Critical Discussion on Cultural Standards

As already mentioned the research on cultural standards and their results met widespread criticism. It has been said that the categories built for certain regions, nations or groups are not far away from stereotypes and clichés.

While some researchers claim that the standards found are useful for developing training programmes in order to improve intercultural communication, others blame them as a petrification of prejudice and bias towards certain groups.

Representatives of the cultural standard approach emphasise that their results are not derivations of stereotypes but gained by empirical research. The usual methodology in cultural standards research is to survey persons who lived in the respective country but are natives from other countries. The collected data are analysed and categorised.

According to supporters of this research line, the positive functions of cultural standards are:
  • Individuals can learn about their own culture and act approriately;
  • They learn to assess foreign cultures and how to assimilate;
  • The standards can serve as „thinking tools“ for the reflection of the own and other cultures.

Alexander Thomas also underlines that cultural standards developed through empirical research can help to appreciate different cultures and to avoid misinterpretation of „critical incidents“.

Reflection on Cultural Standards

If you are interested in a reflection on cultural standards you can watch the video below:

Stereotypes vs Cultural Standards

Stereotypes as well as cultural standards categorise. But cultural standards „do not reflect simplified remarks, opinions and attitudes on a certain culture but are constructed by a systematic analysis of real and experienced situations“1. Nevertheless, standards can be misunderstood and used in a simplified and misleading way.

Thus, it is essential to consider

  • that standards are not carved in stone but  are changeable and can be modified;
  • that they may refer to general attitudes and acting patterns in a certain culture but individuals always can deviate from them.
In the end, some conclusions can be drawn from the research on cultural standards:
  • Culture can just be described in a relative way; it is crucial to consider from which perspective one looks at them;
  • Changeability of cultures should always be regarded;
  • It is essential not to just look at a culture as a whole but also to focus on subgroups and individuals;
  • The backgrounds of cultural differences should be taken into consideration when we want to improve intercultural understanding and communication;
  • The dividing line between orientation and stereotyping is narrow; there is always a risk of misinterpretation instead of better understanding;
  • Culture is not just controlling human beings, but also vice versa human beings create culture; it is a mutual process;

Concluding, a quotation by Alexander Thomas who coined the research on cultural standards:

If we wanted home truths we should have stayed at home.“2

Footnotes

  1. Krammhuber/Schroll-Machl (2003)
  2. Thomas (1996 (2003)

Project Partners

Casework is a cooperation between the Innovation in Learning Institute (ILI), the ECC Association for Interdisciplinary Consulting and Education, the INTRGEA Institute for Development of Human Potentials, and Oxfam Italy. More info…