,theirdiscussionresultedininterpersonalconflicts.?Interculturaltips:Conflictsofthiskindaremainlyduetothecontrastingthinkingpatternsandtimeorientations.Unabletoidentifythedifferencesinvolved,theyfailtogettheworkdone.Inthiscase,theworstresultisthatBobwouldthinkMr.HongisincompetenttocompletethetaskandMr.HongfeelsBobistoopushyandbossy.Mostprobably,theybothfeelreluctanttoworkwitheachotherinthefuture.HowtoPresentYourProposalIdentifytheconflictingpartsbetweentheEuropeanmanagerandtheChinesemanager.

InterculturalPuzzleB.Analyzetheissueinthecase1.WhydoesBobdemandaprogressreportofthebudgetassessment?References:Twomanagersfromdifferentculturalbackgroundsshowastrikingcontrastintheirthinkingpatterns,whichdeterminesthewaytheytalkwithothersandthewaytheyhandletasksatwork.Specifically,Bobhasthelinearthinkingpatternbywhichstep-by-stepprogressionisperceivednecessaryandunquestionable.Sointhisregard,itisreasonablethatMr.HongshouldgiveaprogressreportsoastokeepBobupdatedwiththeongoingbudgetassessment.HowtoPresentYourProposal

InterculturalPuzzleWhyCommunicationFailsB.Analyzetheissueinthecase2.WhydoesBobbecomeimpatientonhearingMr.Hong'sanswer?References:Regardingthequestion“howthistotalbudgetisworkedout”,Mr.Hongrespondsinatypicalnon-linearthinkingpattern,butheassumesthathisanswerissufficienttoprovethefeasibilityoftheproposal.Bycontrast,whatBobexpectsfromMr.Hongisdetailedstatisticalexplanationsandfactstoprovethefeasibilityoftheproposal.

InterculturalPuzzleB.Analyzetheissueinthecase3.Accordingtowhatwehavelearnedinprecedingunits,canyoufindinthiscasesomeotherconflictstriggeredbyculturaldifferences?References:First,theconceptofhigh-contextandlow-contextculturesmayhelptoexplainwhythediscussionresultsininterpersonalconflicts.Bob,comingfromalow-contextculture,tendstoseparatetheworkfromtherelationship.Directlydemandingananswertwotimesisalow-contextworkingstyle,butitmayhurtapersonfromahigh-contextculture.Mr.Hong,however,presentstheprogressreportinastyleofahigh-contextculture,withoutunderstandingthatheandBobcommunicateindifferentways.Sounderstandingculturaldifferencesincommunicationisveryimportant,otherwise,thetwopartnerscouldnotgetalongwitheachotherintheworkplace.WhyCommunicationFails

InterculturalPuzzleReferences:Furthermore,timeorientationtheoriescanalsobeusedtoexplainwhythetwomanagersfindithardtoreachanagreement.Incountrieswithpolychronictimeorientation,doingtwothingsatthesametimeseemsnaturalandacceptable.Butincountrieswithmonochronictimeorientation,peopletendtofocustimeandenergyondoingonethingatatime.Theseareallfactorsthatleadtomiscommunicationinaninterculturalworkplace.B.Analyzetheissueinthecase3.Accordingtowhatwehavelearnedinprecedingunits,canyoufindinthiscasesomeotherconflictstriggeredbyculturaldifferences?WhyCommunicationFailsComprehending&AcademicWriting

Comprehending&AcademicWritingReferenceanswersforTextA:CCADBAA.ComprehendingandReflectingReferenceanswersforTextB:CDAAABCC

Comprehending&CheckingConceptsB.PracticingAcademicWritingReferenceAnswers:TounderstandhowAmericansthinkaboutthings,oneneedstounderstandwhatAmericansmeanbythepoint.Thatis,thepointisorshouldbeclearlyfocusedoninspeakingordiscussion.However,peoplefrommanyothercultureshavedifferentunderstandingsaboutthepoint.Americanstendtogetrighttothepoint,unlikeAfricansjustexpressingthoughtsinmindortheChineseandJapanesepresentingapointvaguelyandambiguously.Besides,Americansaremorelikelytotrustreliablestatisticsandexperiences,andtoregardthepointwithitspracticalusefulnessthanpeoplefrommanyothercountriesthatrelyonemotionsandtheories.Thus,misunderstandingsarelikelytooccurwhenpeoplewithdifferentreasoninginteractwitheachother.TounderstandAmericans,oneneedstounderstandAmericans’way