Intercultural Awareness and Competence by Trecia McLennon is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
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Welcome to the Online Intercultural Certification Program. We hope you’re ready for an engaging, rewarding online learning experience with plenty of reading, thinking, and writing.
Brock’s Human Rights and Equity’s (HRE) Intercultural Awareness and Competency training is a structured approach to building awareness and understanding of different cultural behaviours. This online workshop will help you create an environment where people of diverse cultures and backgrounds work together more easily and effectively.
Why do we need to become interculturally competent?
Our community is diverse. We all are surrounded by people who look, speak, think, or feel differently. Differences exist on many levels, including cultural and personal. Sometimes, these differences may get in the way of our daily interactions, though we may not even realize it. This intercultural certification workshop is aimed at increasing the capacity of our communities to work well across differences. Through this workshop, we aim to foster and develop a culturally inclusive, diverse, and safe environment for all.
We acknowledge the land on which Brock University was built in the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe Peoples, many of whom continue to live and work here today. This territory is covered by the Upper Canada Treaties and is within the land protected by the Dish with One Spoon Wampum agreement. Today this gathering place is home to many First Nations, Metis, and Inuit peoples, and acknowledging reminds us that our great standard of living is directly related to the resources and friendship of Indigenous people.
The Two Row Wampum Belt. source: honorthetworow.org
Thank-you for joining us in this online course from Brock’s Human Rights and Equity (HRE). In this brief introductory video, Trecia McLennon will explain to you what you will learn over the next three modules.
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The side navigation menu gives you access to the weekly materials that you are required to cover each week. Each week comprises lecture videos, along with related materials such as content slides, videos, assignments, quizzes, etc. There are three modules other than the course Welcome page in this course. You are encouraged to complete the modules in the following sequence. These are listed below for reference.
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The purpose of this course is to provide you with a starting point to learn about intercultural communication, awareness, and diversity in educational settings. By the end of this course, you will know some key concepts related to culture (definitions, understanding of how cultures differ, the relation between culture and identity, and stereotypes). You will get an opportunity to reflect on what intercultural competence is and how it can be developed; and you will learn some strategies to overcome barriers to cross-cultural communication, and also become aware of how to deal with intercultural situations.
By the end of this course you will be able to:
This course will introduce you to and engage you in discussing and practicing the essential attitudes, knowledge, and skills of intercultural competence.
There are three weeks in the course and each one contains short articles, videos, and discussions. Each week should take you no longer than two hours to complete, and you are free to move faster or slower through the steps, according to your available time. On most steps, we encourage you to personally reflect and make note of these reflections.
Brock’s Human Rights and Equity’s (HRE) Intercultural Awareness and Competency workshop is designed to develop cultural acumen and provides strategies for dealing with culturally diverse behaviours and approaches. Research shows us that building intercultural competency helps us to form more constructive relationships and yield improved results in our connections. Developing a value for different perspectives and ways of doing things gives us greater confidence in working with others respectfully and effectively. Over 90% of participants who have completed the intercultural certification program have indicated that they are now better able to manage cultural differences more skillfully.
This polling activity will indicate your level of intercultural awareness before you begin this course. Remember that this is not a test, so make your best guess. The results will give you an idea about the other participants’ experiences when it comes to intercultural interactions. Note that this activity is built in Google Forms. None of your personal information will be recorded.
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☐ Read the information on the course introduction page
☐ Viewed the Let’s Get Started video of the instructor
☐ Read all the course information provided (description and objectives)
☐ Understand how the course is going to operate
☐ Completed all poll questions for the Intercultural Sensitivity Test
You can now move on to 1.0 What is Culture? by using the menu at the left or the navigation at the bottom of this page.
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Please watch all videos and complete the activities before continuing to Part 1.1
☐ Read the definition of “culture”
☐ Watch YouTube video defining culture
☐ Read & reflect on surface and deep aspects of culture
☐ Read about the cultural iceberg and complete the activity
☐ Reflection Note: Cultural Iceberg explanation
☐ Complete the end of session questions
There are many definitions of culture, one of the most simple being: all knowledge and values shared by a group. Geert Hofstede was one of the first scholars to hold a large scale study in order to find out how cultures differ. He defines culture as:
“…the collective mental programming of the people in an environment. Culture is not a characteristic of the individuals; it encompasses a number of people who were conditioned by the same education and life experience. When we speak of the culture of a group, a tribe, a geographic region, a national minority, or a nation, culture refers to the collective programming that these people have in common; the programming that is different from the other groups, tribes, regions, minorities or majorities, or nations” (Geert Hofstede, 1980, p. 43).
According to Global Affairs Canada:
Culture rules virtually every aspect of your life and like most people, you are completely unaware of this. If asked, you would likely define culture as music, literature, visual arts, architecture, or language, and you wouldn’t be wrong. But you wouldn’t be entirely right either. In fact, the things produced by a culture which we perceive with our five senses are simply manifestations of the deeper meaning of culture – what we do, think, and feel. Culture is taught and learned and shared – there is no culture of one. And yet, culture is not monolithic – individuals exist within a culture. Finally, culture is symbolic. For example, a “home”, is a physical structure, a familial construct, and a moral reference point – which is distinct from one culture to another. See: Global Affairs Canada.
Source: Olds College OER Development Team. (2015). Professional Communications OER. Olds, Alberta: Campus Alberta. Retrieved from http://www.procomoer.org/.
To summarize, culture is:
Learned: Through active and passive teaching and socialization
Shared: By and throughout groups in society.
Dynamic: This means culture is always changing, shifting, and evolving. It is not stagnant.
Systemic: Culture operates on multiple levels and is deeply ingrained in the structure, functioning, and organizing of society.
Symbolic: Culture affects and determines the meaning and interpretation of actions, words, concepts, and things (symbols).
Culture is a very complex topic, but there is at least one model to make this a lot easier to understand. In this section, we’ll examine Edward T. Hall’s iceberg model of culture and see what it can teach us.
Culture is often compared to an iceberg that has, as Hall states both visible (or external) and invisible (internal) parts. As practitioners of intercultural communication we want to be aware that ‘visible’ privileges a sensory interpretation of the elements that is inaccurate and can be an example of exclusive language. From this point forward we will use the terms ‘surface’ and ‘deep’ in relation to Hall’s cultural iceberg. The elements of culture that we can plainly perceive, such as the way we greet each other, the traditions we celebrate, and the food we eat are some of the surface aspects of culture and are represented by the upper portion of the iceberg. Aspects of culture which are less apparent include our beliefs, values and world views, which influence the surface parts of culture, are represented by the much larger portion of the iceberg underwater, deep culture.
Far below the “water line” is a culture’s core values. These are primarily learned ideas of what is good, right, desirable, and acceptable, as well as what is bad, wrong, undesirable, and unacceptable. In many cases, different cultural groups share similar core values (such as “honesty”, or “respect”, or “family”), but these are often interpreted differently in different situations and incorporated in unique ways into specific attitudes we apply in daily situations. Ultimately, these internal forces become tangible to the casual observer in the form of observable behaviours, such as the words we use, the way we act, the laws we enact, and the ways we communicate with each other.
It is also important to note that the core values of a culture do not change quickly or easily. They are passed on from generation to generation by numerous institutions that surround us. These institutions of influence are powerful forces that guide us and teach us. So, like an iceberg, there are things that we can perceive and describe easily… but there are also many deeply rooted ideas that we can only understand by analyzing values, studying institutions, and in many cases, reflecting on our own core values.
Source: www.languageandculture.com
Source: Beyond Culture (1976) by Edward T. Hall
It is important to appreciate and understand the surface and deep elements of culture in order to:
In the activity below, practice identifying the surface and deep elements of culture by sorting the given aspects of culture by dividing them into surface level (tip of the iceberg, easy to notice elements) and deep level (below the water, difficult to notice elements) of culture.
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You’ve completed: 1.0 What is Culture? Now that we have an understanding of the identifiable aspects of culture, you can move on to 1.1 Exploring Identity and how your identity is informed by those aspects. You can access 1.1 Exploring Identity from the menu at the left or the navigation at the bottom of this page.
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Please read and complete all materials and activities before moving forward to Part 1.2.
☐ Read the definition of “identity”
☐ Reflect on what defines (your) identity
☐ Watch the “Who am I” Youtube video
☐ Reflection Note: Who am I?
☐ Watch Trecia’s video on Identity and the Diversity Wheel
☐ Reflection Note: Diversity Wheel
☐ Complete end of session questions
Graphic by: Karla Machado Ortiz
Everyone struggles with existential questions such as, “Who am I?” and “Who do I want my future self to be?” These are simple questions with complex answers.
Identity includes the many relationships people cultivate, such as our identity as a child, friend, partner, and parent. It involves external characteristics over which we have little or no control, such as height, race, or socioeconomic class. Identity also encompasses political opinions, moral attitudes, and religious beliefs, all of which guide the choices we make on a daily basis.
Some of us are concerned with the impression we make; we can feel a core aspect of ourselves (such as gender or sexuality) is not being expressed, and therefore we can struggle acutely with our identity. Reflecting on the discrepancy between who we are and who we want to be can be a powerful catalyst for change.
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Personal Identity | Social Identity | Cultural Identity |
Let’s deep-dive to understand various aspects of our identity better. In this video, you will review the concept of identity, learn about the different kinds of identities we ascribe to, and the diversity wheel which enables us to reflect on ourselves and others in terms of similarities and differences.
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Downloadable version of the lecture slides.
Below is an example of a diversity wheel. In the video there was an explanation of how to use the diversity wheel for an activity to explore your values. To complete this activity:
The purpose of this exercise is to assist your understanding of social reality, as well as help you reflect on yourself and others in terms of similarities and differences that shape your life in a powerful way.
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You’ve completed: 1.1 Exploring Identity, you can move on to 1.2 Cultural Impacts on Identity & Group Membership by using the menu at the left or the navigation at the bottom of this page.
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Please read and complete all materials and activities before moving forward to Part 1.3.
☐ Read about Hierarchy and Dominant Culture
☐ Read and reflect on the the impact of Ascribed and Avowed Identities
☐ Watch the Youtube video “How our brains respond to people who aren’t like us”
☐ Watch Trecia’s video on In-group and Out-Group Attribution
☐ Reflection Note: Exploring Your Identity Workbook
☐ Complete the end of session question
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Now that you are aware of the concept of in- and out- groups, let us now discuss the biases involved towards the out-group members in general; and the in-group favouritism.
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Downloadable version of the lecture slides.
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You’ve completed: 1.2 Cultural Impacts on Identity & Group Membership, you can move on to 1.3 Inclusive Practices by using the menu at the left or the navigation at the bottom of this page.
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Please complete the readings and activities before continuing to Module 2.0.
☐ Read the definition of the “Cultural lens”
☐ Read Trecia’s 4 step process on cleansing your cultural lens
☐ Watch “How Culture Drives Behaviours” video
☐ Read about ODIS Method to suspend judgement
☐ Watch Trecia’s video on Building an Intercultural Mindset
☐ Watch Comedy Central video
☐ Reflection Note: Comedy Central video reflection
Now let’s look at some practices and techniques you can use to be more mindful and inclusive of people from different cultural groups.
Let’s talk about self-awareness because it is fundamental in raising cultural competence. One crucial area that needs close attention is that of our natural biases and how these can get in the way of making good decisions. An easy way to help us understand how people from different cultures view and interpret the world is to think of a cultural lens.
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We all wear a pair of unique lenses. Our lenses are formed by the culture(s) in which we live. These lenses filter the world for us and help us to make decisions as to what is right or wrong, acceptable, or unacceptable.
We all have a slightly different type of lens filtering our world which means that those with different coloured lenses, can and will see things differently to us.
So, the cultural lens analogy helps us understand that we all have a natural tendency to see things differently and that we typically use these perceptions to form judgments as to what is right, wrong, acceptable or unacceptable.
Sources: Cultural Lens Graphic, The Cultural Lens
Further Reading: Examine your LENS: A Tool for Interpreting Cultural Differences
People don’t see the world as it is, but as they are, based on their perception. Our perception may be coated with varying debris of information, from various sources; we must make the effort to examine our data storehouse. Thus, cleansing the lens of our perception is important. Ultimately, the way we see the world does not change the world. It only changes the way we experience our lives in the world.
Let us heighten our sensitivity, seek new information, new ideas that broaden our perception. Let us start by understanding ourselves, especially acknowledging our influences as well as how we come to decisions about the world around us. Let us begin practicing the following steps towards raising our self-awareness.
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In the following video, Julien argues how we see the world through cultural glasses. By changing the glasses you can change the way you interpret the world.
Have you ever found yourself in a new cultural setting thinking, “This situation feels strange,” or “I’m not sure how to read what’s going on right now?”.
When meeting and communicating with new people from different backgrounds it can be helpful to use different techniques to avoid making automatic judgments which can lead to cultural insensitivity.
What do these comic strips say? Did you encounter similar situations depicted in these strips?
Click on the purple question mark icons below for more information.
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In the end, using the O.D.I.S. analysis allows us to have an honest, reflective dialogue with ourselves and helps us become more aware of our automatic reactions and emotions.
Further Reading: Tools to Suspend Judgement
Now that we know how to avoid making automatic judgments; and have become more self-aware about our natural biases; let us concentrate on how we can develop intercultural competence in a sustained and continued manner. In this section, we will learn about the IDC or the Intercultural Development Continuum model which provides us a distinctive roadmap for developing intercultural competence in a progressive manner.
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Downloadable version of the lecture slides.
Watch the video clip from Comedy central. Observe the characters in the video carefully and try to answer the questions that follow.
This is a reflective exercise. The purpose of this exercise is to help you understand how easily cultural misinterpretations can happen. This exercise should enable you to consider how the misunderstanding in this video could happen in the office, in friendships, in classrooms, in person as well as over text/email (especially in a COVID-19 world).
You can complete this activity in any way that you prefer – Word document, PDF, PPT, visual, audio, video, etc. We have also provided you with an online form below so that you can capture your reflections and export a copy of your work.
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Time to do a happy dance.
Now you can move on to Module 2.0 Communication Styles & Cultural Dimensions by using the menu at the left or the navigation at the bottom of this page.
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Please complete the readings and activities before continuing to Module 3.0
☐ Watch Trecia’s video on Cultural Value Systems
☐ Reflection Note: Identifying Your Cultural Values
☐ Watch Trecia’s video on Cultural Specific vs General Knowledge Frameworks
☐ Watch video on Hofstede’s 6 Cultural Dimensions Model
☐ Watch Trecia’s video on High vs Low Context Cultures
☐ Complete the end of session questions
In this video, you will learn about cultural values that are basically the core principles and ideals upon which an entire community exists, and protect, and rely upon for existence and harmonious relationships. Let us explore how this concept is made up of several parts: customs, which involve traditions and rituals; values, which are beliefs; and culture, which is all of a group’s guiding values.
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Downloadable version of the lecture slides.
Note: The information presented below is not for comparison
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Identifying your Cultural Values
For this activity, you can choose to download and use this document, or use the form below.
If you choose to complete with the online version, identify the cultural values you connect with most and then answer the questions at that follow.
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Now that you are aware of cultural values, and how our various beliefs, norms, and social practices shape our very existence, let us talk about cultural knowledge, and dimensions, and how we can use these dimensions to make comparisons among prevalent world cultures.
The concept of cultural dimensions is based on the idea that there are fundamental topics every culture has to deal with. Anthropologists and sociologists sought to define cultural dimensions in order to make different cultures comparable. Thus, dimensions can help to analyze cultural differences and their consequences.
Culture General Frameworks work with various cultural dimensions to provide a general perspective for comparing and contrasting cultures. Let us now take a deep dive to understand these dimensions and how they are used by popular culture general frameworks namely Hofstede’s Six-Dimensional Model, and Edward Hall’s High-Low Content Cultural Communication Dimensions.
In this video, you will be concentrating on culture-specific and culture general knowledge. You will learn about Confucian and the First Nation cultures, and how to use the culture general frameworks to compare and analyze various cultural dimensions.
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Downloadable version of the lecture slides.
While human nature is inherited, culture is learned; however, individuals within all cultures vary based on differences, preferences, values, and experiences. Hofstede identifies cultural dimensions that are globally applicable and are reflected in all aspects of life, including family life, child-rearing practices, education, employment, and health care practices. Watch the video to know more about Hofstede’s six-dimensional framework.
Also, visit the link to 2.1 below to view how Hofstede’s dimensions are summarized on world maps, and also learn further about the cultural dimensions from Hofstede himself.
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Downloadable version of the lecture slides.
If you’re interested in reading more about Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Model explore 2.1 Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions – Maps of the World.
The concepts of high context and low context refer to how people communicate in different cultures. Differences can be derived from the extent to which meaning is transmitted through actual words used or implied by the context. In this video, we are going to explore Edward Hall’s High and Low Context Culture General Framework.
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Downloadable version of the lecture slides.
Note: Although Edward Hall’s High and Low communication cultures refer to the values cultures place on indirect and direct communication, we should avoid stereotyping people based on the countries they may come from. We must keep in mind that high-context and low-context styles are not mutually exclusive. Each has its place and is preferred at different times or with different people, and thus we should not designate any individual or culture.
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Time to break out the donuts!
Now you can move on to Module 3.0 Unconscious Bias & Visioning from the menu at the left. 2.1 Hofsteade’s Cultural dimensions – Maps of the World is further reading if you are interested in digging deeper into the concept of cultural dimensions.
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This section is for your information only if you would like to know more about Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions
Hofstede’s cultural dimensions have two extreme poles that can be numbered with the values 0 and 100. The following dimension maps are based on this cultural dimension model. Each dimension has been derived by comparing many, but not all, countries in the world.
The findings are summarized into six world maps of the distribution of that dimension. Of course, in reality, there can be quite a bit of within-country variation; these maps should be seen as rough ‘climate maps’ of culture.Source: Geerthofstede: 6d-model-of-national-culture
For each dimension, we have included a brief ten-minute video in which Geert Hofstede explains that dimension. We have already covered the dimensions in lectures earlier. These videos are for your reference. You will see a visual of the corresponding map overlaid on the video. You can click on the map to see a larger version.
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Thanks for reading further and checking out the Maps of the World! Now you can move on to Module 3.0 Unconscious Bias & Visioning by using the menu at the left or the navigation at the bottom of this page.
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Please complete the readings and activities before continuing to Module 3.1
☐ Read about how biases are formed
☐ Compare & contrast between explicit and implicit bias
☐ Read the definition of unconscious bias
☐ Watch Kimberly Papillon’s video on unconscious bias
☐ Read “Did you know?” section on unconscious biases
☐ Watch the Youtube video “Blindspots: Challenge Assumptions”
☐ Reflection Note: Understanding Unconscious Bias – What this means to you
Source: Unconscious Biases
Biases are shortcuts our brain forms based on culture, our own experiences, things other people tell us, and institutional influences.
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Unconscious bias is a quick and often inaccurate judgment based on limited facts and our own life experiences. People can be biased about just about anything — not just things like gender, skin colour, or age, but also things like communication style or what someone does in their free time. Unconscious bias is not intentional — it’s part of the lens through which we see the world.
In our everyday lives, when people don’t fit our internalized expectations, we can sometimes have difficulty seeing their talents, motivations, and potential clearly — which can mean we interact with them less effectively.
When we understand how biases influence our behavior, we can take action to create an inclusive culture — one where everyone can contribute, innovate, and provide solutions.
Source: Adapted from Microsoft Diversity training, Unconscious Bias
Learn more about bias from Kimberly Papillon, Esq. Judicial Educator, Consultant, Regular Faculty at the National Judicial College.
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Often, unconscious bias can be difficult to spot because it is not the same as explicit bias or blatant bigotry.
For instance, perhaps you consider yourself to be a very open-minded, liberal person who would never use pejorative language about any group of people, but you would still quickly cross the street if you see a group of shaved heads with cigarettes stuck in their teeth walking towards you on the sidewalk.
Or, maybe when providing anecdotes to friends and family regarding people who have annoyed or irritated you in some way, you make sure to mention the race or ethnicity of those who are different from that of your own.
Have a look at some of the examples below:
Image Source: CQ Your Bias workshop
Further Reading: What is unconscious bias?
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Now you know that our brains are wired to make assumptions, which can sometimes be off base. We may think it’s an honest mistake, but science calls it a blind spot or unconscious bias. So are you ready to challenge your assumptions?
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Understanding Unconscious Bias | What This Means to You?
This reflection activity encourages you to think about your approach to addressing the assumptions or blind spots that you may develop while engaging with others. You can complete this activity in any way that you prefer – Word document, PDF, PPT, visual, audio, video, etc. We have also provided you with an online form below so that you can capture your reflections and export a copy of your work.
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Let us now embark on a journey to explore how our deep-rooted ways of thinking can have a significant influence on our attitudes and behavior and can limit possibilities for ourselves and others.
You’ve completed: 3.0 Unconscious Bias & Visioning, you can move on to 3.1 Facts by using the menu at the left or the navigation at the bottom of this page.
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Please complete all of the readings and activities before continuing to part 3.2.
☐ Read and Reflect on Facts 1-6
☐ Reflection Note: The Trusted Team Activity
☐ Complete Project Implicit’s Unconscious Bias Test
☐ Read & watch YouTube video on Heuristics
☐ Reflect on how Heuristics can lead to Biases
☐ Read and Reflect on Combatting Unconscious Biases
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https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/intercultural/?p=35#h5p-49
As we move throughout the world, we process large amounts of information and make many choices with limited amounts of time. Hence when information is missing, or an immediate decision is necessary, heuristics act as “rules of thumb” that guide our behavior down the most efficient pathway.
Heuristics are the name given to your brain’s mental reflexes and rapid insights. The human mind can only handle so much information at once, so the brain develops these shortcuts to help you compensate for limitations on time, mental energy, and information. In summary, the mind uses heuristics to simplify decision-making.
Heuristics are created due to prior experiences, and people often give these mental reflexes names such as common sense, intuition, or prejudice. But these shortcuts aren’t always optimal. In fact, heuristics are often inflexible toward change.
Source: https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/basics/heuristics#understanding-heuristics
Now that you’re familiar with how our mind is susceptible to various kinds of unconscious biases, the role of heuristics, and how they can impact our mind to form different kinds of cognitive biases, check the infographic below for more information. Are there any that have tricked you recently?
20 Cognitive biases that screw up your decisions.pdf
By now, you should be aware that you, too have blindspots, although what they are is not as important as acknowledging that they exist. The good news is that whatever they are, you can outsmart them.
Let us now dive deep to understand the techniques that we can use as an individual to combat our unconscious biases.
You’ve completed: 3.1 Facts, you can move on to 3.2 Aligning & Crafting Your Vision by using the menu at the left or the navigation at the bottom of this page.
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Please complete the readings and activities before attending the final synchronous session.
☐ Read the How to Combat Unconscious Bias Tool Kit
☐ Read the Golden, Silver, and Platinum Rules
☐ Watch Trecia’s video on Crafting Your Vision
☐ Reflection Note: Crafting Your Own Vision
☐ Attend the final synchronous session (don’t forget to bring your collection of reflection notes from Modules 2 & 3)
An interactive H5P element has been excluded from this version of the text. You can view it online here:
https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/intercultural/?p=41#h5p-45
An interactive H5P element has been excluded from this version of the text. You can view it online here:
https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/intercultural/?p=41#h5p-46
This is the last leg of your journey for this online workshop. Throughout this course, you have been guided to broaden your outlook, cultivate an open attitude, become aware of yourself, develop awareness of others, and understand various cultural differences via established cultural general frameworks. Now you will summarize your learnings and make an effort towards crafting your own vision that would exhibit your intercultural competence and self-efficacy.
An interactive H5P element has been excluded from this version of the text. You can view it online here:
https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/intercultural/?p=41#h5p-47
An interactive H5P element has been excluded from this version of the text. You can view it online here:
https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/intercultural/?p=41#h5p-48
Time to take a breath, relax, and pat yourself on the back.
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Special thanks to the Brock Human Rights and Equity Office and extra special thanks to Brock University Centre for Pedagogical Innovation.
The author would also like to thank her amazing unicorn son for ongoing inspiration and cheerleading.
This project is made possible with funding by the Government of Ontario and through eCampusOntario’s support of the Virtual Learning Strategy (VLS) and Central Virtual Learning Platform (CVLP). To learn more about VLS and CVLP visit: https://vls.ecampusontario.ca.