"

Values as Cultural Lenses

We start learning values from childhood and, as we grow into adulthood, values continue to pervade our lives and create meaning in different contexts. For example, as children, we may learn to respect our parents. As teenagers, we learn rules about what is appropriate when interacting with friends. Then, as adults, we learn about levels of formality and expectations from us as employees.

Cultural values are deeply held beliefs that we rely on to determine what is “good, right, acceptable, and desirable” and what is “bad, wrong, inacceptable, and undesirable.”

We constantly see what is around us (e.g., events, behaviours, attitudes, actions, reactions, and values) through our own cultural lenses; this is what makes sense for us. However, when we notice a different way of doing things outside of what we know to be correct, we often interpret the behaviour as wrong, inappropriate, or offensive. If we take the time to “change” our cultural lenses and view things from the perspective of other people or groups, we will realize that they are also following the rules of what is considered right through their own cultural lenses.

Trendy sunglasses placed on wooden table
credit: Image by Ryutaro Tsukata, Pexels license

As we interact with people, we have opportunities to expand our knowledge and gain an understanding of others’ outlooks and ways of being. We can then use what we have learned to try to see things through other people’s cultural perspectives. It is important to remember that the different lenses you use are not limited to people from a different culture, this is also applicable to understand values, history, and experiences of people around you, including second generation immigrants, Indigenous groups, racialized individuals, as well as Black, White, Asian people, and so on. In addition, we make further adjustments to our lenses when we consider the intersectionality of our identities, including socioeconomic background, education, gender, and sexual orientation, among others, where we belong to different subgroups that make up who we are as individuals. Being able to change our perspectives across intercultural and intersectional lines allows us to develop a better understanding of perspectives from our own and other people’s standpoints, further paving the way to gain knowledge about complex issues.

Activity: Adjusting Cultural Lenses

Round Mirror
credit: Image by Ethan Sees, Pexels license

Watch the TED talk by Julien S. Bourrelle: Learn a new culture (13’19”). Bourrelle is a Canadian engineer who learned to adjust his cultural lenses as he interacted with people in the countries where he lived. As you watch, think about your own experiences in situations where you did not understand what happened—where people reacted in a way you did not expect—and how you can adapt your own perspective to gain knowledge while engaging more successfully with others. You are encouraged to take notes you can later refer to, or simply focus on listening to the speaker while thinking about how the content applies to you.

Based on Bourrelle’s talk, select the best answer to the question:

Activity: Adjusting Cultural Lenses (Text version)
  1. Why are greetings one of the first challenges when people move across cultures?
    1. Greetings mean something different across cultures and one must understand how to do it and when to do it.
    2. Greetings etiquette indicates one must say “hi” and “goodbye” when leaving a party and many people do not like doing this. 
    3. Knowing how to greet others is a clear indication that you are educated and have travelled extensively. 
  2. What was the conscious effort that Bourrelle made when living in different countries?
    1. He made sure to take language classes in each country.
    2. He focused on reading everything he could about people in other cultures.
    3. He made a conscious effort to observe how people behaved and communicated and adapted his own behaviours
  3. During his experience travelling in a bus in China, he managed to…
    1. convince a Chinese woman to sit on his lap instead of offering her the seat.
    2. put himself in a situation that was uncomfortable for him but turned it into a positive experience. 
    3. visit people he had met before and was able to talk about his challenges travelling through China.
  4. What important tool does Bourrelle identify to help us navigate cultural differences?
    1. To have a plan ahead of any potential interactions so we can be ready to talk to people.
    2. To continuously think of metaphors that may help us understand what is happening.
    3. To observe and critically interpret behaviours and values from the point of view of the other culture.
  5. What does he mean when he says we need to “bridge culture”?
    1. That we need to use musical instruments to get people to dance on tables and help them have fun. 
    2. That we need to find tools that make people connect with each other despite cultural differences.
    3. That families in intercultural situations need to be ready to share their culture equally.  
  6. What happens if you change the lens through which your brain sees the world and shapes your reality?
    1. You change the way you see other people’s behaviours and are able to understand other people’s perspectives. 
    2. You will be more comfortable hugging people or making others more comfortable around you.
    3. You will understand how people learned their cultural values.
  7. One of Bourrelle’s points at the end of his talk emphasizes…
    1. that people who are hard to read at first may become your best friends.
    2. that equality is a cultural universal.
    3. that being aware of how people approach relationships will give you tools to avoid misinterpreting behaviours.

Check your Answers in footnote[1]

At the end of the video, Bourrelle discusses equality and refers to people or groups that may be “weak” compared to others. Can you think of a better way to refer to those groups he called “weak”?

Check for feedback in footnote[2]

Activity source: Advancing Intercultural Competence for Global Learners, CC BY-NC 4.0

Think about this

  • Why is it important for us to learn how to adapt to different situations?
  • Based on your own experience, when would things have gone better if you had taken the time to adjust your cultural lenses? Why? What happened?
  • What about looking from a different cultural perspective? When do you think it would have been better if someone treated you differently or understood you in a different way?
  • What happens when you only look at other people through your own lenses? What are you missing out on? What problems may arise?

Values are complex and differ from one culture to another within groups, organizations, universities, towns, neighbourhoods, and so on. At any one time, we follow several sets of values that reflect who we are as cultural beings and as members of a society. In addition, people also hold a set of personal values that drive their thinking and way of being. It is important to distinguish between cultural values, based on group tendencies, and personal values, based on what is important to you and what drives or influences your decisions.

Activity: Your Value Orientations

Are you aware of your value orientations? Read the following statements and reflect on your own upbringing and what you learned from, for example, your parents, grandparents, and teachers. Which of the options better reflects what you were taught as you were growing up? Note that there are no right or wrong answers; this activity is intended to help you reflect on your values and what is important to you before you seek to better understand other people’s value orientations.

[Adapted from Stringer, D., & Cassiday, P. (2003). 52 activities for exploring values differences. Intercultural Press. pp. 35-36, 43.]

Activity: Your Value Orientations (Text version) *** I found this exercise to be interesting because the statements are so absolute. I am wondering if we could devise an exercise that would ask students to pick “all that apply” ? *** – Cindy

Reflect on your values by choosing the statement that you feel best represents you. There are no right or wrong answers.

  1. Value orientations set 1
    1. Age is to be respected.
    2. Young people understand the future.
  2. Value orientations set 2
    1. It is important to discuss conflicts directly; the sooner, the better.
    2. It is best to deal with conflict in a way that does not cause discomfort or embarrassment.
  3. Value orientations set 2
    1. There is so much to be learned from the past. Following tradition gives us stability and a sense of direction.
    2. The world is moving at a faster and faster pace. Only those who can be flexible will be the leaders of tomorrow.
  4. Value orientations set 4
    1. The true sign of an adult is the ability to stand up for oneself and be truly independent.
    2. It is important for family members to stick together and support each other.
  5. Value orientations set 5
    1. The true meaning of being human lies in one’s ability to develop spirituality. Without this, material wealth can be meaningless.
    2. Money is a symbol of success. If one is intelligent and willing to work hard, they will be able to satisfy most material desires.
  6. Value orientations set 6
    1. We are all created equal. To treat someone as less than equal is to violate that person’s basic human rights.
    2. For society to have structure and order, it is important for each person to understand their “place.”
  7. Value orientations set 7
    1. It is important to speak up. How else will anyone know one’s capabilities?
    2. Someone who boasts invites criticism, thus disrupting the social harmony.
  8. Value orientations set 8
    1. When there is a question about something, it is best to ask the person in charge, the authority, or the elder rather than keeping quiet or avoiding the topic.
    2. It is rude, insensitive, and impolite to ask questions to people in a position of authority or elders.
  9. Value orientations set 9
    1. Calling someone “my friend” is presumptive and shows no respect for that person as an individual. How can such informality be trusted?
    2. It is important to get comfortable with each other before starting to discuss a project. When the setting is too formal, the feeling is one of coldness and insincerity.
  10. Value orientations set 10
    1. Show me the numbers. Get to the bottom line. We should get right to the point so that we are all clear!
    2. Tell me the story. How did you come to this point? What are your feelings about the matter? What are other considerations?
  11. Value orientations set 11
    1. In times of difficulty, go to someone who has the power to change the situation and ask for help.
    2. The most satisfying and effective form of decision-making is group consensus.
  12. Value orientations set 12
    1. Life is largely determined by external forces, such as God or fate.
    2. Humans should in every way live in complete harmony with nature.
    3. The human challenge is to conquer and control nature. Everything from skyscrapers to genetic engineering has resulted from our meeting this challenge.
  13. Value orientations set 13
    1. We should learn from the past and emulate our ancestors.
    2. The present moment is everything. Make the most of it. Do not worry about tomorrow, enjoy today.
    3. Planning and goal setting make it possible to accomplish miracles. A little sacrifice today will bring a better tomorrow.
  14. Value orientations set 14
    1. Some people are born to lead and should be consulted when problems arise.
    2. Whenever a serious problem arises, family or close friends know best how to solve it.
    3. All people should have equal rights as well as complete control over their own destinies.
  15. Value orientations set 15
    1. To love is better than to achieve; to be is better than to have.
    2. It is more important to pay attention to your inner development than to try to get ahead in life.
    3. Anything worth having is worth working for. Achievement is worth the effort it requires.

Activity source: Advancing Intercultural Competence for Global Learners, CC BY-NC 4.0

Think About This

  • Where did these values or ways of thinking come from?
  • Are they common within your cultural group? Are they common in the place where you study or work? Are they personal values?
  • If more than one option makes sense to you, could it be that you are coming from a bi- or multicultural background?
  • Reflecting back on what you were taught, how is that different from the way you think and feel now? Why is that?

The values by which we live are not limited to what we learned as part of our cultural socialization. They also include organizational (e.g., university or workplace) and personal values. Although culture is the driving factor for our behaviours, remember that personality, experiences, and the context of situations also play an important role in our interactions and ways of being.

TakeAway points

  • Cultural values reflect what we have learned since childhood that determines our understanding of right and wrong.
  • Cultural values are better appreciated if we use different lenses—if we try to make sense of the world by looking at things from a different perspective. Consider an example where a man kisses a woman twice on the cheeks to greet her. Depending on the cultural lenses we wear, this could be considered the right and expected thing to do (from the man’s cultural perspective, this may be the common form of greeting), or it could seem inappropriate (if this is not part of the woman’s cultural background, she may feel her space has been invaded or she may feel uncomfortable with a touching behaviour not permitted for religious reasons).
  • We belong to many different groups simultaneously, and we have a set of values that reflect our intersectional identities.

Try These Strategies

  • Pay attention to people around you, in particular when you are in an intercultural, diverse, or international context. Focus on developing your observation skills anywhere and at any time. Consider how people act and react, for example, when others buy coffee, stand in line, walk on the street, or greet each other.
  • Try to be objective instead of judging what you see: Describe before you interpret. Remember, you are looking at actions through your own cultural lenses. Consider how things may look from another person’s perspective. Put yourself in their place.
  • Always leave room for interpretation: Could the values at hand reflect a cultural group, an organization, the person’s own values?

Attribution & References

Except where otherwise noted, this page is adapted from “Values as Cultural Lenses” In Advancing Intercultural Competence for Global Learners by Christine McWebb, Sandra López-Rocha, & Dr. Elisabeth Arévalo-Guerrero, CC BY-NC 4.0

    1. a) When we move across countries or interact with cultural others, one of the first challenges comes with how and when to greet people.
    2. c) He tried to learn about the cultures and expand his skills to communicate with other people.
    3. b) He was uncomfortable but made the best out of the situation and went with the flow without reacting badly. He connected with the people around him.
    4. c) His message is to pay attention to one’s surroundings and people’s behaviours, trying to understand them from their point of view, and learn from that.
    5. b) Despite having visible and invisible cultural differences, the key is to find what helps us connect, which leads to greater intercultural understanding.
    6. a) By trying to understand things from other people’s perspectives we can better interpret behaviours, attitudes, and values.
    7. c) Being aware of different ways in which people may approach and develop relationships will help you avoid misinterpreting the behaviours and attitudes of others.
    ↵
  2. Instead of thinking about them as “weak,” we should think about people in that group as “disadvantaged” or “racialized” depending on the context. They are not weak; they simply have not had the same access as members of the dominant group or may have experienced systemic racism. ↵

License

Icon for the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

Values as Cultural Lenses Copyright © by Linda Thomason and Cindy Korpatnicki is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book