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InterculturalCommunicationCulturesinContrast:CaseStudiesInterculturalCommunicationCulturesinContrast:CaseStudies•LectureOneCommunicationacrossCultures•LectureTwoInterculturalPerception•LectureThreeInterculturalUnderstanding•LectureFourInterculturalAdaptationLectureFourInterculturalAdaptationLead-in•Howdoyouusuallyfeelwhenyoubegintoliveinanewplace?•Doyoulikemovingfromplacetoplaceorstayinginaplaceforlong?Why?•Whatarethebiggestchallengesdoyouthinkpeopleusuallyencounterwhentheyareinanewenvironment?CULTURESHOCKisacommonexperienceofpeoplewhohavebeensuddenlytransplantedabroad.Itreferstophenomenarangingfrommildirritabilitytodeeppsychologicalpanicandcrisis.Itisassociatedwithfeelingsinthepersonofestrangement,anger,hostility,indecision,frustration,unhappiness,sadness,loneliness,homesickness,andevenphysicalillness.Thepersonundergoingcultureshockviewshisnewworldoutofresentment,andalternatesbetweenbeingangryatothersfornotunderstandinghimandbeingfilledwithself-pity.IWarming-upActivitiesAnAmericanwomanwasstayingovernightforthefirsttimewithaJapanesefamily.Afterdinner,sheandherhostssatinthelivingroomanddiscussedavarietyofthings:thefamily’stripsabroad,thingstheguestshouldbesuretoseewhileinJapan,etc.Asthenightworeon,thehostspolitelyandrepeatedlyaskedifshewantedtotakekerbath.Theguestrepliedthatshewasinnohurryandcouldwaituntillater.Asaresult,across-culturalmisunderstandingarose.Readthefollowingandanswerthequestionsbelow.Questions•WhydidtheJapanesehostsrepeatedlyasktheAmericanwomantotakeherbath?–TheJapanesedidn’tliketohavesomeonestayovernightattheirhomewithoutthoroughlycleaninghim-orherself.–TakingbathisusuallyoneoftheimportantwaystheJapaneseentertaintheirguests.–Theguestshouldtakeherbathfirstsothatthefamilymemberscouldtaketheirsandthenretire.–TheJapanesethoughtthattheAmericanwomanwasjustbeingpolitewhensherepliedthatshecouldwaituntillater.•WhatdidtheAmericanwomanfailtorealize?IICaseStudyCase1:ThedangeringooddeedsPingHuangwasmeetingMingZhou,anolduniversityfriendfromChinainthestreetofNewYorkCity.Whenshewasabouttocrossthestreettogettotheplacewheretheyhadagreedtomeet,anelderlyAmericanwomanaskedherwhethershewouldholdherarmandhelphercrosstheroad.PingHuangcouldtellthattheoldwomanwasveryfrailandcouldnotsay“No”toher.Astheywalkedslowlytotheothersideoftheroad,PingHuangcouldseethatMingZhouwaswaitingtherewithaveryworriedlook.AfterPingHuanghelpedtheelderlywomantothesidewalkandsaidgood-byetoher,MingZhouangrilyasked,“Whatmadeyouwanttohelpthatoldwoman?”“Don’tyouseesheneededhelp?”PingHuangwassurprisedthatMingZhouaskedsuchanunkindquestion.ThankGodnothinghappenedtoher.Youknowwhat?Ifshefellwhileyouwereholdingher,youcouldgetintorealtrouble.You’renotherelongenoughtoknowthisisnotChina.”“Whatdoyoumean?Peopledon’tgetpunishedforhelpingothers!”PingHuangwasgettingveryupset.Shehadn’tseenMingZhouforalongtime,andneverexpectedtheirgreetingwouldturnouttobeanargument.“OK,OK,let’snotargue.Buttakemyadvice.Don’tevertrytohelptheweakorthehandicappedhere,ifyoudon’tknowthem.Sometimes,kindnesscangetyouintorealtroubleinstead.”IICaseStudyCase1:Thedangeringooddeeds-ChineseperspectiveHelpingtheold,thephysicallyweak,ordisabledpeoplehasalwaysbeenniceChinesetradition.Itisnotuncommonforyoungandhealthypeopletogivetheirseatstoelderlypeople,topregnantwoman,towomenwithbabies,tohandicappedpeopleonacrowdedbus.Iftheformerdonotdosowhilethelatterarearound,otherpeoplemaymakeveryunfavorablecommentsorevenmakethemdoso.Refusingtohelpsomeonewhoneedsassistance,turningablindeyetosomeonelessfortunateisconsideredtobeunkindorrude.Thepeoplebeinghelpedwouldmostlikelyaccepttheoffergratefully.Asaresult,theoverwhelmingmajorityofChinesewoulddowhatPingHuangdid,andMingZhou’scommentseemedcruelanduncaring.IICaseStudy-Westerners’perspectiveCase1:ThedangeringooddeedsSadly,MingZhou’sadviceisbasedonrealexperienceinmanylargeNorthAmericancities.IntheUS,especially,peopleareveryquicktosuesomeoneelseifanythinggoeswrong.Iftheelderlywomanfell,she,oramemberofherfamily,mightindeedhavesuedPingHuang.ThereareincidentsintheUSwherephysicianswhostoppedtotreatapersoninvolvedinanaccidentbut,becauseoftheemergencysituation,theycouldnotdoasmuchasiftheywereinahospitalorclinic.Sometimes,asaresult,theremaybecomplicationsinthehealingprocessandtheinjuredpersonwouldsuethephysician.Thefactthattheinjuredpersonwouldhavebeenmuchworseofformaybeevendiedhadnobearingonthedecisiontosue.IICaseStudy-Westerners’perspectiveCase1:ThedangeringooddeedsNoteveryNorthAmerican,ofcourse,wouldfailtohelpsomeoneclearlyindistressordifficulty.Manypeoplestillgiveseatsonbusesorinwaitingroomstopregnantwomanorelderlypersons.Theyholddoorsforpeopleinwheelchairsorwhosearmsaretoofulltoopenthedoorthemselves.But,nonetheless,theyalsohaveheardstorieswherepeoplelikethemselveshaveattemptedtohelpstrangersonlytobeattacked,robbed,orsued.Itisgoodtohelpthoselessfortunate,butonehastobesurenottoputoneselfinpersonaldangerneedlessly.IICaseStudyCase2:UnacceptableCuriosityMr.andMrs.PetersoncametoChinawithatourgroup.Oneevening,theydecidedtotakeawalkoutsidetheirhotel.Theysoonnoticedthatquit